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Story: Climbing Everest

What really irks the fuck out of me is the fact the Pakhan brought the information to my husbands instead of taking care of my father himself. If the leader of the Bratva wants his head, why hand the job over to the Greek syndicate?

No way would anyone in the Bratva go against Roman or fault him for taking out someone who proved they aren’t loyal. Unless, of course, they themselves aren’t loyal to their Pakhan.

Choosing a movie at random, I keep my eyes on the screen but don’t really see anything. As far as I know, I chose a porn or some shit for as much attention as I’m paying the TV.

I just want this over. I want the constant risk that’s been hanging over my head to be gone, and I want to have a life with my husbands without constantly looking over our shoulders. I know they’ll still have enemies, still have people who would come after me to get to them, but they also have men who are loyal to them regardless of Kato’s age or how he came into power.

From the corner of my eye, I see Kato lower his phone to his lap and turn his head toward me.

I glance up and frown. He tilts his head toward the bedroom, my signal to get ready to lock myself in one of the two rooms with a locking door. The bedroom is where the weapons are stashed, but also has windows where someone could crash through if they really wanted to get to me.

That is if they even knew where I was hiding.

I don’t want to hide. I want to stand side by side with my husbands and face down my parents. I want to be the one to pull the trigger, to end the life of the monsters who tried to end mine.

No matter how much I’d pleaded my case, no matter how much I yelled and cursed, I’d lost that battle. It was three to one. Should have known from the moment they told me their plan I wouldn’t be allowed anywhere near what they consider a threat.

At least they made sure I’d be armed. Those just in case moments are far too common, and I would rather not have to hold someone off with a pillow until one of my husbands can get to me.

Speaking of my other two men, they should be making their way toward the cabana by now. I don’t know whether one of them texted Kato, whether one of the guards pretending to be distracted alerted him, or whether he actually heard someone approaching.

Whichever it was I really, really hope Madd and Brix catch on. I have no doubt when it comes to Kato’s abilities, but that will only be beneficial if it’s a fair fight and my father doesn’t somehow blindside us.

And see, those last two options…my father does nothing fair. He’ll take any and every opportunity to make this as quick as possible. I’ll be surprised if he gets his hands dirty instead of ordering one of his men to take me out like he did four years ago.

Ohh. I so badly want to walk right up to him, put the barrel of a gun to his forehead, and squeeze the trigger. I want to see the surprise in his eyes, the fear, then watch as the life bleeds from them.

He’d so badly wanted to be the Pakhan. I still don’t know the full details, but the guys finally let me in on some of the bullshit that had been going on with their shipments. My father had put someone on the inside and had been stealing from them, diverting shipments so he could intercept them, all the while keeping it from Roman Yegorov.

That alone is enough to earn an execution, but the fact Dima Sidorov chose to run like a pussy instead of coming clean to his Pakhan sealed the deal and he practically signed his own death certificate.

It might have been easier had Roman or one of his men dealt with my father, but then I wouldn’t get the gratifying sense of justice. Even if none of my husbands allow me to be the one to wield the gun or knife, I’ll still be present. I’ll get to look him in the eye when he takes his last breath.

Whentheytake their last breath. Maybe I’m as evil as my parents, because I believe they both deserve the same fate. My mother was aware and did nothing to stop her husband. She was aware I was alive and struggling yet didn’t so much as send me enough money for a meal.

Then the bitch had the nerve to throw my former job in my face as though surviving and staying under my father’s radar didn’t justify getting naked or spreading my legs.

And since it wasn’t only my life I thought I was protecting, I don’t regret a single thing I did. Now that all three of my husbands know the full truth, I know they don’t hold any of it against me, either.

Kato slowly pushes from the couch, pulling his arms over his head as though he’s simply stretching but I can see the wayhe’s completely attuned to every single movement outside the windows, listening for even the faintest crack of a twig.

They’d waited until dusk. It’s not fully dark, but just enough they can find their way around, get in position before attacking.

How many men did my father bring? What are the chances he brought Eriks and Mikhail? It would be so fucking awesome to take out all three of them at once, then track down my mom after.

Yep. I might have inherited more of their dark genes than I realized.

Not that I’ve gone around fantasizing about bathing in anyone’s blood. Nor do I actually want to bathe in my parents’ blood…

Wow. I’m freaking rambling in my own head.

I just want this over. I want to get on with our lives. We might never be able to actually bring a child into this world, but like Maddox said, we can adopt ten kids and give them the loving homes the four of us never had.

Kato turns his head and frowns at me before jerking his head toward the bedroom. No idea what he heard or saw, but it’s officially time to put an end to all this bullshit.

Doing as he’d done and pushing to my feet as nonchalantly as possible in case anyone is watching from outside, I step forward, tilt my head back for a kiss, and say, “I’ll be right back,” as though I’m simply heading to our shared room for something I forgot or to change clothes.

My steps are slow and measured as I walk through the dark hallway and into the darker bedroom. Our room faces the east, so it’s way darker in here than the main living area.