Hope.
“It seems at last your enemies’ targets are aligned.” Lebedev smiles, and I see a hint of the dangerous man beneath his elegance. “Surrender, and we will spare your lives.”
“Fuck you,” my father practically spits, the utter antithesis to Lebedev’s cool. “We’ve had you cornered underground like the rat you are for decades. What makes you think anything has changed? Hm? Maya. Zane. Come.”
They don’t move.
“Maya,” snarls her father, still slouched in the doorway, clutching his bloodied arm. “Get over here.Now.”
I see a flicker of conflict in my cousin’s eyes. Zane’s grip on her hand tightens.
“They would have gladly let you both die,” I say, hearing my own voice as if from a great distance. “They said so themselves.”
“Silence yourself, Nikolai,” my father bites out, but from the animal fear in his pale face, I think he understands exactly what is about to happen.
I make my final decision. I go to Zane’s side, taking her hand. All the while, I keep my gun levelled on my father.Not a soldier. A man.A man capable of better, and more, with the woman I love at my side.
“Today,” Lebedev says, turning an emphatic smile on the three of us, “is the beginning of a new and better era. Rest easily, men. Your empire is in good hands.”
22
Zane
Nik remains at my side long after the funeral service has ended. Maya stayed as long as she could, but taking over the Sokolov syndicate with Lebedev’s blessing and supervision doesn’t exactly leave much room for free time. I still wonder about it now; when Lebedev requested I join him, I had no choice but to turn him down. With my father gone and Nikolai finally free of his family’s chokehold, there’s no reason for us to stay. And unlike the men who have pulled our puppet strings for so long, Yvan Lebedev has a sense of grounded pragmaticism.
Which is probably why, in the end, he chose Maya. Maya, who was set on cutting corruption from the family ranks like the cancer it had become. Maya, whose ambition never slept. Maya, who, even after double-crossing Lebedev himself, won his grudging respect and fondness. Lebedev has not overtaken the Sokolov syndicate. Maya will be his loyal touchpoint. For now, at least. There’s no telling what she’ll want in the future, but I rest assured it’s more power. As long as she remains true to herself, I have faith that what Lebedev said that fateful day was right—this empire is in good hands.
Still, the thought of leaving fills me with grief. And I’m sad Maya had to leave so soon. She and Nik really are my only family now.
Dad.
Did he suffer?I remember asking, when I learned that Anton and Artur had, in fact, executed my father. There was a single bullet hole in the back of his skull, and I had a horrible, sinking suspicion that he had died on his knees. When I asked, Nik had told me the truth:I don’t know.
And we never will. Anton and Artur are securely locked away under Lebedev’s watchful eye. They’ll remain alive and intact so long as they continue providing useful information, contacts, and resources. Maybe if they stay on their best behavior, one day they will be set free.
But with my uncle in charge, I doubt it.
To be honest, after this whirlwind chapter of my life, I don’t have it in me to hold onto my anger. My father wouldn’t have wanted it. He fought and died for my freedom, and I am going to uphold that freedom until my dying day. May it be many years away.
Nik clears his throat, squeezing my hand as he dismisses himself. I frown, not understanding, until I see Yvan approaching cautiously. He looks sleek as ever in a tailored suit and black tie, an umbrella in hand. Rain glitters and rolls off the surface like handfuls of pearls. He holds it over me.
“I warned him of the risks,” he says.My uncle.I’m still not used to it, but I do hope I will be eventually. We both need family more than ever right now. “I warned him and warned him. He never once backed down. He really wanted it, more than anything. For you to be able to live the life you wanted. No matter the cost.”
I wipe a tear from the corner of my eye.
“It’s funny, isn’t it?” Lebedev smiles grimly. “You were both willing to do anything to protect the other. That’s true family. True love. True loyalty. Far stronger than any money-fueled mafia squabble.”
I nod, searching those words for some comfort. But comfort is out of reach. For now, that’s OK. For now, I’m content to grieve.
“I got you something, by the way.” Yvan begins to walk away, and I follow, eyes lingering on my father’s grave. “It is far from here, however.”
I peer at him thoughtfully. Everything logical in me tells me I should fear this man and run away. That he’s nothing but danger and black ice. But whenever I look at him, I find myself softened. There’s a distinct familiarity to him. He looks nothing like my father, but their mannerisms are similar—the way they laugh, heads thrown back and one hand on their bellies. The way they narrow their eyes in thought. The ever-present softness in their face, as though whatever you say, they could find a way to understand it.
It feels, in a sad and terrible way, like a part of my father is still here with me. Any doubts I have fade when I look at my uncle.
“Far from here,” I say, puzzling over the words. I look out at the city, feeling its shadows and fog-cloaked streets like a turned back. “Yeah. That sounds pretty nice right about now.”
“It’s my understanding that you and Nik were never given a proper honeymoon.”
