“It’s a ruse, solnyshko. Fucking hell. You think all this is happening because you interrupted the wedding? No, these are my men taking out the head of the snake once and for all. It was planned, and the marriage was never going to be legal, so for God’s sake, let’s move.”
“You don’t—”
She shuts me up with a harsh, hot kiss, reclaiming me as thoroughly as if we were standing at the altar ourselves.
“I love you too, by the way. Now please,pleasefollow my lead so I can get you out of here.”
“Me? You mean us, right?”
“This is my fight, solnyshko. Mine and Misha’s and Ivan’s. Blanche is somewhere with a machine gun, fighting for our side of the family. Teddy’s here too, hopefully sticking close to Misha. I’m not going anywhere.”
We stand for a tense few seconds, and I feel like I’m on the verge of a breakdown. Ijustgot her back, and she loves me. Me! And now she wants to stay in the midst of this battle…I want to kidnap her. Hide her away from the world so she’s safe. But that’s not Mila. People should be hiding from her.
“I’m not leaving you,” I whisper. As much as I wish my voice was stronger right now, I’m terrified. “Irefuseto leave you, even if I can’t necessarily help.”
The flash of indecision in her eyes makes me think she might force me to leave, but finally she sighs and pulls me back toward the front of the church. She plops me down behind the altar, unleashing a hidden latch and pointing at the door she’s just opened in the side.
“This is bulletproof and fireproof, so please stay in here. I’ll come for you, Thatcher, I swear. Promise me you’ll stay?”
“How the hell did he manage to fall asleep in there?”
“Well, I imagine it was pretty muffled, and he had a long flight.”
“Yeah, party foul, by the way, man. Leaving him withnoexplanation at all? Poor Sunshine.”
“Hey, you gave me barely any warning! My pregnant wife was my main concern, not that I don’t love Thatcher like a brother, but—”
“I can see why you’re so smitten with him, dear. He’s a fine specimen. Ivan, he reminds me of our pool boy, don’t you think? Just with less hair down there—”
“Wake up, solnyshko. Float out of your dreams and come back to me.”
Thatvoice, not grating like the others, makes me want to try to open my eyes. My neck hurts, and I don’t know where I am…am I naked?
Fully awake now, I try to stand, only to whack my head on the top of whatever oven of a box I’m in. I can see Mila through a small door, though, so I do my best to crawl through, basking in her smile and the fresh air once I’m out.
I plop down on my back, stretching all my muscles that have been bunched up for what must have been hours, and remember where I am.Shit,I slept through the entire end of the battle? Based on Mila, Teddy, Misha, Ivan, and Blanche all staring down at me, things must have gone in our favor.
Everyone seems to be holding back laughter, though, and Blanche’s eyes are focused far south of my own.
A breeze tickles averysensitive spot just as Teddy speaks up.
“Thatch, brother. Why the hell are you naked?”
Chapter 43
Grandfather’s old officemay look different after Zadorov redecorated, but the same ghosts haunt it as when I was a child. The walls are a different color, but they suffocate me as if no time has passed. The only difference now is that I’m sitting behind the desk instead of, well…
I feel his presence before he even makes a noise. “Come in, moya sila,” I call, still looking down at the cluster of paperwork spread out in front of me.
He does as commanded, plopping down in the chair across from me and kicking his feet up on the desk.
“Is it bad?”
While I’ve been locked in Zadorov’s office for the past twenty-four hours, doing my best to sort out the mess he’s gotten theonce-powerful Taranov Bratva into, Misha has been dealing with the more tragic aftermath of our takeover.
“It’s not as bad as it could’ve been. Less than twenty—”
“And their families?”
