“You’re too late. I already made the call to Sun Wei last night and offered up Kostya to take your place instead.”
“What?!” I blurt out in outrage. “Why would you—”
“Why would I do what?” he cuts me off. “Offer Wei the better brother? I would have thought the decision obvious. Kostya has shown great growth in his time with you in Chicago. He’s more than capable of handling San Francisco on his own. Of that, I have no doubt.”
“No!” I surge to my feet. “You can’t force Kostya to marry that girl.”
“Funny,” Misha repeats the odd word coldly, “because that’s exactly what I just did.”
“But you said that I—”
He cuts me off again, this time by raising his hand.
“You are no longer fit for the role,” he says flatly. “These past two months have shown me that you are incapable of meeting my demands. No, Kirill. It will be Kostya taking your place.”
His gaze sharpens, cutting straight through me.
“Besides, I’m not forcing Kostya into anything. He came to me last night on his own volition, and I accepted his terms gladly since I have more faith in our younger brother than I do in you these days. That alone should tell you something. I don’t know what’s going on with you but you’d better wake up and start acting like theBratvaunderboss you are. Fail to do that…” His voice drops. “And you and I will have words. My patience has its limits, Kirill. And you have been testing it far too frequently for my liking.”
The rug beneath my feet is yanked out so violently I can’t even find my balance, much less my words.
Why would Kostya do this?
Why would he sacrifice himself like this?
Why?
But I don’t have to think very long for the answer.
Kostya sacrificed himself for me.
He willingly threw himself on the sword for my happiness—or at least the idea of it. He still believes there’s a way for me and Stella to be together. And to prove it, he offered himself up as tribute to ourPakhan’sdemands.
My vision blurs as hot tears sting my eyes.
Fuck, Kostya. Why did you have to go and do that shit for?
Here I was, ready to live a life where duty was my only reason for breathing and my baby brother had to go and ruin it. Had to remind me that some things are still worth fighting for.
A brother’s happiness.
A woman’s heart.
The little shit is determined to teach me a lesson on love and sacrifice, isn’t he?
For the first time in what feels like an eternity, a small smile tugs at the corner of my mouth.
But it’s quickly extinguished by a sharp cry echoing from outside Misha’s office.
“Elena!” Misha shouts, already on his feet and racing out of the office, the instant he recognizes his wife’s voice.
I rush out behind him and find Elena standing in the foyer, a radiant smile on her face and a pool of water at her feet.
“Misha, my love,” she breathes, glowing. “Call Doctor Sokolov. Our baby is coming.”
Chapter 28
Stella
