I groaned, rolling over and smashing a pillow over my ears. “Go away.”
“You’ve been sleeping all damn day. It’s time to get up,” Illayana said, trying to take the pillow away.
“I don’t want to.”
“Too damn bad. Up. Up!” Cold air hit my skin when the blanket suddenly disappeared in a rush.
“Illayana!” I whined, curling up into a ball. She always bloody did that. In some ways, we were so similar, but in others we were complete and total opposites. This was a prime example.
I loved my sleep. Cherished it. Needed it like a caffeine addict needed their coffee. I was definitely not a morning person. I was known to sleep well into the afternoon and still be pissed off when someone woke me. Illayana, however, was bright and bubbly no matter what fucking time of the day it was.
“Come on, I need you up. You’re coming with me to the store.”
“Whyyyy?” I dragged out. My mouth was dry and I could feel a slight headache coming on. I really was a lightweight.
“Because there’s no junk food in this place and we need some for the movie night tonight.”
I snapped my eyes open. Of course. God, I could be such a ditz sometimes. The whole reason I was there was to help her through today, not lie on my ass all day.
Every year on their mother’s birthday, the Volkovs gathered together to watch all of Yekaterina’s favourite movies while eating all her favourite snacks.
Illayana had only been eleven when her mother was taken from her. Just a little kid. Because her father had run off to exact revenge on the people responsible, it left Aleksandr and Nikoali to take care of her. They’d come up with this family tradition to honor the day their mother came into the world, and they’d done it every year since her death.
“Okay, okay. I’m getting up.” I yawned, stretching out my body before kicking my legs over the side of the bed and getting to my feet. “When do we leave?”
“In ten minutes.” She put a few items into a black handbag: some lipstick, her phone, a couple of daggers and a Glock 19 handgun. The girl never went anywhere unarmed.
“Are you out of your mind?” I shrieked. “In what universe do you think I can get ready in ten bloody minutes? I need at least an hour. Minimum.”
“We’re literally just going to the grocery store,” Illayana said, shaking her head in amusement. “You can just go as you are. Maybe fix your hair up though. It looks like a bird’s nest.”
I narrowed my eyes, patting my hair down. “Ass.” Several huge bouquets of flowers caught my eye. I arched a brow. “You buy out a florist or something while I was away?”
Her lips curved, a look of love and adoration shining in her bright blue eyes. “They’re from Arturo. For today.”
“Aww, he’s such a sweetie-pie,” I gushed.
Illayana snorted. “Hurry up and get ready. I want to go.”
“As Her Highness commands.” I slipped into her ensuite and winced at my reflection in the mirror. “Oh, dear God.” She was going insane if she thought I was going to go out looking like this. Stripping off my clothes, I jumped straight into the shower, letting the water temperature get to an almost scolding hot before stepping under it. There was nothing better than a burning hot shower. The bathroom instantly filled up with steam. I hummed to myself as I washed my hair and cleaned my body, completely unfazed when Illayana opened the bathroom door.
“So, Arturo tells me you found tracking devices on our soldiers’ cars?” She moved to the mirror and wiped it down so she could see her reflection, touching up her hair.
“I didn’t. Your men did. I just told them where to look.”
“I can’t believe it didn’t occur to me to look for trackers,” she dejected, her shoulders slumping.
“You’re too hard on yourself. Adjusting from the Bratva to La Cosa Nostra would have been a bitch. Especially when you take into account the drastic differences in our lifestyles. Dealing with all of that would have driven me mad, I can tell you that. I don’t think my brain would have worked properly, trying to figure out what was going on in those circumstances.”
She grumbled, folding her arms across her chest. “I still should have caught it. Or at least considered the possibility.”
My best friend had changed a lot since becoming Mrs Don. She used to be wild. Carefree. Chaotic. She’d tear through a place like a tornado with little care of the damage she caused, the only desire running through her mind being to have fun.
Now she was pensive, full of seriousness and determination. There was almost this mature air surrounding her, like she’d somehow managed to age years in just these last few weeks.
She was hell-bent on doing a good job. On proving herself to the men in the Cosa Nostra and showing them she was so much more than a pretty face. That she deserved to be at Arturo’s side.
“I’ll tell you what I told Arturo. Sometimes, all it takes to figure something out is a fresh set of eyes.” I turned off the shower and stepped out, making sure to face her head on so she didn’t get a glimpse of the ‘N’ tattooed on my ass. Illayana held up a towel and I took it, wrapping it around my body. “He tell you about the trap he’s setting up for Franco and his men?”
“Yes.” She handed me a second towel for my hair. “A week seems like a long time to wait for it, though.”
“Look at it logically. The last five distribution houses Arturo has set up have been raided and burned to the ground. It would make sense that Arturo takes precautions before setting up another one. If he just jumped straight into it, Franco might get suspicious and pull back. He’s smart enough to realise that eventually his luck will run out and you guys will catch on to what he’s been doing.”
