Page 55 of Daddy's Reluctant Queen

She just stares, stock still like a deer in headlights. “You… Why not?”

“I think it’s better that you don’t know the answer to that.”

She sits up and slips her hand out of mine as she looks away. I can see the wheels turning in her mind as she tries to reckon with what I’ve just told her. Finally, she says, “Where is he?”

“The warehouse. The same one you were in.”

“Can you take me to him?” I don’t answer her and her head whips around to me. “Titus, please.”

“Sofia, your brother’s committed a cardinal sin against my Bratva and against the global brotherhood. We have a code of silence and he’s disregarded that. He’s being punished?—”

“I don’t care. I need to see my brother.”

My heart aches for her, but I just shake my head. “Trust me. You don’t want to see him.”

She seems to understand me. As she looks away, I see tears appear at the waterline of her eyes. “Dammit,” she whispers. She remains silent for a few seconds and I give her that. Finding out your brother is a snitch can’t be easy. Finally, she says, “Let me at least say goodbye to him, then.”

“Sofia—”

“You’re going to kill him, right? Whatever you’ve done to him already, it’s going to end up with him dead. I want the chance to say goodbye to him. Titus, you killed my father without giving me that chance. I want it with my brother.” She looks at me and her eyes have gone bloodshot as tears fall from them. “Please, Titus.”

I wipe the tears from her cheeks and brush her hair out of her face. “All right,” I say to her. “I’ll give you that.”

I decidedwe should wait until it was late and Luka was well asleep before we went to the warehouse. As soon as I was sure he was safe and secure in his room, we set out. The whole ride, Sofia remained silent, caught in her own elusive thoughts. There’s part of me that suspects that she’s planning something. Some way to get her brother free and get away from me and this entire thing. I think that’s the part of my mind that has learned to suspect everyone, no matter who they are or how close they are to you.

The funny thing is how that suspicion crops up even as I look over at her and see that there’s no deception in any part of her. Not this time. I think she truly just wants to see her brother one last time.

We get to the warehouse and the moment I turn off the engine and she reaches for the door, I stop her with a touch to her shoulder.

“I expect several of my men to be standing guard,” I tell her. “One of them will probably be Cyril.”

“Cyril?”

“You’ve met him a few times,” I tell her, and her eyebrows rise. “You broke his nose yesterday.”

“Oh.” A sly smile appears on her face. “I do keep meeting that one.”

“It’s not funny. He’s itching for a chance to try and get back at you. I’ll be the only thing between you and him when we go in there. You understand?”

She nods as her smile fades. “I understand. You lead, I’ll follow.”

“Very good. Let’s go.”

She opens the door and we walk across the lot to the warehouse entrance. The first two of my men areboevikswho serve under Cyrus. They acknowledge me with the appropriate amount of respect, but they all gave Sofia a suspicious glance. No one questions me on it, but suddenly, Ignat’s warning comes to mind. I’m going to have to address that sooner or later.

I’m told that his room is on the first floor, so we make our way through the dimly lit hallway at the back of the larger room once used for processing canned vegetables. As soon as we enter the hallway, I see Cyril coming out of the room, wiping blood from his hands.

Sofia’s behind me and I can’t see her face, but I feel her reaction. A wave of distress hits me in the back and nearly makes me stop.

Cyril closes the door and looks up at me with surprise. “Sir,” he says. “What are you doing here?”

I suppose I could try being diplomatic here, but I decide not to. Cyril’s job is to follow my orders, so that’s what he’s going to do. “Cyril, why don’t you go outside? Check on theboeviksat the door.”

He regards me, then his eyes dip down and behind me at Sofia. “Are you sure, sir?”

“You know better than to question me,” I say. “You also know I don’t repeat orders.”

He nods, straightening up slightly, and responds with, “Yes, sir.”