Page 28 of Savage Truce

Memories of the night at the theater trickle through my mind. Anastasia’s beautiful smile, and how she slowly warmed up to me. How she melted when I kissed her for the first time, and the sound of her laughter.

By the time we parted ways, I was madly in love with her. For five years, the memory of her waving before disappearing from my sight has filled me with regret.

Anastasia stirs, and when her lashes lift, revealing her green eyes, I cup her cheek and lean closer.

“Hi, krasivaya,” I say, but the noise from the helicopter drowns out my voice.

She stares at me, then her eyebrows pull together, and it looks like she’s going to cry. Instead of tears falling, her irises turn dark with fear, and she begins to tremble again.

Not knowing what else to do, I practically fold myself around Anastasia and press her face into the crook of my neck. Holding her tight, I rub my hand up and down her back.

My eyes lift and meet Andrei’s, who gives me a worried look. Only he, Sergei, and my family know about the night I spent with her and what she meant to me.

When the helicopter finally descends in my backyard, I adjust my arms beneath Anastasia and grip her tightly as I move to get out.

The back door stands open with Dr. Kravets waiting. As I step into the house, his eyes scan over my precious cargo, and he immediately calls out to my housekeeper, “Bring lots of warm water and clean towels!”

Heading through the kitchen and up the stairs, I give him a rundown of everything I know. “Anastasia is Yegor’s granddaughter. She was held captive by a rogue group. Her surroundings were fucking filthy, and she was starved for close to two weeks.” While we rush toward one of the guest rooms, I glance at the doctor and add, “It is fucking important that she lives. Understand?”

He nods quickly, and as soon as I lay her down on a queen-size bed, he checks her vitals.

I step out of the way and glance at the equipment he brought along. Andrei must’ve given him some information because he looks pretty prepared, which eases my worry a little.

Miss Zoya comes into the room with the water, and after setting it down on the table by the window, she rushes out again.

Someone touches my arm, making my head jerk to the side.

“Let’s talk,” Andrei murmurs softly, tipping his chin in the direction of the doorway.

I follow him into the hallway just as Miss Zoya comes hurrying back with towels. When she enters the room, I hear Dr. Kravets order, “Shut the door. We need to clean the patient so I can see her wounds.”

The door clicks shut, then Andrei asks, “Do you want me to cancel the dinner with Atanas?”

“Blyadʹ,” I hiss as I check the time on my wristwatch. Seeing I still have three hours, I shake my head. “No.”

My friend and underboss gives me a worried look. “How are you holding up?” I stare at the closed bedroom door until he places his hand on my shoulder. “Rodian, talk to me.”

Shaking my head again, I struggle to put into words how I feel. “I can’t believe…” My eyes lock with his. “How the fuck did we not know Anastasia is Yegor’s granddaughter?”

“The bastard wasn’t a family man. He banished Yelena to the countryside, so why would he treat Anastasia any differently?”

“True.”

I blow a harsh breath over my lips, and as I lift my hand to rub the back of my neck, I notice the dried blood.

When I start walking down the hallway, Andrei follows me.

“How are we going to handle Yelena’s death?” he asks as we enter my bedroom.

“I have no fucking idea. Yegor’s associates and Sokolov are going to be up in arms when they find out.” I stop in front of the sink, and opening the faucet, I wash my hands. “Let’s keep it quiet for now. I need to focus on Atanas and Anastasia.” My eyes meet his. “Tell Sergei to stay in Mauritius for another week. I don’t want my family returning and targeted for revenge.”

He nods, and pulling out his phone, he makes the call while I dry my hands and leave the bathroom. My gaze falls on the walk-in closet, and I pivot to grab one of my T-shirts and boxers.

As we head back to the guest room, Andrei says, “I’m going back to the factory to deal with the group and get shit sorted out there. Call if you need me.”

“I will.” Glancing at him, I add, “Thanks for being my rock.”

The corner of his mouth lifts, the harsh lines on his face softening for a moment before he takes the stairs down to the foyer.