by K. J. Dahlen
When the knock came at the door, Misha motioned for her to stay where she was and he answered the door. He spoke with Barron and then carried in a tray of food. He called them over to the table and sorted out the food.
Misha avoided her eyes as they sat down to eat. Anya had her grilled cheese while Misha had his chicken and Zeta had ordered a burger and fries.
Misha finished his meal first and while he sat back, he took note of the fact that Anya hadn’t said a word the whole time they’d been there. He thought that was strange so he asked Zeta about it. “Does she not speak?”
Zeta shrugged and looked at her daughter. “She used too a long time ago, then something happened and she hasn’t spoken a word since then.”
“What happened?” Misha frowned.
“We had come into the city to do some shopping and she disappeared for a couple of hours. We were frantic searching for her and finally, we found her. She was filthy and scared but she wasn’t hurt. At least, we didn’t think she was hurt. She was barely two when she disappeared and she was only missing about an hour and a half but I’d never been more afraid in my life. She hasn’t been out of my sight since that time.” She sighed then added, “She’s had a hard time opening up to the guys too. The only one she really ever goes to is Maxim and it’s rare that she’ll even sit with him.”
Misha was silent for a long moment then said, “She didn’t seem to have any problems coming to me earlier.”
Zeta nodded. “I noticed that and was very surprised by it.”
“Did you ever discover what happened? I mean where was she for the time she was missing?”
Zeta shook her head. “It’s been over a year now. Without a clue as to what happened to her, we may never know. She was just too young to tell us what happened.” She looked over at her child and sighed. “I just wish she could go back to being her old sweet self again. Not that I mind the new girl she is but I’d love to hear her tell me she loves me again.”
“At least you know her,” Misha told her. “I never knew my daughter until she was fully grown. Anya is a lucky little girl. She has you, Maxim and all the others in her life. My Raven didn’t have anyone but herself to depend on.” He shrugged. “At least I found her and she’ll never be alone again. She has a husband and so far, two small children of her own.”
“So you’re a grandfather huh?” Zeta smiled.
Misha chuckled. “I guess I am. Wow, does that make me feel old.” Sighing deeply he shrugged. “But it is what it is and I wouldn’t change that for the world.” He chuckled then informed her, “I also just found out I have a new brother almost twenty years younger than me and I just watched my father get married for the second time in his life.”
“Wow.” Zeta shook her head. “Life is funny sometimes isn’t it?”
“It has its good points to go with the bad points.” He nodded. “When this is over you and your family will finally be free.”
“Will we?” Zeta whispered. “I don’t think I remember what that’s like, to be free I mean. Not since I was nine years old.”
“Well, I hope you can feel it again. I’ll keep you safe, you know that right?”
Zeta shook her head. “That isn’t your job is it?”
Misha raised his brow. “But it is my job now, isn’t it little one?”
Zeta stared at him a moment then looked down at her daughter who was eating her grilled cheese.
A knock on the door had Misha wiping his mouth and striding toward the entrance of the suite. He smiled as he grabbed a few bags from Barron and then closed the door behind him. Carrying the bags through to the living room, he called to Zeta and Anya.
When they joined him, he motioned toward the bags. “I wanted to get you some clean clothes.”
“You did what?” Zeta asked as she stared at him. “Why? That’s not your job either.”
“It is now,” Misha told her with no doubt in his voice at all.
Zeta shook her head. She turned to see Anya pull something from one of the bags. It was a huge white rabbit made of silk and fur. The rabbit was wearing a big pink ribbon and a small pink dress.
Anya looked at her mother in awe and then turned to Misha and ran over to him with the rabbit in her arms.
He he bent over as she jumped into his arms and threw her arms around his neck as she kissed him on the cheek. Then she wiggled down and went over to the sofa. She got up on it and sat there gazing into the face of her bunny.
