Where the Snow Falls (Seasons of Betrayal #2)(16)

Konstantin’s eyes flew wide in false innocence. “I would never.”

Bullshit.

This man thrived on chaos.

“I’m warning you,” Kaz said. “Unless you’re looking for a fist to the throat.”

“They didn’t even see me.”

That did nothing to make Kaz feel better. “You have to go through the kitchen to get to the stairs, so how the f*ck are you up here if they didn’t see you.”

“I went through a window, but that’s not what’s important right now.”

Kaz put his fingers to his temples, looking back and forth between the both of them, trying to make sure he heard clearly. “What’s happening right now? Are you two f*cking with me?”

“Waste of my time,” Kolya mumbled, glancing at the silver watch adorning his wrist. “So what is it, Kaz? Besides the f*cking obvious explanation down in the kitchen, why are you here? If you were trying to hide out, you’d f*ck off to some other country and be done with it. But you came here, which means you’re into some shit. So if I have to step in it, at least let me know what kind it is.”

“Vasily,” Kaz said. It was all he needed to say for Kolya to understand.

“Right. That I can get on board with it.”

Not with keeping a girl safe from her crazy-ass family, but let the man hear about taking down his enemy and he was all for it.

Fucking Kolya.

“We never did get around to explaining how you wanted to go about that, Kaz,” Konstantin jumped in.

Kolya fell silent once the question was asked, he too looking at Kaz for an explanation.

The answer wasn’t one that would be easy to hear or even one that would be relatively easy to execute. No, every night for four months, Kaz had gone over strategies, working through multiple scenarios at a time because he knew his father better than most, so he had a good idea as to how he would react.

All it took was a spider.





Violet listened to Maya chatter on the phone as she placed a brunch order that was far too large for just four people. She felt someone watching her from behind, though she hadn’t heard anyone come in the house, and spun on her heel to see who it was.

A blonde-haired, blue-eyed woman with delicate features leaned in the kitchen entryway, an apple raised to her painted red lips as she took a bite. She didn’t say a word, just chewed on her bite and looked Violet over like she was deciding what to say.

At least Violet had taken a minute to run upstairs and pull a pair of jeans on. She still hadn’t taken Kaz’s shirt off, though.

Finally, the girl swallowed her bite and said, “Zdrastvooyte.”

Violet blinked, not having the slightest clue what the girl said. “Uh …”

Maya reached out her hand, waved back and forth between Violet and the new girl, and then waved again, mouthing, “Hello.”

Ah.

Violet turned back to the newcomer. “Hello.”

“I guess you don’t speak Russian, huh?” the girl asked.

Obviously not.

“English and Italian,” Violet said. “No Russian, sorry.”

Maya hung up the phone, finished with her order. “Oh, I’m sure she knows a few phrases—no Russian I know doesn’t go a day without spilling a cuss or two. Especially when he’s f*ck—”

“That’s enough of that,” the girl interrupted. “I don’t want or need to know what my brother does or does not do and says with his wife, thanks.”

“I wasn't talking about Kolya,” Maya replied sweetly. “I was talking about—”

“I’m Violet.” Violet jumped in, wanting to get the two off the topic they were heading for. She didn’t know these two women especially well, and she didn’t know what history they might or might not have with Kaz. She wasn’t all that interested in finding out, either. “And I didn’t hear you come in.”

The girl shrugged. “Konstantin likes to f*ck with people—you need better window locks.”

Again, Violet just stared at the girl, unsure of what to say.

She’d mention that window thing to Kaz, though.

Maya sighed. “You have zero people skills, Vik.”

“She’s not running away, no?”

Where would Violet go, exactly?

“Violet, this is Viktoria Boykov,” Maya said, waving to the girl still standing in the kitchen entryway. “And preevyet would have been just fine. No need to be so formal.”

“For someone I don’t know—not likely.”

Maya rolled her eyes and waved a hand like she was dismissing Viktoria. “Don’t mind her attitude; it’s not noon yet, which means she shouldn’t be out of bed.”

Viktoria smiled serenely. “Yet here I am.”

“And why is that?” Maya asked.

“Kon came over saying someone was in town—figured I should come and say hello.”

“Why?” Violet asked before she could stop herself or think better of it.

Maybe it was the fact she didn’t get particularly nice vibes from Viktoria, or it could just be that she didn’t know the woman all that well. Still, the girl was a sort of beautiful that had an almost cold quality to it. Right from the platinum of her hair to the iciness of her blue gaze. So Violet was left wondering how this woman knew Kaz at all, and why she felt like she had to come over as soon as he was in town just to say hello.