I stormed into my study and slammed the door shut with a force that rattled the frame. A glass flew from my hand, shattering against the wall.
“Damn the Romanos.”
I paced back and forth. Sad. Hurt. Angry. Helpless. I had never felt all these emotions at once, never let them consume me the way they did now.
Finally, I grabbed my phone and dialed Morris, my consigliere.
“Meet me at the house.”
A pause. Then, “Huh? You never wanted me around there. What’s going on?”
“Just do as I said.” My voice was sharper than intended.
“How about Anna? Will she be comfortable with my presence? You told me you didn’t want her knowing too much.”
“Yeah. But things are complicated now,” I muttered, rubbing my temple.
Another pause. Then, “I’ll be there in a jiffy.”
I tossed my phone onto the table and reached for a cigarette, lighting it with a flick of my lighter. My chest felt tight, as if rage and grief had coiled together and refused to let me breathe.
The door creaked open, and I spun around, pulse still roaring in my ears.
Anna.
“Gleb.”
“Get out.”
She hesitated, swallowing hard. “No.”
I turned fully toward her, my voice low, laced with warning. “You don’t want to be here right now.”
“I don’t care.” She stepped into the room, her defiance soft but unyielding. “I know you’re hurting. But shutting me out won’t help either of us.”
A bitter laugh tore from my throat. “Hurting? That’s not even close. My sister is living in hell, and I’ve been here. playing house with the daughter of the man who put her there.”
She flinched but didn’t back away. “Then let me help you get her out.”
I shook my head, the weight in my chest pressing harder. “You think I trust you? After everything?”
Her expression faltered, hurt flickering across her face but she straightened. “You don’t have to trust me. Just don’t shut me out.”
Silence stretched between us like a blade.
“Anna…” My voice cracked despite me. “I need to be alone. Please… just go.”
She held my gaze for a long moment, then nodded slowly, pain tightening her features.
“If that’s what you want.”
She turned and walked away. Quiet, wounded.
A sharp pang shot through my chest as I watched her walk away. But before I could move, my phone rang
“I’m outside,” Morris said.
“Come in.”
I walked out of my study and into the living room. Morris appeared, his face already set in a deep frown.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, taking a seat across from me.
I exhaled a stream of smoke before speaking. “Tatiana is alive.”
Morris blinked, as if he’d misheard. Then his face twisted. “What the fuck are you saying?”
“My sister. My fucking little sister has been with the Italians all this time. Anna’s father has been…” My throat closed up. I couldn’t even say it. My hands clenched into fists so tight my knuckles turned white.
I shot up from the couch, breathing hard. I needed to do something. To go there myself, tear apart every fucking Italian stronghold, drag her out with my own hands.
“Where is she now? Have you spoken to her?” Morris asked, trying to stay calm.
I laughed bitterly. “You think she’d be allowed to call me?”
I turned, picked up the nearest bottle of vodka, and hurled it at the wall. Glass shattered. Morris flinched but didn’t say a word.
“I should’ve fucking known!” I slammed my fist against the bar counter. Pain shot up my arm, but I barely felt it. “I left her behind. I thought she was dead. But she was right there, suffering.”
Morris said steadily. “If you want to actually save her, you need to think, not react.”
“That’s why I called you.”
Morris exhaled. “We need a plan.”
“I can go myself,” I said.
Morris scoffed. “You walk into Italy, and you’re dead within the hour. The second they know you’re there, they’ll put a bullet in your skull. We need someone who won’t raise suspicion.”
I swallowed. That’s when the thought hit me.
“Anna.”
Morris’ brows furrowed. “Anna?”
“We send her back. Say we divorced, make it look real. They’d take her back in.”
Morris stared at me. Then he slowly shook his head. “That’s insane. Her parents aren’t stupid, Gleb. They know she’s changed since she left. The second she starts asking about Tatiana, they’ll smell a trap.”
I clenched my jaw. “Then we make it so convincing that they have to believe it.”
Morris narrowed his eyes. “What do you think your grandmother would do if she found out one of your siblings was a spy for the Italians?”
I clenched my jaw but said nothing.
Morris sighed. “Your plan could work, but only if you’re prepared to lose her.” His voice was steady. “If you truly don’t give a damn about her, then we send her.”
His words ignited something inside me. I shot him a glare. “You know I care about her.” My voice came out hoarse. “I won’t lose Anna just to get Tatiana back. They’re equally important to me now.” I hesitated before admitting, “If anything happens to her, I have no reason to live.”
Morris let out a thoughtful hum. “We’ll need a different approach. They’ve likely tightened security already. If we send in mercenaries without a solid plan, they’ll kill her before we can reach her.”
He leaned forward. “But that’s the only viable option. It will cost us… money and men.”
“How much money?”
