My train of thought stops, and so do my feet. The smell of dampness and blood permeates the air, but it’s not theonslaught of memories that overtake me. It’s the view of the person tied to a chair in the middle of the room, just like I was not long ago.
Dad.
His massive body is completely bound, and his pale-blue shirt is soaked through with blood, his face bruised, swollen, and bloodied, almost unrecognizable.
“What the fuck you looking at?” Yaroslav shouts, blood dripping from his lips and into the puddle by his feet. “Free me, Yulian!”
“I don’t recommend it.” Lukas emerges from the shadows like a creep, his shirt sleeves rolled to his elbows, splatters of blood all over it.
That was the shirt of the suit he was wearing at Alya’s wedding ceremony when he took Dad to the side during the reception for urgent business.
“So the emergency was…” I stare between him and Dad. “This?”
“Yes. Thought it would be poetic to give Alina an appropriate wedding gift,” Lukas says.
“Appropriate is a stretch.”
“Why the fuck are you talking to him? Yulian, unbind me, now?—”
His words turn into a mumble when Lukas slaps duct tape over his mouth. “Shh. You’ve talked enough for a lifetime.”
“Where’s Mikailo?” I study my surroundings, searching for the big oaf. “I’m surprised he’s not shadowing you.”
“He’d never agree to hurting Yaroslav. Unfortunately, he can be emotional, caring, and loving toward a father who never gave two fucks about us. I spiked his drinkduring the wedding. That way, he’ll sleep peacefully instead of interfering.”
“And when he wakes up?”
“I’ll remind him about the man who left his mother to freeze to death in the slums.”
“And if that doesn’t convince him?”
“It will. Leave Mikailo to me as I know how to deal with him best. He’s my brother before he’s Yaroslav’s son.”
I can trust that. They were always close. As close as Alya and me.
“You’ve thought this through.”
“I have.”
I jut my chin in Dad’s direction, who’s still mumbling and swaying in his chair. “You do realize his loyalists will be at your throat like hyenas, right?”
“Not quite.” Lukas grabs a long rod from the table, running his fingers over the metal. “I swayed about half of the leaders to my side.”
“While I’m all for the coup d’état attempts, the other half still exists.”
“That’s whereyoucome in.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you. The other half will never fully follow me since a bastard will always be a bastard in their eyes, but with you as co-leader, we’ll have both legitimacy and fear on our side.” He stands taller. “I’m offering you a deal—rule together and cut the old man out for good.”
“That other half you talk about contains some traditionals like my father who’ll never accept me anyway, because I plan to spend the rest of my life with the man I love.”
He raises a brow.
“If you have objections to that, I’ll walk out right now and leave you fighting rebellions for the rest of your reign.”
“I have no particular objections. I was already aware of your extracurricular activities, and it changes nothing.”
