“Ksenia, I think you and I are going to get along just fine. Plus, I think you fit in with the family. None of us are weak, and you my dear are certainly anything but.”
Carla and I spend the next twenty or so minutes chit chatting as she drives around endlessly. She shows me different neighborhoods, where they went to school, and so much more. I think she’s right, though. We’re going to get along just fine, and I honestly believe that. While meeting his family may have started out rough, it really can’t get any worse.
As soon as I think it, I just hope I haven’t jinxed myself.
19
Wisdom is not just knowing something. It is doing something.
-ContemporaryMochanista.com
Enzo
When I came back into the bedroom, I swear it smelt like cheeseburgers. I know I must’ve been dead tired after speaking with Stefano more than half the night. So, I went into bed and caught some of the best sleep in my entire life. I woke to Ksenia in the shower and have already been downstairs to grab breakfast and bring it back for the both of us.
We had a decent spread, omelets, French toast with bacon and a small serving of fruit. Come to find out, she and Carla had gone out for cheeseburgers last night and that’s why the room smelt like it. Here I am, thinking I had just gone crazy. But now I’m wondering, where the hell is my cheeseburger? Some people need to know how to share.
Ksenia and I talked briefly this morning about yesterday’s series of events and she’s not too upset, but she does want to get back home, and soon. I can’t really blame her for feeling a certain way, considering how she was treated. I’m sure she doesn’t want to be around my mother because more questions will be asked no doubt. Questions that she doesn’t want to answer, nor should she have to.
“Are you two about to head out?” Stefano asks, considering I have our luggage . . . I’m wondering why he’d ask a stupid question. You know those people who say that stupid questions can’t be asked? Well, they can.
“Yes, we’re having Carla take us to the airport in a few minutes. Our flight leaves in about two hours.”
“Please, I’ll arrange for my jet to take you both back. I don’t want you going alone, though. Gianni will be accompanying you and helping with our current task. It’s the least I can do, considering we have a mountain of work ahead of us. I already have my diggers looking for any other information they can get on Max.” A digger is one of Stefano’s employees who looks for information on someone. It can be through the internet, calling old jobs, really anything that will get us some type of lead on their current whereabouts.
Out of curiosity, I ask him something. “How many diggers do you have on this?”
Stefano raises his eyebrows, “Five of my best. This is a family problem now, Lorenzo. Ksenia is pregnant and she is one of us now, even though others may not feel the same way. You want to protect your child, and I want to protect my grandchild, so I will have my best working on this. Any valuable information I get will be relayed to you and your brother. I hope you understand and will relay to Reed again that I expect nothing. This vermin to society has messed with the wrong people, and I pray that he doesn’t try to harm her.” He looks to Ksenia, “I’ve already lost my patience with this Max, and God help him if he attempts to harm a hair on her head. I will rain hell on him and everyone he cares about, if he has anyone left.”
“Thanks, we already bought tickets to fly back into Nashville, though.” I state, while he laughs as a response.
“You can’t tell me that you want to be squished up next to a stranger in economy. Take the jet. Ksenia will be much more comfortable, as will you and your brother. Plus, a little birdie told me she likes honey cake, so I’ve arranged to have some prepared. It will be on the jet.”
I glance over to Ksenia and see her eyes brighten up, “Medovik?”
“Yes, Carla told me the two of you were talking about sweets last night. She mentioned it, and so before I went to bed, I informed the kitchen that I’d need a fresh cake for today.”
“Thank you for your kindness.” Ksenia says, it comes out a bit weird, but she still isn’t the best when it comes to English.
“No need to thank me, darling. You are famiglia and will be treated as such. Now, Lorenzo, Carla will take you to the private airstrip we have for the jet. I’ll make sure that Gianni meets you both there. Safe travels, son. I will see you soon, no doubt.” My ma might have fucked shit up with Ksenia, but Stefano is making up for it. He has treated her with nothing but respect, as if she were his own daughter and that means a lot to me. The fact that this old fashioned Italian man isn’t preaching to her about marriage, or bitching at me about the fact she isn’t from the same culture as we are – it’s a rarity, but one that I’ll openly accept.
