PROLOGUE
Vancouver, Canada - July
AXEL
I satoutside my brother’s house, weighing how I would explain showing up unannounced. Andrusha already knew the truth about Vancouver, but this was something I needed to tell my brother myself.
I lightly knocked on the door.
A woman with a beautiful face and sparkling eyes answered instead of Viktor.
My brain stalled.Did I have the wrong house?
“Hello.” I automatically smiled to smooth my shock. “Is Viktor here?”
“He’s upstairs,” she smiled back, her eyes curious. “Do I know you?”
She probably could see our resemblance. My entire life people had commented on how much Viktor and I resembled each other. “No ma’am. We’ve never met.”
She tilted her head at me, and I could see the intelligence in her eyes. “Who did you say you were?”
I bet not much slipped past her.The thought that my brother might have met his match made my smile widen. “I’m Axel. Viktor’s little brother.”
She didn’t say a single word, just gave me a wide-eyed nod and disappeared, leaving me to stand alone in their foyer.
A moment later, I could hear Viktor’s voice, clearly sounding annoyed, as he came down the stairs. “Are you sure he said Axel?”
I mentally winced, forgetting that he only knew me by my legal name, Alexei.
“That’s what he told me,” her voice was hushed.
“I need you to stay here.”
Her voice raised in defiance. “I want to meet him.”
“Blaire.” I could hear the warning in his voice.
“If he’s your brother and you don’t introduce me, I’ll be upset,” she warned in a hot whisper.
Viktor appeared around the corner and he stopped short when he saw me. Time had been kind to my older brother. He still carried a fierce, muscular strength, but his eyes were warmer than the last time I’d seen him.
Surprise and then confusion crossed briefly across his face.
I motioned with my head and then stepped outside. I could hear him say something to the woman and then he stepped out behind me and closed the door.
I turned to face him.
He studied my face and I belatedly remembered that my face bore the beating it had taken less than a day earlier. “Alexei, it’s really you.”
“Viktor.”
We embraced in a tight hug that I probably needed more than him.
When we stepped back, I could see the questions on his face.
I cleared my throat, finding it strangely emotional to reconnect with my brother. “Andrusha told me where I could find you.”
He searched my face, his eye studying my black eye. “Are you okay?”
