Chapter 23

Kraven

There were no such things in my world as pleasant dreams, only nightmares.

However, that wasn't the reason I could barely sleep any longer. For me, it had to do with the weight of the world, the sense that time was running out. I'd felt that way since my parents had died so tragically, leaving a world to a man who on paper had been ready but who'd preferred living the life of a prince, not a king.

As with everything else of late, reminiscing wasn't my style but at this point, it would seem I needed to reflect. But not just on my past deeds. I continued to have the feeling that whoever was targeting me was from my past. Although with Zach having a red bullseye on his back as well, that took some of the credibility to my thoughts away.

Tonight, the insomnia was about several things, including the fact I couldn't seem to get through to my brother no matter what I did or how I tried to talk to him. He'd been a bitter kid after our parents' deaths. He'd wanted nothing to do with me, nothing to do within the business, and had sworn I was next to be killed.

Other than the few tears he'd shed at the funeral, there'd been little emotion from him other than anger.

Why was I more concerned about him now than ever?

After trying for two hours to get some rest, I finally gave up. I also needed to shift the meeting with the Santos men from my office to this location. I had no intention of leaving either Penny or Vissarian unless absolutely necessary, at least for a few days.

Sure, my reputation could take a hit, like I was hiding with my tail between my legs, but often the best strategy was found while the enemy believed themselves to be the victors.

I slipped on a pair of sweatpants from the dresser, cautious not to wake either sleeping guest. It was a night full of firsts. I had a woman in my bed and a dog. My thoughts drifted briefly to Katarina, the visit to my house lasting only a few hours until we'd jetted off to the Caribbean. That had been the last time I'd seen her laughing.

And very much alive.

Less than two hours after returning to Moscow she'd been murdered.

I eased from the room, closing the door with a soft click and heading down to the kitchen for a drink then off to my office for a lesson in discovery.

Now I had a fairly long list, including adding Jake Withers to it. He might not be anyone who I should be concerned with but at this point, I would keep the players on an imaginary whiteboard in my mind.

With the various world contacts I had, one would think I could put some pieces together. The problem wasn't necessarily about having too many players; it was that a couple of them were already dead. How many others would die prior to learning the truth?

The Morellis. The Butcher. Emiliano. Shit. I could go on given the number of savage cartel leaders. Any one of them would love to take my territory.

I had it in my mind to take a little trip to visit Sheldon Peterson to learn who his South American friend had been. Yet given what Zach had said, would it be nothing more than a waste of time? Fuck. I hated not being organized.

The nighttime lights lit up a good portion of the bottom floor, tonight giving it an eerie blue glow. Maybe it was all about my wretched mood, the rage that refused to leave even for a short period of time. When I was on the landing, I listened for any sounds that something was off. At this point, I heard nothing, another surprise since Vissarian usually played his music at all hours of the day and night.

I headed into the kitchen, filling the glass I'd left behind with whiskey. After taking a sip, I moved toward the bank of windows, staring out at the pool and other water features I'd had built for one reason only. Katarina.

She'd wanted nothing more than to live in a warm environment where she could swim all year round.

It was almost impossible not to compare the two women to some regard given they were the only females I'd cared about in any way. The angst was there, the need for Penny even stronger. I chuckled softly and pulled the glass to my lips.

"What's so funny?"

I spun around, reaching for a nonexistent gun before realizing I hadn't seen Vissarian sitting in the shadows sipping on a drink of his own.

"Jesus, bro. If you'd had a weapon, would you have pulled the trigger?" he snarled, sitting up in the seat. I didn't need to have additional light to know he was glaring at me.

After rubbing my jaw, I walked closer to the table. "You startled me, Viss. Okay?" The closer distance allowed me to see he was spinning his glass back and forth on the table.

"Yeah, so I've heard before."

As usual, the silence we shared as awkward, something I hated but wasn't certain how to break.

"Is it true what you said? Were you attacked and almost killed?"

"Yeah, it was true. If it hadn't been for that lady upstairs, I think I'd be dead."

"Wow. A groupie of yours?"

That's what he'd think since he had his share of them, women falling all over him because he had our mother's extremely good looks. In truth, other than our eyes, we looked as if we hadn't come from the same family. "She was a young woman in search of food for her pup, forced to live in her car."

