MILENA
Present:
I’m in my room, pretending to read.
Lying to myself that I’m occupied, and that is why I’ve hardly touched my phone since last night.
…Since I ran from Greymoor after seeing…what I saw.
His blade at their throats. The casual, easy way he just did it. And the blood.
So much blood.
Part of me has been paralyzed with worry ever since, waiting for the repercussions of me not showing up at the house like he ordered me to, his threat of “finding me anyway” rippling through my brain.
I didn’t sleep last night, not really. I ended up going downstairs to the main security station and pestered Rurik to play chess with me, saying I had insomnia. On the plus side, Rurik actually taught me to play when I was a kid, but I haven’t had a game with him in years. So it was great to finally have a rematch.
Unfortunately, the lack of sleep has left me exhausted and fueled my paranoia that Nero is lurking behind every door, waiting to grab me. Under my bed. In the shower.
But he’s not. I refuse to admit how insanely disappointing that is in a super fucked up way.
My hands still feel clammy. My stomach still churns when I remember the wet sound of the blade cutting through flesh, the way he unblinkingly killed them.
Not to mention all the other bizarre stuff. Kir being there, for one. Or whatever they were talking about involving a “Black Court”. And what did Kir mean when he said “these two held your father down and made him watch”?
Whatever. I’m trying not to think about it. Trying not to think about him.
A knock on my bedroom door sends my heart into my throat.
“Milena?”
I exhale in a rush.
Not Nero.
As if he’d knock.
“Yeah, come on in!”
I smile back at Vasilisa as best I can when she steps inside.
“Your father would like you in the study,” she says with a slightly apologetic twist of her lips.
I frown. “Now?”
She smiles weakly. “He has…a guest. I think he would like you to meet him.”
When she turns to leave, I jump out of bed to stop her. “Wait, who?”
She sighs, looking away before the glances back at me with a wary expression. “It’s Mr. Debolsky, Milena.”
My whole face sours instantly, a cold sensation curdling in my chest.
“Oh,” I murmur, feeling numb.
Vasilisa shoots me a look. “He did…refuse a vodka when he came in?” she says slightly hopefully. “He mentioned that he doesn’t drink anymore.”
“Hip hip hoo-fucking-ray,” I grumble, putting a hoodie over my t-shirt and leggings.
Vasilisa clears her throat. “I think your father would like it if you dressed—”
“Not happening. Not for that fucker,” I mutter.
Her eyebrow quirks up.
“I mean Leo,” I add with a grin, “not Papa.” I sigh. “I’ll be right down.”
“Da, I’ll go tell him,” she says with a soft smile.
I wait a full ten minutes before I go down to the study. The doors to Papa’s throne room are open, and when I step in, a dark cloud settles over me.
Fuck.
Leo Debolsky is sitting in one of the leather chairs across from the fireplace, legs crossed, a glass of what looks like Coke in his hand.
He sets his glass down when he sees me and stands, grinning widely like we’re old friends.
“You’ve grown up,” he says, eyes drifting over me in a way that makes my stomach knot. “Or maybe I didn’t look closely enough before.”
I don’t respond. I keep my eyes on Papa, who stands stone-faced behind his desk. Levka is there too, leaning against the bookcase like he’s settling in for a show.
“Leo was just saying,” Levka cuts in smoothly, “that he thought it was time we revisited the discussion we paused a few years ago.”
My heart drops.
“I don’t think it was so much a pause as it was a not interested,” I snap. Loudly.
The room goes quiet, and I suddenly realize that what I said might have been better spoken inside my head. Raging dick-bag that he is, Leo is the son of another Bratva family, and graciousness is expected to be extended to others in our world, especially when they’re powerful.
Oopsie.
When I glance at Papa, relief washes over me. He’s grinning widely, his eyes twinkling as they land on me. He gives me a slight raise of a brow and a deft nod.
Leo just chuckles at my strong response. “I can understand that, Milena. I was…” He sighs and shakes his head. “Less of a gentleman than I was raised to be, the last time we saw each other.”
“Oh, is that what we’re calling it?” I mutter.
“I was an asshole,” he says plainly with a shrug. He turns to my father and lets his head hang a little. “I apologize for that, both to Milena and to you, sir,” he continues. “Profusely. It’s no excuse, but as I mentioned earlier, I don’t drink anymore. Despite my Russian blood, alcohol and I don’t play well together.”
“If only there’d been signs,” I mutter through an icy smile.
