AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m sure you know as much as you can about him. He served with your father in the militia. That’s all I can tell you. I’m sure you know why Anzor did what he did, don’t you?”
I look at my brother, and outside of our stepfather’s hunger for power, we don’t know anything.
“The Chechen people grew tired of your father and the way he ruled. They wanted someone else to be at the top of everything, so they put their faith in Anzor. He bedded the wife of an Umarova, so the people felt fine about him coming to power. They figured he could teach you both how to lead andhow to lead in a way your own father didn’t. He was the only way you two ever stayed alive, and his allies will confirm it to you.”
I can’t tell if Artos is being honest with us. People turned against my father because they didn’t like the way he led, and then they ultimately gave the go-ahead for our stepfather to kill him. With our own father’s death, they gave their loyalty to our stepfather… and they hoped our stepfather would train us to lead in the way he did. It sounds preposterous, but it doesn’t sound like it could be made up. If it’s true, it means more of our allies are our enemies in disguise… and we have to find out who is really here with us and who is not.
“Many of your allies never wanted you to step into your stepfather’s role,” Artos adds, and Ruslan clenches his jaw as Artos speaks.
“You mean my rightful place? They never wanted me to lead, which is my fucking right? It was ripped from my father, and the Umarovas have led Chechnya for many, many years. Over my dead body will I ever let another family take what is ours.”
Artos laughs lowly. “Funny you say it like that because it’s what will likely happen to you. You’re not safe. Your family isn’t safe. They will try to turn those closest to you against you. Nazyr would be my next best bet. I wonder if they’ve even reached out to him yet… or if they’re waiting for a better opportunity.”
Ruslan takes his gun from his holster and aims right for the center of Artos’ chest. The bullet goes through him, and the man chokes on his own blood before finally going still. “I couldn’t bear to hear any more of his bullshit,” Ruslan admits.
“I don’t blame you. I was going to do the same thing after a while,” I tell my brother in an effort to make him feel better.
“Now that Artos is dealt with, it’s time we discuss something else. Julio Ramirez reached out to me. He wants to meet when he’s in Paris in two weeks’ time.”
That fucking bastard. “What does he want?” I have a hard time keeping my anger in check, but I’ll do what I must.
“I don’t know much besides that he wants to discuss a business arrangement. I have gotten word he wants to set up an arranged marriage between his son, Santos, and Eset.”
I laugh at my brother’s words. “We promised Eset we’d never put her in such a position. If you were to agree to it, it would gut her.”
My brother simply stares at me. I know he’s very well aware of the promises he made to our half-sister. “If Eset wants to marry anyone, it will be because she wants to do it, not because of a political arrangement between two powerful families,” Ruslan tells me, and relief washes over my body. Our family is just now being shaped into something strong, and the last thing we need is for there to be a rift between any of us. Agreeing to a marriage such as this would surely cause it with Eset.
My brother knows what Julio did to Emily and to her daughter. He knows everything, and because of it, I know I can trust my brother to not conduct any business with these bastards. I have plans to go after Julio, and he will suffer in a way far worse than Artos ever did.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Emily
It’s our first family Sunday dinner since we arrived here in Grozny, and I’m so excited to be here. Something I never really felt with my own family was a sense of closeness, but as I look at everyone mingling with one another, I can’t say the same about the Umarovas. Hell, Eset and Nazyr aren’t even Umarovas, but Ruslan suggested they formally get their names changed so they can become them. Their blood isn’t Umarova, but none of it matters to them. What really matters is the brotherhood the four of them have, or maybe I should say sisterhood.
Since coming to Grozny, I’ve noticed Sierra’s been sticking close to Lom, who she believes is her father. I won’t ever tell her otherwise, and I know he won’t do it either. He admitted to me the other night that he likes the fact she thinks he’s her father. He says that being a father gives him a deeper purpose, and I love it for him.
It’s the first time since coming home that Sierra has met Eset or Nazyr, and both of them are talking with her like she’s actually their niece.
Eset made the entire dinner herself, a combination of traditional Chechen foods as well as some American ones. We told Eset that Sierra hadn’t had many opportunities to try different foods until we got her back, so she made some things that are loaded with spices, and then she’s made some “bland” American food, as she calls it. Amelia and I got a good kick out of it, but all of the Umarovas looked at us like it was the most real insult we’ve ever experienced. American food is quite different than Chechen, but that doesn’t mean it’s awful.
We’ve all eaten dinner together, and it’s almost over. Sierra loves the fact she has a baby cousin to play with, so she takesKarim into the living room upstairs, and Ludvik goes along with her. We know he isn’t fond of being a babysitter, but it’s his job to make sure we’re protected, so he can’t really put too much of a fight up about it. As soon as the children are out of earshot, Eset clears her throat and looks right at her brothers.
“You’ve all been acting so weird with me for the last few days. Are you going to tell me what’s the matter, or should I go looking in the rumor mill for my answers?” Eset makes eye contact with every one of her brothers. First, it’s Nazyr, and then Lom, and finally Ruslan.
Ruslan takes a sip of his vodka on the rocks and looks right into his sister’s eyes. “I’ve gotten a request from Julio Ramirez to meet him in Paris. He wants to formally subject me to a business proposal where you would marry his eldest son, Santos.”
“Julio’s the one who’s making a bogus claim that he should be the leader of the Mexican cartel, isn’t he?” Eset seems amused by this whole ordeal as she takes a sip of her wine.
“Yes.”
Eset rolls her eyes. “I was told—by you, I believe, dear brother—that I’d never be forced to marry anyone in a political arrangement. I told you I didn’t want to have the value of a cow, and I don’t. I’m a person, not a piece of meat or property to be sold off to the highest bidder. However, saying that… I know what Julio has done to members of this family,” Eset looks over at me before she speaks again, “and the children within it… so I have a proposition for you.”
“Which is?” Ruslan questions, and every single one of us is holding onto the edge of our seats, waiting for Eset to speak.
“I want to entertain this idea because I want to know his angle. We all know we have more enemies than we care to admit, especially with Artos’ confession. I won’t be serious about it whatsoever, but Julio won’t know that. I want to go to Paris alongside you.”
“This is a joke, right?” I speak up, unable to hold my emotions back any longer.