"Shit. Really? And she saved your life? Heroic."

"Can you drop the chip on your shoulder?"

"Can you?"

He could always make me laugh. "Let's both do that. And try to make it sound like you don't wish the assholes had been successful." Maybe I was goading him but we needed to find some middle ground, especially now.

At least he was able to laugh with me, another rarity for the day.

"Nah, bro. I don't want you dead. I just want my own life. I know all the dangers. You've told me many times. But that doesn't mean I don't want to find my place. You know?"

"You mean like celebrating holidays and having barbeques with your friends?" I asked, grinning.

He coughed, being playful for a change. "Maybe at some point. Just a life that's mine."

"I know you do, Viss. I've tried to give you as much space as possible, but I also want to keep you safe. And before you say it, it's not about asserting some level of shit authority over you. I know you're an adult. I know you want nothing to do with the legacy our father left us and I'm more than okay with that. However, it doesn't mean danger won't find you because of the blood running through your veins."

He'd lifted his head, studying me intensely. We'd had almost the same conversation many times before, but he'd walked away in disgust or called me names. Never had he been this receptive. "I was thinking. Maybe I do want to have more to do with the company. I'm smart. God knows I'm good looking. I can spot a card shark a mile away. And I'm good with weapons and numbers. You should hire me. Nah, you'd be a fool not to."

What I'd decided never to tell him was that I didn't want him in the business. It had been my mother's dream that neither one of us be forced to accept the reins from our father, even though she'd known what she'd married into.

"We can talk about that if you're serious, but not until after I locate who wants me dead."

"No idea who it might be?" He had more concern in his voice than usual.

"Far too many possibilities to narrow down."

It was another slightly less tense moment where we sipped our drinks without talking.

"I'm sorry about the way I acted," he said quietly. "She's a tough lady. I kinda like her."

"Yeah, she is. You'll need to apologize to her. She was singing your praises after you stormed out."

"I didn't storm out." He was grinning because it had been the one thing I'd warned him against over and over again.

"Uh-huh. Just like Pops."

"Ya think?"

"I know."

Another moment of silence but at least they were getting easier.

"You gonna marry her?" he asked when I was taking a sip.

I spit it out so fast he burst into laughter. After coughing several times, I rubbed my mouth with the back of my arm. "What the hell? Why would you ask that?"

"Because you swore you'd never bring anyone but the woman you were in love with to your private abode, as you used to call it."

"As I said, I had nowhere else to take her."

"And I cry bullshit since I know of what, four safehouses within driving distance. You employ like four hundred guards. Any ten of them could protect one pretty little lady."

My brother had been paying more attention than I believed him to be. "She does something to me, Viss, something I haven't felt in a very long time. You know what? That scares me more than the number of enemies out there."

"Why? Because you're afraid to feel again?"

"Maybe something like that."

"Remember when Mom and Dad were killed?"

He asked that like I could ever forget. "Of course." The truth was that we'd been closer as a unit than what I'd call the typical family. Maybe that was because of the heightened level of danger that always seemed to trail behind my dad. He'd been like a true king, a man with forethought for Las Vegas, investing in several incredible properties after making his fortune. The loss had been devastating to us, both of us handling our grief in different ways.

I'd rounded up assholes I'd thought might have had something to do with the accident, blood coming close to staining the stunning forty-foot fountain of the opening of the first resort designed and built with the family name on the bottom line. It hadn't solved anything or altered the police report, other than building my reputation as a merciless man.

Sadly, the extreme violence also hadn't made me feel any better.

"Do you remember what you told me at the funeral after encouraging me to cry?"

"I wish I could, Viss, but it was a fucking shitstorm of a day." In fact, it had turned into a media frenzy.

"Yeah, I get it. I'm happy to remind you. You told me that bottling my feelings wouldn't ease the pain. It would only keep it festering deep inside, feeding like a living creature until the beast would refuse to allow me to enjoy the rest of my life. I know you didn't think I was listening to your advice then or even now, but I always looked up to you. You were my big brother, my support system when I was certain the boogeyman was going to come for me next."

He hadn't opened up to me ever before. Why now? "I appreciate you saying that."