“Half a million should do. I’ll hire an expert from France and another from Switzerland. Thirty percent upfront, twenty after we confirm her location, and fifty once she’s out.”
“Do it.”
Morris nodded and stood. “I’ll get to work.”
I gave him a curt nod and watched him walk away.
I sank back into the couch, exhaustion weighing on me like lead. A moment later, soft footsteps approached, and I turned my head to find Anna standing there.
She hesitated before sitting across from me.
Guilt tugged at me. I’d pushed her away just minutes ago.
“If there’s a way I can help get your sister, I will.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll handle it.”
“You can send me back to Italy. I’ll find her for you.”
“No.” My response was immediate, firm. “Your parents will hurt you. As you’ve already realized, they’re not good people.”
“But I want to help you, Gleb.” Her voice softened. “You’ve gone through too much alone.”
I exhaled sharply. “I just said I don’t need your help.” My tone was harsher than I intended. Guilt twisted inside me, and I sighed, lowering my voice. “She’s my sister, Anna. Not yours. I will get her out.”
“You think I’d blame you for what your father is doing to my sister?”
She scoffed. “You already are.”
“It hurts knowing she had been suffering for more than a decade.”
She met my gaze. “I know I can’t undo what my father did. But I don’t want you to go through this alone.”
I stared at her. For the first time, I didn’t feel the need to fight her words.
Instead of answering, I stood, walked to where she sat, and helped her up. Without thinking, I pulled her into my arms, pressing my face against her hair. Her warmth seeped into me, grounding me in a way I hadn’t felt in years.
We stayed like that for a moment, just existing in the silence.
Then, slowly, I pulled back. I ran a hand through her hair, let my fingers trace the soft skin of her cheek. When she didn’t move away, I tilted her chin up.
I hesitated, then leaned in to kiss her.
But before my lips could touch hers, she turned away.
I froze.
“What?” My voice came out sharp, more confused than angry.
She slipped off my lap and settled beside me, hugging her arms around herself. “I need to know why kissing me, touching me, repels you.”
“It doesn’t,” I said immediately. “Not anymore. That was in the past.”
I tried to kiss her again.
She turned away. Her eyes narrowed. “Then tell me why.
“Anna.”
“No. You owe me the truth, Gleb.”
My throat felt tight. My fingers twitched at my side. I didn’t want to talk about this. Not now. Not ever.
“You won’t understand.”
“Of course.” She scoffed, her voice tight with hurt.
“I’m moving out of the room.”
The words sliced through me like a blade.
“You’re what?”
She lifted her chin. “There’s no reason for us to share a bed, Gleb. We don’t act like husband and wife. And you wanted space, didn’t you?”
“Not that kind of space,” I snapped. My voice lowered. “Do you think I can afford to sleep alone now?”
She swallowed but didn’t answer.
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “You’re not moving out. We’re married, and we’ll stay in the same room. End of discussion.”
I turned and walked away before she could protest.
***
I was supposed to attend a meeting that evening, but I couldn’t bring myself to go anywhere. My mind was consumed with thoughts of my sister, where she was, what she had endured, and whether she was even still the same person I once knew.
Anna’s father, Romano, must know by now that I’ve discovered Tatiana’s whereabouts. Would he punish her for it? Make her suffering worse? The thought made my stomach churn. I just wanted to give her a new life, one far away from all of this.
I had locked myself in my study, losing all sense of time. The curtains were drawn, shutting out the world. I didn’t notice when the sun set or when it rose again. Hours, maybe days, blurred together. There were knocks on the door at times, probably Zoya trying to get me to eat, but I ignored them all.
I had already told Anna I needed space. If she didn’t see me in bed for a few nights, she’d understand. Or at least, I assumed she would.
But then the dizziness set in, my body rebelling against my stubbornness.
Fuck.
My fingers clenched the desk, grounding myself. The hunger gnawed at my insides, but I refused to acknowledge the weakness. Not when there were more important things to deal with.
Still, if I didn’t take something soon, I wouldn’t last long enough to find Tatiana, let alone save her.
I forced open the window, the cold air slamming into me like a punishment. It smelled like rain. Sharp, fresh, alive.
Unlike me.
I had shut the world out, but it was still moving, still breathing. And whether I liked it or not, I had to step back into it.
Then I picked up the phone and dialed Zoya. “Make me a warm coffee,” I said before hanging up.
Dragging myself to the bathroom, I forced a quick shower, hoping it would shake off the sluggishness. When I finally checked my watch, my stomach dropped.
Two days.
I had been locked away for two days.
Anna hadn’t come looking for me.
She knew I hadn’t traveled. She knew I was here, dealing with the weight of my sister’s situation. And yet, nothing. No knock on my door. No attempt to check if I was alive.
