“I want to know what the fuck is going on here. Now,” Ilya barks, pulling my attention. He rises to his feet and stares at Tatiana. The door opens and Zakhar walks in, gun drawn and already pointing it, with Oleg and Freya right behind him. “And this time, you’re not going anywhere.”
Instead of looking annoyed or even surprised, Tatiana grins, practically beaming at him. I can’t even process it. “I was hoping you were going to say that, Pet,” she croons. “It was the videos and letters. I knew you’d miss me. But we’ll have to hold off onour reunion just yet. We have some things to sort first.” Then she looks at Freya and barks an order in Czech, which has the wolf straightening, then rushing forward with an excited bark.
“Hey, sweetheart, did you miss me?” Tatiana says, giving the wolf a quick pet when she leans into her leg. Then, she turns and calls out, “Come on in, Mila.”
Zakhar jolts, as does Alonzo and Ilya, and we all turn to see Mila climbing through the window, her hair windswept, and Ivano right behind her. “What the fuck?” Zakhar hisses.
“Hey, Dad,” Mila says brightly. She takes in the scene, then looks at Tatiana. “You weren’t lying that it was going to be a mess when we got here.” She looks at Mishka who has my father gagged and tied up who is struggling furiously against his bonds. “That’s him? The one who had me taken and sold off to that pig?”
I stiffen. Wait, what?
“Someone better start fucking talking, now!” Ilya bellows. “Mila, get your ass over here. Now.”
Mila doesn’t comply; she just looks at Tatiana with an I-told-you-so look.
“Mila, now!” Zakhar hisses, his hands twitching, like he’s ready to pull the trigger.
Instead, Mila moves into Tatiana’s side, and wraps an arm around her waist. The tension in the room ramps up and I can feel the danger rising. I look at Alonzo. “Keep the pressure on his wound, Alonzo. It’s almost stopped bleeding.” He looks like he wants to argue, but he finally nods.
I slowly get to my feet. “Get her away from her, and I’ll give you whatever you want,” Ilya tells me instantly, his voice deadly.
I look at Tatiana, then Mila and Mishka, and finally Ivano. My brain is working on overdrive, trying to see what I’m missing. I move into the center, blocking shots on either side,and I hear Alonzo curse. “Trust me,” I say calmly, looking at Alonzo.
I can see the struggle. He wants to tell me to come back, to be near him, let him keep me safe. Finally, he nods, but his eyes never leave me, even as he quietly soothes Hades, who whimpers and tries to get up.
“Let me get this straight,” I say as calmly as I can. “My husband was alive all this time. You knew he was alive, but said nothing. Not even a hint. Based on what I can tell, he’s been training with my father during the years that I grieved him and lived my life. And you, somehow, know Mila Belov and have orchestrated whatever the hell you’ve got going on here, and based on the fact that you don’t want me to kill my father, it’s because you were trying to get to him. What I can’t sort out is why?” Then I look at Mishka. “And I can’t understand why you have never, in all this time, told me you were alive.”
Mishka’s gaze is direct on mine, but there’s no hint of apology there. Maybe a flash of regret, but it’s fleeting.
I look back at a grinning Tatiana. “Though something tells me that was your doing.” She shrugs, and I’ll have to take that as much of an admission as I’m going to get. Then I look at Mila. “You, though, you, I don’t understand how you fit. Or your uncle. How the hell do you know her? And what do you mean, my father was the one to try and sell you?” I stiffen and turn my head to pin Ilya and Zakhar with a cold, flat expression. “Did you try to send her to my father for training?”
“I should kill you for even suggesting that,” Zakhar seethes.
“Then I suggest someone start talking,” I snap.
Tatiana lets out a drawn out sigh. “I really wanted to deal with this later, but I guess we have to do a fucking circle time now. Everyone put your guns down. Now.” The bite of her voice is powerful, but no one complies. She mutters something that has Mila sputtering out a laugh.
“I told you that would happen,” Mila giggles. Then she looks at her father and uncle. “Put the guns down. I’m safe. She’s not going to hurt me. She’s been saving me for years, and you owe her the chance to explain.”
“What the fuck does that mean?” Zakhar demands.
“It means that without her, I wouldn’t fucking be here,” Mila snaps angrily. “So put your gun down, Dad, and fucking listen for once.” Then she looks at her uncle. “Please.”
I glance at Ilya, and I can see the conflict on his face. His eyes move to Tatiana, who gives him a little finger wave. Something passes across his face, until finally he slowly lowers his gun. “Guns down.” When Zakhar gives him an incredulous look, he pins him with a harsh stare. “Now.”
Zakhar slowly lowers his gun, but I can practically feel him vibrating with fury. I look at Oleg, who does the same, but his gaze is on Freya, and I can see his mind working, trying to understand how the wolf knows her.
“Excellent,” Tatiana beams. She looks at Mishka. “You’ve got him?” Mishka nods, his foot lashing out and landing right against my father’s temple, knocking him out cold. He slumps sideways onto the floor. Tatiana rolls her eyes, and Mishka just shrugs.
“Someone start fucking talking,” Ilya orders. “And if you hurt my niece, I’ll kill you.”
Tatiana gives him a cold stare. “I’m going to ignore that insult because I know you’re dealing with a lot, Ilya, but don’t fucking push it.”
Before Ilya can erupt again, I interject, “Start at the beginning, Tatiana.”
She rolls her eyes. “We both know that’s not my name.”
“Considering how many different names you go by, how the fuck am I supposed to know?” I demand, throwing my hands up in exasperation. I hear a snort behind me from Alonzo, but Idon’t look at him. “And unless you want to spill your real name, then start talking.”