Zeta stared at her daughter with tears in her eyes. Tearing her eyes away from Anya, she looked over at Misha. “What have you done to my baby girl?” she whispered.
Misha held out his arms and she want into them with no problem. He held her for a moment then cupped her jaw and lifted her face to his. “She is mine to protect as well. You are a package deal are you not?”
Zeta paused then nodded. “Are you sure?”
“I am positive.” Misha kissed her lips gently.
“Can I ask you something?” Zeta stared up at him.
“Anything,” he insisted.
“Why me?” Zeta bit her lip. “I’m no one special.”
“But you are special….You are special to me.”
She planted her face in his chest and took a couple deep breaths. Then she remembered the phone call he got earlier. “Has something happened?”
Misha tightened his hold on her but he couldn’t exactly hide the truth from her. “Da, we had word from Russia. The Bratva found Ivan’s prison. There was a shoot out and several of Ivan’s men are dead.”
“And Ivan?” she asked in a low whisper.
“Ivan escaped. They lost him in the woods around the compound.”
Zeta seemed to shrink.
Misha had to grab her in order to keep her from falling to her knees. He picked her up and carried her over to the chair beside the sofa.
Anya looked over at her mother and grew quiet. She seemed to shrink back and she clutched the rabbit very close to her.
Misha positioned Zeta on his lap and motioned for Anya to join them.
She slipped off the sofa and slowly moved toward her mother. When she got to the chair, she just stood there looking at her mother.
Zeta was lost in her fear but Misha pulled Anya into his lap and cuddled both of them.
Anya snuggled close to her mother and held her rabbit.
Zeta found herself comfortable in a strange kind of way. After a long time or maybe just a few minutes, her fear was gone. She looked at the man who held her. He was staring back at her and when he saw her eyes held no fear, he smiled slightly.
“What have you done to me?” she whispered.
“I just held you little one.”
Zeta blushed and hid her face in his chest. Then Anya poked her. When she raised her head, Anya smiled at her as he lifted her rabbit toward her mother and made a kissing sound. Zeta laughed at her child and grabbed her close to her for a moment. She looked up at Misha and asked, “What else did you get for us?”
Misha shrugged. “Just some clothing. I didn’t know what else you would need for now.”
Zeta nodded. “That will be enough for now.”
Anya got down and went over to the bags. She began pulling out the clothing. She squealed when she pulled out a pair of pajamas and a new dress for herself.
Zeta chuckled and held out her arms.
Anya ran over to her mother and Zeta chuckled. “Well, I guess you get a bath tonight huh? You are a dirty little girl.”
Anya smiled and nodded. Her clothes in one hand and the rabbit in the other.
“Okay, little Miss Piggy, let’s get you clean again then.”
Misha watched them disappear into the spare bedroom and he chuckled at the sounds they were making. Then his phone pinged and he looked at it. His lips thinned and his eyes grew stormy. Dialing a number, he waited for his father to answer his call. “What the hell happened?” He growled into the phone.
“Well, hello to you too son,” Sergi answered the call.
> “I’m sorry but what does this mean?”
“I’m not sure,” Sergi admitted. “The Bratva managed to track his movements all the way to the airport where he got on a private plane but we don’t know where he’s going.”
“What about his hit squads?” Misha wanted to know.
“We rounded up five of them and one wouldn’t go peacefully so they died where they took their stand.”
“But the guys said they counted six squads. What happened to the other one?”
“The other one is here in the states,” Sergi reminded him. “We have our own men looking for them. They did find a trail after they murdered Lonnie.”
“Did you find the Iron Bear compound?”
“No, Maxim and his friends wouldn’t tell me where it was. They did say they warned the remaining brothers so they would know to be safe.”
“You don’t suppose Ivan would be foolish enough to come here do you?”
“I don’t know,” Sergi replied. “He does seem to have a hard on for Zeta and Maxim. If he knows they are here, he just might come to take them out even if it means he loses in the end.”
