Page 182 of Merciless Daddy

“Who do you think?” Pietro moved away from the window. “It belongs to a Sokolov union official. Trucking. Brooklyn contacts, Chicago presence.”

My mouth went dry.

“So they were watching us.”

“It may have been,” Pietro said. “We can’t prove they had eyes on the house itself. But they know enough to look near it.”

Sal’s jaw hardened.

The lake house had felt safe because it was quiet. Because Kiryl had slept upstairs. Because I had colored beside the fire and danced with Sal in a stupid empty arcade.

I looked toward the ceiling.

“My brother.”

“Don’t worry,” Sal said. “He will remain safe. As will we. But not here.”

The certainty in his voice should have comforted me. Instead, fear found its old shape.

“You’re moving us.”

“I’m sorry. But it has to be done. We need to shape up to take Gianni down. We’re nearly there, though.”

“So where will you take Kiryl and me?”

“Well . . . ” he trailed off, a grave look on his face.

“You’re going to separate us?” My pulse spiked.

Sal came closer. “You know it makes sense. It’s harder for them to track, makes protecting you both easier. Different routes. Different destinations.”

“No.” I stood so fast my chair struck the floor behind me. “Absolutely not. Kiryl stays with me.”

“Lena—”

“Please not again, I don’t want to be away from him, I—”

“It’s ok, Lena,” Kiryl said from the doorway.

I turned.

He wore a sweatshirt that was too large for him and carried a piece of toast in one hand. He looked young. Too young. But his pale eyes stayed on mine.

Tonio stood behind him, one broad hand resting lightly on Kiryl’s shoulder.

“Kiryl,” I began. “I’ll never forgive myself if you get hurt.”

“No.” He took a breath. “No, Lena. You don’t get to turn this into another thing you have to be responsible for.”

My throat closed.

He came into the room and set down his toast.

“You have spent my whole life making yourself responsible for me,” he said. His voice shook only once. “I didn’t know. I know now.”

“Kirya—”

“You kept Father from looking at me. You took the worst of everything. You made yourself useful so I could be soft.” His mouth twisted. “That was not fair. And I love you. But it was not fair.”