But Kallie… She’s my world, too. She was always there for me, always treating us like family. If I turned my back on her now, how could I live with myself?
It’s impossible. A cruel, impossible choice.
Unless…
Unless there’s a third option.
All my life, I’ve been dancing to the tune of someone else. Been working with what I was given, head bowed. Not a word of complaint, not a single protest.
But that’s over now.
It’s high time I started making my own rules.
“Maks.” I realize my voice is shaking. “If… if I asked you for something, would you do it?”
“Of course,” he answers without missing a beat. “You’re thepakhansha.”
“Even if it goes against what Yulian would want?”
That gives him pause. “I’m afraid you’ll have to be more specific.”
“I can’t. If I tell you, you’ll get in trouble. It’s best if I’m acting alone.”
His brow knits at that. “Whatever you’re about to do… it won’t hurt Yulian, will it?”
“No.” It comes out more forceful than I’d intended. “Never.”Never again,my heart corrects.“But it might save Kallie’s life.”
Maksim straightens up. His forehead is beaded with sweat, face as pale as I’ve ever seen it. He should be in bed right now, recovering from his surgery, but here he is, bargaining for Kallie’s life.
If there was any doubt he was the right one for her, there isn’t anymore.
“What do I do?” He squares his shoulders. His eyes shine with a new, determined light. “What do you need?”
I exhale slowly with relief. It would have been hard to get this done alone, but with Maksim, I can do it.
I hope I can do it.
No—
Ihaveto do it.
“Get the car ready,” I tell him.
“Got it. And what will you do?”
I pick up something. Two things. One tool I’ll need, and another I hope I’ll never have to use.
“Exactly what I have to do.”
56
YULIAN
She lied to me.
My knuckles whiten around the railing. I want to punch something, take my rage out on the first inert object I find, but I force myself to breathe deeply. Calm down, like I’m supposed to be doing.
But how the fuck can I do that?
