Just as my hand stretches forward, Katya’s wrist snaps back with sharp precision, pulling it out of reach before I can so much as graze it.
Her eyes flash with dry amusement. “Not so fast.”
I frown, slowly lowering my hand.
“Ten minutes,” she says, voice low but firm. “If her line’s tapped and Mikhail so much as catches awhiffof our location, he’ll bring this whole fucking building down with us inside it. No names of who’s here, no descriptions of shit you’ve seen outside the window. If you hear static or anything suspicious on the other end, hang up immediately. Am I clear?”
I swallow, nodding. “I promise I won’t say anything.”
Katya watches me for another second, her eyes narrowing as if trying to peel back every layer of thought behind my expression. I can feel the weight of her scrutiny, the quiet assessment that has nothing to do with sympathy and everything to do with trying to figure out whether I can be trusted.
This isn’t just about a phone call. This is a test to see if I can follow orders without hesitation. If I can obey a command and not jeopardize the entire Bratva in response. Five years ago, I would’ve been happy to indulge her. To prove to her, and the rest of the inner circle, that I would never do anything to betray them.
I find it ironically cruel how far things have changed.
Her gaze flickers when she finds whatever answer she was looking for in my silence. Then without ceremony, she relents, holding out the phone again.
“Ten minutes,” she repeats. She turns and leaves, her footsteps silent on the floor as the door shuts behind her with a soft click.
I breathe out slowly, forcing air into my lungs until the trembling in my fingers dulls faintly. Typing in Lettie’s number is easy. My thumbs move automatically, muscle memory guiding me through the familiar digits. I’ve dialed it hundreds of times in the past five years from late-night check-ins, whispered confessions after a drunken night, petty sisterly complaints.
Pressing the call button now feels impossible. It’s one of the hardest things I’ve done aside from giving birth.
I stare at the glowing screen, my thumb hovering over the green icon. My heart pounds so hard it rattles my ribs. What if she doesn’t answer? Or worse, what if she does? What do I even say to her? How do I explain what’s happened when I can barely understand it myself?
I don’t know how to put into words the weeks of fear, the bruises, the threats, the deals I’ve made to keep Leo alive. How do you tell your sister you’ve bargained with a devil she’s only heard of in stories? How do you make her understand you didn’t have a choice?
I close my eyes, grip the phone tighter, and finally presscall.
She picks up on the fourth ring. “Hello?”
My breath hitches. Just hearing her voice, that same tone she’s always used to answer unknown numbers, is enough tocrack something inside me. For a moment, I can’t speak. I just sit on the edge of my bed, biting down on the sob that’s trying to rise up my throat.
“Lettie,” I finally manage, my voice cracking on her name. “It’s me.”
There’s a pause, and then she gasps loudly. I hear the rustle of movement, like she’s standing up so fast she knocked something over. Her voice rises, panicked and relieved.
“Oh my God! Ivy? Oh myGod! Where are you? Are you okay? What the hell happened? I called everyone to find out where the hell you went. I called the police, the hospitals, the goddamn embassy! I didn’t know where the hell you were! One second, you were texting me, telling me you were on your way home, and then you weregone.”
“I’m okay,” I say quickly, stumbling over the words, desperate to stop the flood before it swallows me whole. “I’m okay, I swear. I just… had to leave with Maksim. It’s complicated, but I’m okay, I promise. I’m safe now.”
“Complicated?” she echoes, breathless. “Ivy, you vanished! This scary guy showed up at our house and told Mom and Dad not to file a police report or else something bad would happen to you! If Maksim took you, then who the hell was that guy? One of his… uh, soldiers? Jesus, I thought you weredead!”
I lie, because it’s easier than the truth. Because I can’t get into it, not now. “No, no, I… wasn’t kidnapped. It wasn’t like that. He’s helping me with something. I… I can’t explain everything yet, but I’ll be home soon. I promise. I just wanted to call and tell you I’m okay.”
There’s a heavy silence on the other end. I can almost picture her pacing the room, hand pressed to her forehead with tears forming in her eyes that she’d never admit to shedding. “Is Leo with you?”
The question guts me.
“Yes,” I lie.
“Jesus, Ivy…” She breathes, and then I hear her sniffle slightly. “Don’t scare me like that. I was going out of mymind.I had all these scenarios playing in my head…”
“I know. I’m so sorry, Lettie. I didn’t mean to disappear on you like that.”
She’s silent for a moment. “Okay. Just… please come back soon. Promise?”
“I will. I just needed you to know I’m alive. And that I love you.”