“That’s just plain dumb on his part then isn’t it?” Misha scoffed.
“You don’t know the man. I do,” Sergi reminded him. “The man has an ego that doesn’t quit. He probably thinks he can come here, take out Maxim and the others, then come after Zeta. God only knows what he’ll do to her before he skulks out of town.”
“He’ll never touch my Zeta.” Misha growled. “Never do you hear me?”
Sergi was silent for a moment then he had to ask, “Your Zeta?”
“Da, father my Zeta. I am claiming both Zeta and Anya as mine. Do you have a problem with that?”
“Nyet, I don’t.” Sergi chuckled. “Her brother and his friends might but I don’t.”
“Nyet, I don’t think her brother will mind at all,” Misha confided. “He bid me to watch over them both and I will do just that. Shall we meet here for breakfast in the morning? I’m not trying to hide her but I just do not want her exposed when she doesn’t have to be. You never know who is watching or where they are watching from.”
“Agreed,” Sergi stated. “Besides, depending on the time we will meet, breakfast is about the time Ivan could be here anyway. If his men know where Maxim and his brothers are, he could be one of those watching for her. We really can’t take the chance any of the men could be seen.”
“True enough.”
“I’ll have Nikoli double his security tonight. Just as a precaution mind you.”
“Very well, if anything comes up let me know immediately.” Misha hung up the call and glanced at the door to the second bedroom to find Zeta standing there with a worried look on her face.
Anya stood next to her, wrapped in a towel while staring at him as well.
Zeta slowly pushed herself away from the open doorway and turned to go back into the room closing the door behind her.
Misha wanted to swear at his carelessness. Instead, he poured himself a drink and went to stand beside the window overlooking the city. A few minutes later, the door opened and he heard a small set of feet running toward him. He turned to see Anya running at him with the rabbit in her hands. He bent over to pick her up and snuggle her neck. “Oh, you smell so good,” he murmured as he tickled her belly.
She giggled and kissed his cheek. Laying her head on his broad shoulder, she began patting his chest.
“Are you getting sleepy little one?”
Anya nodded.
“Would you like a story before you go to bed?”
Anya nodded again, but this time with more enthusiasm.
Misha chuckled and went over to the sofa where he sat down with her in his lap. He looked over at Zeta and patted the sofa beside him. “I will tell you a story my father told me when I was your age. It was about a Crimson Flower and it goes something like this…Once upon a time in a faraway land a merchant was preparing to set out on a long journey. This merchant had three daughters, and he asked all of them what they would like as gifts for themselves when he returned from his voyage. The first daughter requested a golden crown, and the second one wanted a crystal mirror. The third daughter asked only for a little scarlet flower.”
Anya stared at him with huge eyes as she listened intently.
“The merchant set out on his journey. It did not take him very long to find a beautiful golden crown and a fine crystal mirror. He had difficulty however, finding the third gift, the scarlet flower. He searched everywhere, and eventually, his search led him into a magical forest. Deep within these woods there was situated a palace, in whose courtyard grew a beautiful flower. As the merchant drew closer to the flower, he realized what it was, the scarlet flower. Cautiously, the merchant picked the flower that his youngest daughter wanted so badly. Upon picking the scarlet flower, he was confronted by a hideous beast, who demanded that in return for picking the flower, the merchant must send one of his daughters deep into the enchanted forest, to live with the beast forever. Upon receiving the scarlet flower, the merchant's youngest daughter agreed to go to the beast. She journeyed alone into the forest and found the castle where she would dwell forever. For a time, she lived there very happily. The beast had not revealed himself to her, yet showered her daily with kindness and gifts. She started to grow quite fond of her invisible keeper, and one day asked that he show himself. The beast reluctantly gave into her plea, and just as he had feared, she recoiled in terror at the sight of him…” Misha Paused to look down at Anya.
She looked a little afraid as she nodded for him to go on.