"I mean it. So, that's why I'm going to do you one solid and give you the same advice. I know you cared about Katarina, but I honestly think you needed to find someone for your own. I was an unruly kid who acted as if he wanted nothing to do with you. You were the new king of Las Vegas and needed a queen. I don't know why you went back to Russia other than you were born there, but I hated you when you brought her back for a visit. It took me a little while to realize just how much you were hurting too, needing comfort. I was just jealous. I might not know too much about love, but you were infatuated with Katarina, allowing yourself to be destroyed when she died. But I saw the way you were looking at Penny. She's something special to you."

"Since when did you become an adult?" I asked after at least thirty seconds had passed.

He chuckled and stood, swaggering closer. "Since you were building an empire for both of us to enjoy. Speaking of which. Have you added to my trust fund lately, bro?"

I shook my head. He knew once he hit twenty-one, he'd be a wealthy man by anyone's standards. For all the brain dead shit he'd done over the years, the day he turned fourteen, he'd asked me not to give him too much of an allowance, instead putting it into a particular stock he'd done research on. I wasn't certain I'd told him then how proud of him I'd been.

And still was.

"Stop worrying."

"I'm right though," he said. "I mean about the girl."

"I don't know yet. I'm still reeling from what happened today."

"She must be pretty courageous if she saved your sorry ass." He had a lopsided grin, which always made him look boyish.

"Yeah, Penny is that and more."

He looked away for a few seconds, doing his own reflecting on everything we'd been through. "Just like Mom."

Yeah, just like Mom.

"You should head off to bed. You don't mind having guests, including a furry creature for a little while?" I asked as he passed by.

"It's your house."

"Nah, bro," I said on purpose. "It's our house."

He turned and looked at me and the warm glow of the light over the stove allowed me to see the surprise in his eyes. "She's good for you. Remember that and remember what I said. Life is too short to wallow in self-pity or the past."

"Mom used to say that," I said wistfully.

"I remember."

I had to smile. "See you in the morning. By the way, I'm sorry for the way I acted too. I was completely out of line. I won't let it happen again."

Even in the darkness, I was able to denote a hint of surprise. "You're forgiven, bro."

"I need you to do me a favor, Vissarian, and this is important to me."

"Sure. What?"

I thought about what I wanted to say. I'd never had a feeling that my number was up. I wasn't a gambler and had never spent much time thinking about karma but my instinct continued to work overtime. "If anything happens to me, promise me two things."

He snorted. "You're invincible, bro. What, are you kidding me?"

"I'm not fucking around with this. I've ensured that everything with the corporation, the house, your trust fund, all of it will be protected and will belong to you in the event of my untimely death. I want you to promise me that you will live your life the way you want. If you don't want to be in charge of the business our father put us in, then sell it. You hear me?"

"You're scaring me."

"I'm not trying to, Viss, but I'm a realist. Just tell me you'll do that." I glanced at him and sensed I'd shocked the shit out of him.

"Yeah, I promise, but I meant what I said. I'd like to work by your side."

He had no idea how much his desire had already affected me. "I appreciate that more than you know."

"What's the second favor?"

"You're right. I care about Penny. I know the reasons I shouldn't because I invented them. And it's only been a couple days, but I want to make sure she has a good life. You know? I've yet to set up anything for her, so if this shit goes south, be the brother I know you to be and protect her. Okay?"

It was obvious he wasn't certain what to say. When he looked away, I thought for certain he'd fly into a rage again. I wouldn't blame him. I'd know the woman for two freaking days and I was basically telling him I wanted her to have a piece of our family's pie.

Which is why when he walked closer, it was just another shock in a series of them. He stuck out his arm, hoping for a handshake. This was new.

"I'd be honored, Kraven. And you don't need to worry. I'll protect Penny with my life."

Without hesitation, I pulled him into a hug, clapping my hand on his back. This was the closest I'd felt to him in far too long. I only prayed it wouldn't come to him protecting her that way but I wanted all the bases covered.

Family.

Famigliaas the Italians would say.

I'd made a decision years ago I would never care so much about someone ever again. Now I realized it had been all about avoiding my feelings, fearful of another loss.

Maybe my kid brother was smarter than me. After he walked out, I took another gulp of my drink before heading to my office.

Maybe she was good for me after all.