“True. I told him I’d come back for it.”
“What about your father?”
She blew out a tired breath, guilt flashing in her eyes. “There’s nothing else I can do here. We have no leads. Nothing. With all our resources and all our contacts, I thought by now we would have something. A hint, a whisper—fucking anything. But it’s like he’s just dropped off the face of Earth. Like he’s—”
“Don’t say dead!” I cut in, my voice muffled by the towel over my face. I flicked my hair back and squeezed the still-wet strands with the towel. “He’s not dead, Illayana. He’s not. I’m sure of it. A man like Dimitri doesn’t get killed quietly. He’s the big, bad Bratva Butcher. A death like his would be made into a huge spectacle. Your uncle wouldn’t be able to help himself, in that regard. He would want to make sure your father not only suffered but that everyone knew he was the one responsible for it. That he’d finally managed to beat him.”
“Are you trying to make me feel better? Because if you are, you’re doing a shit job of it,” she grumbled.
“My words might be harsh but they have truth to them.” I threw the towels into the laundry basket and began to dress. “Your father is alive. Just focus on that for now and don’t think about anything else. Don’t let your fear and worry consume you. Be strong for him.”
Illayana huffed. “I’ll try.”
Nodding, I stood beside her in the mirror, fully dressed and trying to decide what to do with the mop of hair on my head. “Don’t feel pressured to fly out to New York for this trap for Franco and his men. I’m sure Arturo would understand if you stayed here.”
“I feel like I need to be there though. Isn’t it my job as—”
“Mrs Don?” I shrugged. “Maybe. But you also have a duty to your family. You shouldn’t have to pick between the two.”
“Arturo told me the plan. You think it’s going to work?”
Scoffing, I said, “Of course it’s going to work. I came up with it.”
The plan was to pretend to set up another distribution house, with an elaborate trap hidden inside. From what they could gather, The Outfit would first enter the houses and raid them, taking anything of value. Afterwards, they would torch it, destroying anything left inside. If they stuck with their current MO, it meant they’d enter the house first, giving us the perfect opportunity to get the drop on them. The plan was already being set into motion. The Outfit would hit only hours after the houses were established, so timing was critical.
My presence wasn’t required for this trap. They didn’t need me there. But there was also no way I was going to miss it, either. The chance to get my hands bloody.
I fiddled around some more with my hair and added a few light touches of make-up. Illayana chatted beside me as I finished getting ready, telling me all about how, despite feeling guilty about not being with Arturo, that she was enjoying being back at home. There was something comforting about the familiar. About being surrounded by all the things you’d grown up with that just brought a sense of peace to your soul. I had a feeling that Illayana felt that way about home. That being there helped deal with some of the pressures that were currently taking over her life.
“Okay, I’m ready.”
Illayana chuckled, glancing at her watch. “Would you look at that? Only forty-five minutes. Must be some sort of record for you,” she winked.
“It actually is, smartass.”
Her soft laughter followed me into the next room. I grabbed my handbag that was slung across the back of one of the day chairs and checked inside to make sure I had everything I needed. That being my wallet, which had all of $57 in it, my travel make-up bag, a handgun, a couple of daggers and my phone. There was also the emergency credit card my dad gave me just in case I needed it, which I absolutely refused to use.
“Did I hear right that you’ve gotten yourself a job?”
I turned, facing her. “Yes. And before you laugh, know that I am armed.”
Her hands flew up in surrender, lips tilted up in a smile. “I’m not going to laugh. I am confused though. Why did you get a job? You know Arturo will pay you for the work you’re doing for the Cosa Nostra, right? I mean, that’s technically a job right there.”
“I know, but I don’t want it. This is something I need to do on my own, without help from anyone else. I’ve never had a real job before, and I guess I want to see if I can do it,” I shrugged.
“You’re weird, but whatever.” She walked over and slapped me on the shoulder. “Just know, I plan to come in all the time and annoy the shit out of you, and you can’t say anything because ‘the customer is always right’,” she winked.
“I will spit in your coffee,” I threatened, only half joking.
Her phone rang. She moved to where she’d put her handbag down on her bed and fished it out, glancing at the screen. She smiled.
“Arturo,” she answered in a loving voice.
I stuck my finger into my mouth and gagged. She threw her middle finger up.
“I’m okay, how are you?” she answered. She stayed silent for a few moments, listening to him talk. “No, I have a few minutes. I can talk.”
“I’ll meet you downstairs,” I said, heading for the door to give her some privacy. She nodded, placing her hand over the receiver.
“I won’t be long,” she whispered.
“Take your time. I charge by the hour,” I winked.
Loud, angry voices reached my ears as I descended the stairs. My brows lowered into a deep frown.
