“I just wanted to get away from it all,” I whisper.
“You don’t get away from the Bratva, little princess. You’re cute to think there’s a way out other than death.”
My muscles lock together and my first thought is Babushka. If I’m gone, no one will be able to take care of her. Hell, if they found me, they might be able to track her down and make her join me and Mom.
“You’ll come back with us,” Kirill announces.
“No!”
“You don’t have a say in it. The Pakhan’s daughter won’t be roaming the streets as a nerdy tech at a law firm.”
“I don’t want to.”
“What you want doesn’t matter. Either you come willingly or Sasha will be given free rein to use force.”
“I’m not going back. I don’t care what you’ll do.”
Kirill stands, sliding his glasses up his nose with his middle finger. It’s crazy how he can make that single motion appear threatening. When I adjust my glasses, it looks anxious at best. “You don’t want me to act on my threats. I could, and would, put your father’s position in jeopardy. The choice of going back is the only courtesy I’ll offer you.”
My fist clenches and I can feel the bulging of the tendons in my neck. When I made this decision, I thought Papa wouldn’t care, as usual. I thought he’d definitely choose the brotherhood over me.
He always has.
He’s so loyal to the Bratva, and so is Vladimir and Rai.
At one point, I thought my great-cousin could probably help me. She always took care of me after Papa killed my stepfather and brought me to live with him. All after Mom was beaten to death by said stepfather.
But I didn’t want to put her in jeopardy after everything she’d worked for. She’s a leader in the brotherhood and an executive manager at V Corp, and it took her so much struggle to be the only powerful woman in the midst of wolves.
And now, if I say or do something wrong, I’ll hurt the only people who ever cared for me.
The only family I’ve ever had.
“Let her stay at Weaver & Shaw.”
Kirill’s and my attention snaps to Adrian, who finally looks up from the laptop, then slowly closes it and places it on the table.
“What the fuck are you talking about, Adrian? Let her stay? The Pakhan’s only daughter can’t be left alone at some law firm.”
“We need to win Matt’s lawsuits since we use his production company to launder money. Weaver & Shaw is representing his daughter and are digging their noses where they shouldn’t. As a member of the brotherhood, the Pakhan’s daughter will play her role and become our eyes and ears there. It shouldn’t be hard with the tech department access and your interesting set of skills. Right, Anastasia?”
A full-body shudder takes hold of me. Interesting set of skills. He knows. Even though my spare laptop doesn’t have anything incriminating on it, Adrian somehow figured out about the hacking.
Does that mean he knows about the stolen funds?
Kirill narrows his eyes at me, then at Adrian as if he’s figured out that something is amiss. He always does. He’s like a dog who can smell anything fishy from a mile away.
But instead of being obvious about it, he lets the subject go. “Though I don’t like it, we do need to win the whole Matt thing. Do as you’re told and I’ll pretend I didn’t see you.”
I’m about to say no, but Adrian meets my gaze again and I clamp my lips shut.
He stands up in one swift motion. He and Kirill are so large that they dwarf my small apartment, stealing all the air.
“Sasha will keep an eye on you to make sure nothing goes awry.” Kirill smiles, but there’s no warmth behind it. “And when the case is over, I’ll personally take you back, little princess.”
And with that, he leaves, his guard following after.
I expect Adrian to join them, but he leans close and speaks in a low tone, “We’ll play this my way, Anastasia. You don’t contact Sergei, Vladimir, or Rai. You continue the charade and live as Jane until I allow you to come back. If you don’t, the brotherhood will know you stole hundreds of thousands of dollars and everyone will be out not only for your head, but also for Sergei’s, Vladimir’s, and Rai’s because they helped cover up the theft for you.”
A lone tear slides down my cheek and hangs on to my chin. “They…didn’t do anything.”
“They lied and that, too, is considered a betrayal.”
“Why…why don’t you reveal it now?”