I understood what this was. A business deal sealed with a ring. No love. No loyalty beyond what was required.
But I still expected… something. A single knock. A message. A sign that my absence wasn’t just an empty space in her life.
But wasn’t she supposed to have some iota of care? Some sliver of concern, the way I did for her?
With a clenched jaw, I made my way to the dining table and took a sip of the coffee, the bitter warmth coating my empty stomach. I intended to go to Anna as soon as I finished. Demand an explanation, even if I wasn’t sure why I cared so much.
But then a fresh scent drifted into the room, cutting through my frustration.
Something warm. Familiar.
Chicken.
I turned toward the source just as the door creaked open.
Zoya walked in, holding a plate of chicken in her hands.
She set the plate down beside me with a sigh. “You need to eat, Gleb. You haven’t touched food in two days.”
I didn’t argue. My body was wrecked, exhausted, and hollow. I grabbed the plate and tore into the food like a starving man.
As I swallowed the last bite, I noticed Zoya turning to leave.
“Wait.” My voice was hoarse. “What has Anna been doing these past two days?”
She hesitated, shifting on her feet.
Dread curled in my stomach.
I shoved the plate away.
“Where is my wife?”
Zoya exhaled. “Italy.”
The word crashed into me like a wrecking ball.
I surged to my feet, knocking my chair back with a crash. “No. No, that’s not possible.”
She met my gaze evenly. “She left with the help of her sister and your grandmother. She said she wanted to help you get your sister back.”
My pulse thundered in my ears. “Tell me you’re fucking joking.” A cold sweat breaking out over my skin.
“I wish I were, Gleb”
My stomach twisted, my muscles locking up. I turned and slammed my fist against the wall, the pain barely registering. “And you just let her go?”
“You think I didn’t try?” Zoya shot back, her voice sharp. “Your grandmother was involved. Do you really think I had a choice?”
“You should have fucking stopped her!” I roared, my chest burning like an open wound.
“She was determined, Gleb! She said her family has done nothing but destroy you, and she couldn’t sit back and do nothing anymore. She thought she had a way to help. That she could fix things.”
“I was already handling it, goddammit!” I spat out. Seething. “She knew the risk. She damn well knew. And she still went.”
Zoya’s expression softened. “She did it for love.”
My breath hitched. Love?
No. That wasn’t…
Was it?
“That’s what you think.”
I turned away, my chest aching, my thoughts spiraling. Why? I told her not to feel guilty. I told her I wouldn’t hold her family’s sins against her. So why the hell did she still go?
“Zoya, you should have done something.” My voice cracked. My throat burned.
“I tried.” Her voice was steady, but there was regret in it. “I would have broken down that door if I could. But it’s a security door, Gleb. Unless I brought in a bulldozer, I wouldn’t have gotten through.”
I exhaled harshly, dragging a hand down my face.
“Don’t do anything stupid,” Zoya warned. “Going to Italy now is suicide. Anna’s sister would have told her parents how much you care about her. Now that Anna’s there, they’re probably expecting you. You know how dangerous those people are.”
I barely heard her.
“Please,” she pressed, her voice softer now, yet earnest. “Borris will have a plan. He always does. Talk to him. If you go in blind, you’ll be dead before you touch the ground.
“I hear you, Zoya. Now leave me alone.”
She hesitated, then nodded and walked away.
As soon as she was gone, I slumped against the wall. My chest ached, a tight knot formed in my gut.
How could she do this?
She knew how dangerous my family was, yet she trusted them to send her back to Italy. She knew how ruthless her own people were, yet she walked straight into their hands.
I ran a hand through my hair, trying to think.
Zoya was right.
This was a trap.
They’d be expecting me.
Didn’t matter.
I wasn’t leaving her there.
I stormed straight to the master bedroom, only to find a note on my desk, written in her neat, slanted handwriting.
Gleb,
I know you will be angry.
I know you will curse me for leaving.
And I know you will come for me.
But this is something I have to do, not just for you, but for myself.
You once told me not to feel guilty for my family’s sins.
But how can I not, when I see what they’ve done to you? To your sister?
If I have a chance to fix even a fraction of that damage, I have to take it.
You will never forgive me for this. But I hope one day, you will understand.
Anna
I gripped the paper so tightly it crumpled in my fist. My whole body trembled, not just with rage, but something worse. Something raw. Something unbearable.
I pressed my forehead to my fist, breathing deeply. And then, in a voice that cracked slightly, I muttered, ‘You stupid, reckless woman.’
I yanked out my phone and called my pilot.
“Prepare the jet. We’re leaving for Italy in two hours.”
“Sir…”
I hung up before he could finish.
I didn’t care if this was reckless.
Anna was mine.
And I would burn Italy to the ground before I let them take her from me.