I take a couple of short steps towards Stefano and wrap my arms around him, pulling him in a hug. I’m not the type of man who hugs other men, but I feel that this will show him how much I appreciate everything that he is doing for us. He pats my back a few times and pulls away, staring me in the eyes as he speaks. “We may fight hard, but remember that we love hard. We will always put the famiglia above all else, Lorenzo.”
“I will never forget that.” I mutter to him in a low tone.
Stefano wraps his arms around Ksenia next and holds her close. “Please be safe, dear. You and the little one need to rest and be healthy. No more stress in either of your lives. Understand?”
Ksenia makes a face, but smiles at the end, nodding quickly. “Thank you for your concerns. It means a lot to me.”
“It is truly my honor. Now, you two get out of here and go to the airstrip. I believe I heard Carla fire up her death trap anyway.”
I chuckle at Stefano’s description of her car. He’s only saying that because it does pack some speed behind it. I grab mine and Ksenia’s luggage as she opens the door, and we leave, both of us ready to get home. While it may have been a short trip, it surely wasn’t uneventful.
20
You kinda owe it to yourself to do the things you dreamed.
-Unknown
Ksenia
I’m not a big fan of flying when it comes to travel, then again, I don’t really like cruises – given my experiences. Although, I can’t really say that I came to the United States on a cruise. I was packed in a shipping container and sent across the sea. Something about being confined in a giant metal thing in the sky just freaks me out. I know that people have been doing this for ages, but it is scary.
My honey cake has made the trip a little better, though. I’ve been sneaking over to dig a fork in it and take a few bites every now and again. Enzo even decided to try a bit of it, whereas his brother didn’t want to. Gianni seemed more focused on sleeping through the flight than anything. I wonder how people can sleep in situations like this. How does anxiety not bother them?
“Are you and I going to talk more about it?” Enzo asks. He’s sitting right next to me, leg crossed over the other, eyes burning through my body.
I shrug, hoping to avoid it. “About what?”
He puts his arm behind my back and rubs my shoulder soothingly. “Your daughter, sweetie. You and I need to have this discussion.”
I take in a breath and sigh. “There isn’t much to talk about. I can’t do anything . . . so why discuss it? I know you must be thinking that I am some awful woman who doesn’t care for her child, but I care. I care so much that I don’t speak her name, or do anything that could put her in harm’s way.”
With his free hand, he grabs my face and turns it towards him. He’s making me look at him, and it makes me a bit uncomfortable. “There is no way in hell that I think you’re awful. You’re doing the one thing that will keep her safe – when it’s the hardest thing any mother would have to do.”
I nod, not quite sure how to respond to him. He’s right. It’s the hardest thing to do, but was even worse to accept. I know Sergei to know enough about what he’s capable of, and he will kill her if I speak. If I knew where she was, I�
�d make sure to grab her and then tell Katya everything, but I don’t. I don’t have a clue where she is. “I won’t ever see her until Sergei is dead. He needs to die before it’s safe. He doesn’t joke when it comes to threats, and he already has an older daughter, Natasha, so a second doesn’t matter.” I don’t mean it to sound cold, but it’s exactly how he explained it to me.
“I heard some rumors that he’s been running into some problems with the Irish Mafia. If we’re lucky, his luck will run out. Regardless, Ksenia, even if it doesn’t – I’m going to get your daughter back. She belongs with you, not with strangers. Do you know anything about where she could be?”
“All I know is that he carted her off somewhere. She couldn’t come back because of obvious reasons. Katya would ask too many questions. Too many questions meant her death, so I wouldn’t allow that. I need her to be alive, even back then I needed her to be alive. She may have been a child of rape, but that doesn’t mean I never loved her. She is my child.
He pulls me closer against him and I bury my face into his chest. “We’re going to figure this out. I promise you. No matter how hard this gets, you and I will find a solution.”
