I held him. I held my big brother and took solace in his embrace. I’d missed this. As kids we were so close. He’d hold me all the time. For the first time since he’d returned, it felt like maybe, just maybe, my brother, my childhood hero, was rising from his darkness once again.
I soaked in his warmth and whispered sternly, “Luka, I believe it was meant to happen. Even if it won’t be welcomed.”
Luka pressed a kiss to the top of my head and rasped, “What was meant to happen?”
“Everything,” I said back. “Your journey brought me Zaal. He’s shown me what real love is.”
Luka’s hold tightened. I felt Kisa’s hand on my back. After a few more seconds, I withdrew from his arms. Luka was watching me with concern.
Subconsciously I reached for my necklace. I ran my hand over the Tolstoi name and laughed a humorless laugh. “You know, babushka gave me this as a talisman to find my true love. It was dedushka’s. He gave it to babushka before he left for that trip to Moscow, as a way to keep him close to her heart until he returned.” I caught the gold of the necklace glinting off the beaming sun shining through the window. “I wonder what she would have said knowing that the love I found was the son of the man she hated most.”
Unable to take the pain this knowledge brought, I whispered a brief “Good night,” and dashed up the stairs.
Quietly, I cracked open the door, to see Zaal lying fast asleep on the bed. His huge body seemed to dwarf the king-size bed. My chest clenched in pain. He was mine. Every fiber of my being had claimed him as mine. My heart, my soul, my spirit. At this point, I didn’t give a fuck what anyone else thought.
I stripped off my clothes, careful not to make a noise. Zaal was lying on his back, his long black hair hanging over his pillow. His muscles relaxed as he slept. He looked so peaceful. I hoped he would get the rest he craved.
Attracted to him like a magnet, I snuggled into his side, the heat of his body instantly warming me. My head lay on his chest and I listened to his steady breathing. It soothed me. Suddenly, as if needing to touch me, even in his sleep, Zaal slid his arm over my shoulder and pulled me close.
As I closed my eyes, I remembered everything Luka had told Zaal tonight. And I felt sick. His history was so sad, so violent. A wave of protectiveness embraced me, and lifting my chin, I stared up at Zaal’s handsome face.
His eyelids fluttered in sleep, and running my finger down his stubbled cheek, I whispered, “Zaal Kostava, you’ve stolen my forbidden heart.”
Chapter Fifteen
Zaal
“Boys, come here!” Papa’s voice called Anri and me in from the garden. We looked at each other and smiled. I set off running, sprinting through the long grass.
I was fast, but so was Anri. I could hear him running behind me, picking up speed. I laughed as we rounded the corner and our house came into view.
Grandmama was sitting on the porch. She started laughing as she saw us approach. I pushed myself harder, then Anri was suddenly at my side. We looked at each other and started laughing. We both reached the porch at the very same moment.
I stopped in front of Grandmama. She put down her tea and started clapping. “My boys!” she exclaimed, and opened her arms for us. Both Anri and I ran into her embrace. She kissed us both on the head.
Footsteps sounded behind us and Grandmama pushed us back. Papa was waiting at the door and called us over.
We ran to Papa and he smiled wide. “Come with me, boys.” Papa led us into the house and through to his office.
A tapping on the wooden floor seemed to follow us. When I looked around I saw that Zoya was running our way, dressed in a pink dress and clutching her white stuffed toy rabbit.
“Sykhaara!” she shouted with a giggle, and jumped into my arms. Anri reached over and ruffled her hair. “Where are you going?” she asked. Papa leaned forward to kiss her on the cheek.
“I have something for your brothers,” Papa said proudly.
Zoya’s face lit up. “For me, too?” she shouted in excitement.
Papa shook his head. “Leave me with your brothers. And if you’re good, I’ll take you to town tomorrow and buy you anything you want.”
She nodded her head. I placed her on the floor. She ran back to Mama who was watching us with proud eyes as she fed our baby brother and sister.
“Anri, Zaal, in my office.”
We sat in Papa’s large office, on the sofa opposite his chair. Papa sat down in his black chair, smoothing out his expensive suit as he did so.
“Anri, Zaal. When I was your age, my papa controlled our clan. The Kostavas have always been strong. We’ve always been feared and we always will be.