As I sat beside him in the back of the SUV, the events of the last three years continually played in my mind. Over and over.
“I’m proud of you,” I whispered.
“For what?”
“For not killing your brother.”
Kazimir laughed. “I thought about it, but what good would that have done? The guilt will eat him alive.”
“What will happen to Mikhail?”
Reaching over, Kazimir grabbed my hand, intertwining our fingers. “He’ll be banished. That’s punishment enough.”
“Are you certain you want to do that?”
His sigh was heavy. “I’m not certain of many things, my love, but he must be punished.”
“He loves you. Remember what I said before. People usually have reasons for actions they take, sometimes simply out of grief they don’t understand.”
“He was a traitor to the family. But I did hear what you said. He will be allowed to live his life, just not within the protection of my family. Now, are you certain you want to be a part of this? There is no reason for you to be.”
This. Meaning the elimination of my father and godfather. “Trust me. I want nothing more than to see them punished.” And I did.
Would their deaths weigh on my mind? Maybe a little, but I’d learn to live with my conscience.
Over one hundred soldiers had arrived in Sicily by way of touching down in two planes at the Cagliari Elmas Airport in Sicily, a location that would be off my father and godfather’s radar. Cars had been rented and we’d made it to Sardinia without incident. I already knew the plan of Kazimir taking over my godfather’s territory. In addition to having his soldiers arrive, his cousin had brought fifty or so of his men to the country as well.
My father had no idea what was about to transpire.
But I did.
And I was eager to see the finish.
How horrible of a person did that make me for wishing them both dead, allowing my mother to walk free?
And my brother.
And…
God. What the hell was I going to do?
Did I hate my father? The answer was easy. Yes. Very much so. For more than just what he’d done to me or to Kazimir. For my entire life spent like a piece of property. I now wanted to live my life the way I saw fit.
“I need to tell you something.” The driver was pulling into the fancy hotel where the bastards were waiting for me to be brought.
“You don’t need to tell me anything, my sweet little healer. I have everything I need.” His tone was reassuring, even loving.
And I felt like a terrible person.
“I think I do.”
He unfastened his seatbelt, turning toward me. “We’ll talk afterward. This won’t take very long. Then we’ll spend the night in the city, maybe longer depending. Okay?”
Exhaling, I nibbled on my bottom lip, feeling the pressure of what needed to be said. “Okay.”
“Stay close behind. Do not venture off on your own.”
“I have no intention of doing so.”
