“I don’t want—”
“Let me finish.” His voice is gentle. For Dima. “Lev, Boris, and I are named as guardians. Legal guardians. To you and the baby. If something happens to Anton, we don’t just walk away. We stay. We protect you. We raise that child like it’s ours.”
Tears blur my vision.
“Until we die,” Lev adds quietly. “That’s the deal. We don’t leave. Ever.”
“There’s more,” Dima says. “Security protocols. Safe houses in six countries. New identities, if you need them. Contacts who owe Anton favors—people who will help you disappear if Igor comes after you.”
“He thought of everything,” I whisper.
“He always does.”
“Why didn’t he tell me?”
“Because he’s coming back.” Dima’s eyes are dark. Serious. “He made these plans because he’s careful. Not because he thinks he’ll need them.”
“But he might.”
“He might.”
I close my eyes. Try to breathe through the pain.
Anton planned for this. Planned for dying. Planned for leaving me and the baby behind.
Not because he wanted to. But because he loved us enough to make sure we’d be okay without him.
“I don’t want his money,” I say. “Or his properties. Or any of it.”
“Da.”
“I just want him to come home.”
“Da.”
Dima stands. Moves to the window. Looks out at the city.
“He’s The Reaper,” he says quietly. “He’s survived worse than this. He’s gotten out of situations that would’ve killed anyone else.”
“But what if this is the one he doesn’t get out of?”
“Then we honor his wishes. We protect you. We raise that baby to know who his father was. What he sacrificed.” Dima turns to look at me. “But until we have confirmation—until Boris tells us otherwise—we assume he’s alive. We assume he’s fighting. We assume he’s coming back.”
“How do you do it?” I ask. “How do you stay so calm?”
“Because falling apart doesn’t help him. Doesn’t help you. Doesn’t change anything.” His voice is steady. Certain. “So, we wait. We hope. And we prepare for both outcomes.”
I nod. Swallow hard. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Okay.” I stand. “I’m not falling apart. Not yet. Not until we know for sure.”
Lev looks surprised. “You’re… okay?”
“No. I’m terrified. I’m dying inside.” I press my hand to my belly. “But I have to be strong. For the baby. For Anton. For myself.” I meet Dima’s eyes. “He’s coming back. I know he is.”
“How do you know?”