I murmur, “Mhm.”
“Say, did you tell me her name?”
At that, I bring my head up to look at him, afraid to even speak her name aloud. For so long I’ve had to remain quiet, but now I finally feel that I can say it without being too scared. I’m telling Enzo after all.
“In English, it is Larisa. In my country, the name means stronghold. I wanted to give her a name that exuberated strength.”
“It is a beautiful name.” He comments, kissing the top of my forehead.
“I don’t mean to break up this sweet moment, but what’s the plan for when we land?” Gianni speaks out of nowhere, almost making me jump in my seat. He’s startled me to death! I thought he was still asleep.
Enzo shifts his attention over to his brother, “Well, we’re going to land and take Ksenia back to her house. I’ll get you a room at the club.”
“No, he will stay at our house.” I speak up, looking between the two of them.
“You’re talking about an MC club?” Gianni asks, lifting an eyebrow. I nod before Enzo can respond. “I’m not staying at a clubhouse, Enzo. Where’s your house at Ksenia?” He says my name perfectly on the first try, causing me to smile.
“It’s back in the woods, out of the way. Not as big as your house, but still very nice.”
“Yeah, I’ll stay with you two at your house.” Gianni informs Enzo. He gives me a look that tells me he’s not too happy, but oh well. Gianni and I haven’t spoken much and I think it would be good to do so. What better way to get to know him than him staying with us?
“No female in the house is single.” Enzo speaks very clear and loud as he speaks to Gianni, who raises his eyebrows and smirks.
“Gee, you must think I fuck everything that walks, Enzo. I’ve grown up a bit since you last saw me.”
Enzo chuckles with a scoff, “I seriously doubt that.”
“I have. I have standards now, brother. I only fuck seven’s or higher.”
“Seven’s?” I say aloud, “You fuck seven women at one time?”
“He sure as hell used to.” Enzo grumbles under his breath.
Gianni thinks what I’ve just said is hysterical. “No. I fuck women who I believe are hotter than a seven, on a scale from one to ten. You see, I rate their looks, and if they’re hot enough, I might shove my disco stick inside them.”
“Disco stick!?” I look to Enzo and back to Gianni before looking back at Enzo. I speak lowly, “What is a disco stick, and why is he shoving one inside women?”
Enzo rolls his eyes, obviously irritated. “He’s calling his penis a disco stick because he’s an immature fuck!” He speaks over me, directed at Gianni.
I thought it was going to be a good idea to have Gianni come here with us, but now I’m worried that these two will be bickering the entire time. Only time will tell. I think the odds are split a little fifty-fifty right now.
21
Look closely at the present you are constructing. It should look like the future you are dreaming.
-Alice Walker
Ksenia
The flight went by faster than I thought it would, and at a point I fell asleep, which surprised me quite a bit. We were able to land at a smaller airport not too far away from the main one. Enzo’s SUV is parked back there, so we grabbed a taxi and had them drop us off at the parking garage and loaded everything into the SUV before we started our trek back to Russian Manor.
Gianni asked me a few questions while Enzo drove, about the area and the club. I told him that Chaos is kind of a jerk, and Pain is nice. Seamus looks scary, but he’s really not. Reed is all business, all the time. I didn’t bring up my brother, though . . . ‘cause he’ll see for himself. I didn’t go over everyone, but I did mention the few who he needed to know about. Slasher will be a piece of cake, so there’s no worries. I’m sure he’ll end up giving Gianni a hard time for being such a pretty boy. He looks like he could be a model on a fashion runway, then again, Salvatore and Enzo look like they could be models too. They just wouldn’t be in a fashion show. No, they’d be in slutty magazines. I think there are a few different variations of hotness. There are pretty boys like Gianni, and then there are men like mine, who look like they want to take you to sexual paradise.
