I could try to explain, to tell him I was given orders by my father, that I inherited the responsibility, the war. I was bound by filial duty. Ihadto obey. But the look in Peter’s eyes tells me it wouldn’t do me a damn bit of good.
“I will answer for what I’ve done,” I say. “But please, let’s end this now.”
His eyes burn. “You think you can dictate terms? You think?—”
He doesn’t get a chance to finish before Gabriella interrupts him. “Peter! Father! Stop!”
Her words suck all of the air from the room.
We look at her. My woman. His daughter. The mother of my children. Everything centers around her.
“God, that sounds weird to say,” she says, looking at Peter. “But it feels good. Father. There’s been enough bloodshed. Please. All I want is safety, for me, for you, for Sasha, for all of us.”
“But the lies. The deceit!” Peter shouts. “It must end!”
“Then end it!” she yells at him, equally loud, equally strong. “End it now. End it without firing a single shot. We can stop the fighting now. Please. Think about your grandchildren!”
His eyes flick to her belly.
His gun remains raised. And so does mine.
The thought occurs to me to shoot him. To end it.
My finger stays on the trigger.
And so does his.
CHAPTER 44
GABBY
“Please.”
The word is filled with sorrow, and so broken.
I’m still shaking. I don’t even want to look at the bodies around me.
My throat is raw; my cheeks are streaked with tears. So much of me wants to shrink and hide away from everything that’s happening around me. But I can’t just stand here and watch this explode.
I focus, summoning power and anger in my voice. “Please!”
The air seems to stand still. Sasha and Peter turn their eyes to me.
My family.
I turn to Peter, to my father. His eyes are red-rimmed, his expression like a wounded animal, like he hurts.
It’s time to say what needs to be said. My breath shudders out. “This is exactly why she left you.”
His attention snaps to me. I almost flinch at the intensity of it. Almost. Sasha steps forward, just close enough for me to feel him there. It’s enough.
I press on. “My mother ran. She ran because of this life, because of all this violence and paranoia and double-crossing. I understand it completely now. She didn’t want this for me.”
Peter’s jaw works. A muscle twitches under his eye.
“And you know what?” I continue, voice raising. “I was about to run, too. I almost left the damn country! I was ready to disappear with my babies because I was so goddamn afraid of what the two of you would do next.”
Sasha’s usually good about keeping his composure, but his face ticks a bit with this revelation. He didn’t know I planned to leave the country.