“…That night, the girl had a haunting dream about her father falling deathly ill. She begged the beast to release her, so that she could find her dying father. Touched by her concern, the beast released her on one condition - that she return to him in three days’ time. The girl found her father, and prepared to return to the beast in the allotted time. However, her sisters altered the time on the clocks, making her arrive late. There upon her arrival the girl was horrified at what she encountered. The beast was dead, lying there clutching her scarlet flower. Heartbroken, the girl embraced the dead beast, and declared her love for him. Having done this, she unknowingly broke the evil spell, and her beloved beast awoke, turning into a handsome prince. And they lived happily ever after…” Misha’s voice ended with a whisper and when he looked down at the little girl her found her looking back at him sleepily.
She smiled as she snuggled into him and closed her eyes. Plopping her thumb into her mouth, she closed her eyes and settled in.
“Can I ask you something?” Zeta asked quietly.
Misha looked up at her and nodded.
“Did your father really tell you that story?”
“He did indeed.”
“Why would he tell you a fairy tale?” Shaking her head she stated, “I can’t believe the leader of the Bratva would tell his son a fairy tale. It doesn’t make sense to me.”
Misha shrugged. “He wasn’t the Bratva leader at the time and I was just a kid. We had just lost my mother and he didn’t want me to miss her so much I think.”
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered.
Misha shrugged. “It happens. Sergi was a very loving father. He raised me the way he knew my mother would have wanted him to do.” He chuckled, “Even to the point of telling me fairy tales. I think he was embarrassed by the living happily ever after part of it but he also wanted me to know that sometimes we can get what we all want in the end.”
“And did you find your happily ever after?” She tilted her head at him.
“Not really until now.” Looking down at the little girl in his arms, he said, “Let’s put her to bed and we’ll find out.”
Zeta reached for her daughter but Misha shook his head. Getting to his feet, he walked toward the spare bedroom. Zeta reached out and pulled the covers down on the bed. He laid her in the bed and leaned over to brush his lips on her forehead.
Zeta frowned but didn’t say an
ything. When he stepped back, she tucked her daughter under the covers and kissed her gently. Making sure the rabbit was in her arms she stepped back and into Misha’s arms. She was startled for a moment but didn’t fight it when his arms wrapped around her.
Then he led her out of the room and closed the door behind them. Misha looked down at the woman standing next to him. “Does she sleep through the night?”
Zeta nodded silently.
Misha smiled as he leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Then I think its time we went to bed.”
Zeta shivered at the promise in his voice. “Okay.”
Chapter Seven
Taking her hand, Misha tugged her to his bedroom. He slowly closed the door behind them. Locking it, he turned to her and stared down into her face for a moment. “I think you could be my happy ever after woman. I’ve been waiting for you all my life and I’m not giving you up. You and that little girl sleeping in the other room belong to me now.” He searched her eyes. “Do you hear what I’m saying? Do you understand what it means?”
Zeta began to tremble. “I think so.”
“You and Anya belong with me. No one will ever hurt you again. You have not only my protection but the protection of the Bratva,” Misha assured her. “I know you may not have any faith in us because of what Ivan did to you and your family and so many others but we will make this right. Ivan does not represent what the real Bratva is. It hasn’t been that way for the last 30 years and we will not slip back into darkness ever again. We will deal with him. We will break him and tear down his slavery ring. He and his partners will feel the full wrath of the Bratva, I promise you this.”
“What about my brothers and his friends?” Zeta asked fearfully.
“We will look into their cases carefully and deal with them accordingly.”
“Do you promise?”
“Da, I promise.”
Zeta threw herself into his arms and together, they fell on the bed. “I cannot believe you are real!” She laughed.
Misha twisted them around so he landed on the bottom. “I am and life will be different from now on. You will live the life you always should have had.” He lifted her to meet him and they came together when she crushed her mouth down on his. He opened under her and she thrust her tongue into his mouth as she groaned when he began dueling with her.