“Milena,” Papa finally interjects, arching his brow a bit more sternly. Then he pulls his gaze to Leo. “I appreciate a man who can admit his mistakes. And I’m sure my daughter appreciates the apology. However, I must tell you that Milena is not, and never will be, a bargaining chip for my business or my empire.”
Leo nods sagely. “Of course, of course Godpodin Kalishnik.”
I resist the urge to roll my eyes at his overly formal “Mr. Kalishnik.” Alcohol or no alcohol, Leo is clearly still a schmoozy fucking douchebag.
“If I may say, our families are both doing great things right now. You, of course, have the empire you’ve built with your bare hands. You sit on the Bratva High Council. The name Kalishnik commands respect in every corner of our world.” He dips his chin again toward Papa.
Ass-kisser.
“…And as you may have heard, my own father has been hard at work the last few years, building the Debolsky name into greatness.”
Papa nods. “Vladimir has indeed been doing well recently.”
Leo grins, spreading his arms wide. “So. Two established bloodlines. Two strong empires. And Milena?” He turns to me, and my stomach churns as he steps closer. He takes my hand, and I resist the urge to either dry heave or yank it away.
Maybe both, followed by a kick in the nuts.
“Well…” Leo smiles warmly at me. “Families and empires aside, I would very much like to get to know you,” he says quietly. “For real. Without my horrible manners.”
He winks at me. I smile like I’ve just bitten into a lemon.
“I think we could be good together,” he continues. “We both know how this world works. An alliance between our fam—”
“Is that what this is?” I cut him off. “An alliance?”
“Milena…” It’s my uncle who steps in this time, raising his hands to calm me down. “It’s…a smart proposition. One worth at least listening to. If our family and Vladimir’s were to join, you’d be part of something that would command the respect of the entire Bratva world.”
I frown at him before turning to my father. “Papa—”
“There has been tension,” Levka adds casually, “among the Italians. Word is that the De Lucas and the Barones aren’t as tight as they once were. Now would be an opportune time to join our empire to another—”
“Whatever rumor you’ve heard regarding the Barone and De Luca families, dear brother,” my father interjects smoothly, “is complete and utter bullshit. Lies spread by those who would see us rush recklessly into decisions that greatly affect my beloved daughter’s life.”
“Moy brat—”
“Nyet, Levka,” Papa snaps with more iron in his voice that I’ve heard him use with my uncle in a long, long time. “With all due respect, Mr. Debolsky,” he growls, turning to Leo, “we’re done speaking about this right now. As I already said, my daughter is not a bargaining chip.”
“Of course not, sir,” Leo replies swiftly. “She’d be my equal. My partner…”
My stomach turns.
“If she’s not interested,” Papa says coldly, “then that’s the end of it.”
Leo lifts both palms in mock surrender. “Of course, Marko. I merely wanted to stop by to offer my apologies for my past behavior. And also…well, just to see if your lovely daughter felt like giving a guy like me a second chance.”
Spoiler: she doesn’t.
He smiles at Papa and Levka. “Again, I’m just here for a conversation.”
“Noted, Leo,” my father says with a stiff smile. “But I think we can consider this one at an end.”
“Of course, sir.”
Leo is all smiles as he walks over and shakes my uncle’s hand, then my father’s.
Then he turns to me and walks over. Before I can react, he takes my hand in both of his.
“I fucked up four years ago, Milena,” he murmurs, looking right into my eyes. “If you could ever find it in your heart to give me a chance to show you the man I really am, I would love the opportunity.”
Then he lifts my hand and kisses the back of it, sending a curdling sensation through me.
I yank my hand back as Uncle Levka walks over and claps Leo on the back like they’ve just sealed a fucking deal.
“I’ll walk you out.”
I wait until the study door closes behind them before turning to Papa.
“You’re not going to let that happen,” I fume. “Right?”
Papa smiles in amusement, shaking his head.
“Of course not.”
“Good. He’s a douchebag.”
Papa chuckles. “Well, he may have been. But I checked, and he has quit drinking.” He shrugs. “You never know. It does seem like Leo’s turned a corner.”
“Great. He can keep walking past mine.”
Papa laughs, slinging an arm around my shoulders to pull me into a side-hug.
“As if there’s any man alive who could ever hope to tame my warrior daughter.”
I smile, but inside, I’m not. Because there might actually be a man like that out there.
Watching. Waiting.
And I just called his bluff.