I know those voices. My eyes widened. Oh, fuck, I know those voices. Urgency in my steps, I quickly rushed down to the second floor catching sight of my dad throwing a vicious right hook into Nikolai’s face.
Shock froze me solid. I stared, my mouth wide open as they grappled with one another, slamming into the walls, grunting and snarling.
What the ever loving fuck?
A door opened, Aleksandr and Mikhail appearing in the doorway. There was a deep frown on Aleksandr’s face as he watched the events unfold, Nikolai and my dad going at each other like they hated one another. He made no move to intervene. Which meant I had to.
“Hey!” I ran forward and wedged myself between them when the first opportunity presented itself. I shoved at their chests, pushing them apart. “Enough!”
My dad was at my back and I was facing Nikolai head on. His eyes snapped to me, full of rage. I had no idea what was going on, what my dad said to him. But I knew it had to be bad. Nikolai didn’t snap like this out of the blue. He had unbelievable control over himself and his actions. It would take something drastic for him to all of a sudden start punching on with someone. Especially my dad.
“That’s enough,” I repeated, my voice stern.
His jaw clenched, like he wanted to say something, to fight me on this. But I held my ground, staring him down. He growled and stormed off, disappearing down the stairs. I’d find out his side of the story later.
I turned and locked eyes with my dad. There wasn’t a single ounce of regret on his face. Not that I was surprised. He’d been dying to get his hands on Nikolai since that day in the hospital. Since he found out what happened. The only thing holding him back was me. That was clearly out the window now.
Aleksandr and Mikhail hovered in the doorway, an awkwardness buzzing in the air. They had to walk through us to get past, and they seemed hesitant.
I arched an eyebrow. “If you’re done enjoying the show, I need a moment alone to talk to my dad.”
Aleksandr cleared his throat. He nodded once and brushed past, Mikhail in tow.
Once we were alone, I turned my angry glare on my dad.
“I’m not going to apologise,” he said instantly, standing taller.
I had no intention of asking him to apologise. I knew there wouldn’t be any point. My dad was just as stubborn as I was.
“What happened?”
Dad huffed, running a hand over his jaw. He winced slightly, the red mark on his skin an indication that Nikolai managed to get a good shot in. “What should have happened years ago. It was long overdue, and you know it.”
“Dad—”
“No, Tatiana. I don’t want to hear it. I don’t want to hear you defend him. I don’t want to hear the lecture. I’m your father. I’m the parent. I lecture you, not the other way around.”
I exhaled, crossing my arms over my chest. “Go on then.”
“How can you forgive him after what he did to you? How can you even talk to him? Stand the sight of him? Be in the same room as him? How—” he abruptly cut himself off, shaking his head in anger.
I tried not to balk at his harsh, abrasive tone. It was rare for him to talk to me this way.
“Where is this coming from?” I asked, confused.
“People talk, Tatiana. Especially in our world. I know he chased you to New York. I know you’ve been working together on this problem the Cosa Nostra are having with The Outfit. I just don’t want you to get hurt again. I’m trying to protect you.”
“How? By fighting with him?”
“By telling him to stay away from you.”
Ha! It would take more than an overprotective parent to scare Nikolai away. In fact, I don’t think anything could scare that man away.
“You had no right to do that.”
“You’re my daughter. My only daughter. It’s my job to take care of you. To watch out for you, no matter what. No matter how stubborn you’re being.”
“I’m not being stubborn, Dad,” I blew out, a sudden wave of exhaustion hitting me. “This thing with Nikolai…it’s complicated.”
“What’s complicated about it, Tatiana? He abandoned you—”
“Like Mum did? Yet you have no problem forgetting about that.”
He reared back as if I’d slapped him. Guilt bloomed in my chest. It wasn’t fair, I knew that. Yet I’d said it anyway. I couldn’t help it. It just slipped out.
“What happened between your mother and I was completely different.”
I scoffed. “Right. She was only your wife and abandoned a newborn baby instead. Completely different.”
“It is,” Dad growled. “Nikolai left you lying in a hospital bed, writhing in pain while you gave birth to the life inside you that was no longer living. How—”
A loud, audible gasp hit the air. I stiffened. Dad’s eyes flicked up and his face turned deathly white.
Oh, no. No, no, no. I didn’t want to turn around. I didn’t. I knew what I would find if I did, and I wasn’t ready for it. Fuck. How could I have been so stupid to have this conversation there and then? Of all places? I wanted to punch myself.
“Tatiana?” My best friend’s voice was soft, layered with confusion and hurt.
Dad looked at me, eyes filled with regret. “I’m sorry, Tatiana. I’m—”
“It’s not your fault,” I whispered softly. “Just…go.” There was no one to blame but myself. I had years to talk about it with Illayana and I didn’t. I avoided it because I was too much of a chickenshit to deal with it. My past was catching up with me now, and I couldn’t run from it. I couldn’t hide. I had to face it head on.