We’re finally back at the house and I’m beat, exhausted in every way, shape and form. Turns out travelling and dealing with family dramatics can really weigh on a person. As soon as Enzo puts the car in park, I unbuckle my seatbelt, open the door and shut it behind me. Heading towards the front door, I’m greeted by Jenna’s dubbed ‘broody Russian’, my brother, Dmitri.
“You’re brooding, just like Jenna says you do.” I comment, glancing up at him. I hate being so short because it always means I have to look up at people. “What’s wrong?”
“I see you’ve brought him back here . . . and who is that?”
I cross my arms and let all of my wrath out. “Oh, put a sock in your mouth or shut it. I’m tired of you being a jerk, Dmitri. I know you only do it because you care, but this is about my happiness, not your fucking ego. I want to be with Enzo, so I’m going to be with him. For goodness sake, I just went to Seattle to meet his family and his mother kept telling me how I’m eternally damming my child to hell because I’m not marrying him. I was made to feel like a disgusting, vile thing by her. Like I’m dirty, and the last thing I need is for you to stand here and give me more shit, after all I’ve done is take it!”
Dmitri’s expression fades from irritated, to flat out pissed. “She said what, to you?”
“It’s a long story. I’m not Italian, so that’s a problem. I’m also not married, so that’s a problem. I made sure to stick up for myself. If I want to get married, it’s because I want to be married – not for any label.”
“I’m happy to see you sticking up for yourself, but you should know I’m not just going to suddenly like Enzo. He tried to fuck with Jenna.”
“DMITRI!” I yell at him, screaming in his face. “Do you think he’s using me as a way to get close to Jenna and steal her from you? Jesus Christ! Get over yourself, and stop being so fucking paranoid.”
Slasher pops up from behind the front door and laughs like he’s just come from a comedy show. “Shit, she got you good, brother.”
“I don’t want you to get hurt, Ksenia. All you’ve been is hurt, through your whole life. I want more for you.”
“As I’ve said before, you don’t get to make that decision. This is my decision to make, and if it’s a mistake, then I will bear the consequences that come with it. Anyway, Gianni is Enzo’s brother. His father sent him here to help with the Max problem.”
“Yeah, Reed told us it was all hands on deck and we’d be getting a bit of help.” Slasher states, looking past me, out to the SUV.
“Are you going to be leaving? I mean, are a lot of you going to be lea
ving to search for him or something?” I ask, because that doesn’t make me feel right. If they leave, all the women will be at the club, and the kids too.
“Probably. It’s all hands on deck.”
“Okay, well . . . If you all have to go, can you mention something to Reed for me?” Both Dmitri and Slasher look at me with curious eyes. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to leave the women and kids alone. Have them come here for however long you’re all gone? We live in a fortress, and if something were to happen, we’d be able to get out through the pathway under the house. We have hired hands here, and if we tell Mariana what’s going on, she’ll send more. Not only more, but she’ll send better men and women as back up.”
Slasher nods his head, smirking. “You’re a smart woman, Ksenia. We’ll bring it up.” I don’t think that Slasher or Dmitri’s relationship is the same with Reed since everything went down a while back, but it’s greatly improved. It was a dire situation, one that we didn’t have all the answers to. Now, after it’s all said and done, I’m feeling much better being here. I miss the club so much, and I hope that after Max is dealt with, I can go back. It’s the first place that has ever felt like home.
“Is Katya here?” I ask her boyfriend, Slasher, and he nods.
“She’s upstairs with Pip.” I walk in the house between the two men and head up the stairs, going right into Pip’s room, but before I go in, I knock.
“Hey. How was your trip?” She asks, tucking Pip in. She looks to her daughter and back to me. “We’ve been running around a fair bit today, so she needs a nap.”
I’m about to do something that I didn’t think I would, but now is the time. There will never be a good time to tell Katya. No matter how much I try to talk myself out of it, I know that there isn’t. “Good. I think you and I should talk somewhere private. I have something that I need to tell you. Something that I should have told you many, many years ago.”
Retribution: Skulls Renegade MC Book #10 Page 8
