by Mason, V. F.
I noticed my framed picture on the bedside table and another rush of tears erupted. What kind of child deserves to have only a photo of his mother?
“Soon, my darling, Mommy will be with you for good.”
He rolled to his back and pursed his lips, but didn’t wake up. Rubbing his cheek one last time, I got up and wiped away the tears just as I felt someone else’s presence near me. I looked to the side.
Vitya watched me with an odd expression on his face as his massive form filled the doorway, and I gasped, shaking my head.
I used to spend all my time with him and Michael when I visited. They showered me with kindness and love when Yuri avoided his emotions like the plague.
I pleaded with my gaze for him to stay silent, but he did the unexpected.
He came closer and wrapped his arms around me, pressing my cheek to his chest, and he rocked me in his arms while I did everything in my power to keep the tears at bay. “Everything is going to be okay, Melissa,” he murmured, and I leaned back, my breath hitching as I exhaled.
“He can’t come after me.” Yuri would ruin the entire operation; he’d focus only on his emotions and then….
Vitya’s mouth lifted in a half smile as he let go of me and stepped back. “Melissa, we can try but—” A commotion from down the hall cut his response short and Arden called for me.
They were done so soon?
“Go,” he said, and with one last loving glance to my child, I rushed out and mentally vowed it was the last time I would leave like that from headquarters.
Passing by all the men in the common room without even looking at them, I allowed Arden to usher me outside with his hand to my back, and with a barely audible, “Goodbye,” I escaped while gulping fresh air.
“How come you are done so soon? What did Dominic say?” I asked, and he managed to murmur for my ears only before we sat inside the vehicle.
“He said he agrees to a meeting, but that’s enough. That’s good.” There was a hopeful tone in his voice, but I only frowned.
Arden didn’t know Pakhan as well as I did.
Dominic Konstantinov and his Bratva didn’t play by anyone’s rules but their own.
Had he agreed because of me?
Chapter Fourteen
Dublin, Ireland
Melissa, 17 years old
Knocking three times on the office door, I stepped inside as my father raised his head from the newspaper.
His mouth spread into a smile as he put it down and opened his arms. “Hello, beautiful girl. You are late today.”
It had been three days since the lake incident, and I’d mostly stayed in my room, contemplating if Arden’s words had any merit.
They couldn’t, right?
But the unknown was driving me crazy, and I couldn’t stay in this limbo state anymore. My father once told me that my curiosity one day would be my undoing.
That might be so, but it was better than uncertainty. “Hi, Daddy.” I walked to him and squeezed him hard, while he patted my back. I leaned back only to find his worried gaze on me. “What’s going on, Edana?”
Taking a deep breath, I spilled the information that had been driving me crazy for the last few days. “Arden told me that we are engaged to be married. Well, not officially, but that it’s inevitable.” I expected him to get up and storm in a rage over it, or give me some kind of reaction, but instead, an indifferent expression crossed his face while I continued to talk. “This is not true, right? Like, it’s impossible to even imagine such a thing.” A nervous chuckle escaped my mouth as my palms got sweaty when my father stayed silent.
Finally, he cleared his throat and motioned to the chair opposite him. “Sit down, Edana.” I quickly complied, hoping for him to explain this rather weird situation.
He would never do this to his daughters; father might be cruel to his enemies, but never to his family.
“As you know, Uncle Aiden has been trying for me to accept the position of his second-in-command for years, but I’ve refused.” My brows furrowed, because it was common knowledge and this was not how I’d expected the conversation to start. “It went against tradition. I have no degree nor the necessary upbringing for such a position.”
I nodded, although I had no clue about the rules of the brotherhood. I thought it was just enough to be with the boss all the time, and you were considered part of the powerful house. They had a certain hierarchy to the structure as well?
“Okay.”
He took a deep pause but then continued, this time though with a lighter tone as if trying to make sure I understood him well. “We have big plans, and Aiden trusts no one more than me. We need this alliance, because as the father of his daughter-in-law, we will be a family. No one would question it.”
Air rushed from my lungs, but I shook my head, hoping I misheard him. “Daddy, are you saying it’s true?” He exhaled heavily and nodded, while a gasp of shock slipped from my lips.
“He chose you himself. I offered your sister, but according to him, she wouldn’t have your fire.”
“You sold me to the highest bidder to get a position in the mafia?” I asked quietly, and he stilled.
“Watch your words,” he warned, but I didn’t care in that moment.
Despite the fear rushing through my entire system and knowing my father’s reputation with delivering blows, I spoke my mind. “I won’t ever marry him. Do you hear me? Never!”
His face transformed to one of fury as he rose and hit the table, the sound reverberating through the walls of his office. “You will do as you are told.”
“I won’t. What will you do, Father? Hmm? I have to agree in the church in front of all the people, and you know I won’t do that.”
The brotherhood was traditional to the boot, wanting celebrations and believing the elite family had things running smoothly. No one would approve of an unwilling bride; not to mention it would show Uncle Aiden in a bad light.
Dad walked around the table, but I remained in my place, holding my spine straight and not shying away from his anger. If he wanted to shout some more, he could be my gue—
The harsh slap to my cheek came out of nowhere, and my head snapped to the side, the impact causing me to bite my tongue, and immediately blood filled my mouth as I stumbled back.
My skin burned from the blow as I cradled it and tears filled my eyes. He grabbed me by the nape and shook me to the point of my teeth snapping against each other as he hissed in my face. “Know your place, Edana. You are spoiled. But remember that your decisions don’t affect only you, but your sister and mother.”
Who was this man who not only hit me, but also blackmailed me with my family?
Moscow, Russia
September 2018
Yuri
Holding the glass of whiskey, I poured more into it and gulped the substance at once, ignoring the burn that was transported from my throat to my stomach. Then, I inhaled sharply and repeated the action.
The clock was ticking loudly in Pakhan’s otherwise silent office as everyone watched me or shared looks between each other.
The minute our Irish “friends” left the headquarters, it took everything in me to rein in the deep fury running through my entire system and listen as Pakhan ordered the elite group into his office.
Melissa, my Melissa was alive.
Red-haired, green-eyed, and so fucking beautiful that my entire system ached. She might not have resembled my woman much, but she was mine.
Mine and only mine, and I’d be fucking damned if some Irish fucker would call her his wife.
A memory flash of his hands wrapping around her in a tight squeeze made me see red, and without thought, the glass was crushed in my fist. Michael cursed and quickly came to my aid, but I stepped back.
“I’m going to ask only once,” I finally spoke, taking a deep breath. “Did any of you know about this?” Barely contained anger laced my voice as I awaited their reply, praying to all the gods that they didn’t.
If my brotherhood b
etrayed me like this, I wouldn’t be able to stay with them. I’d been going insane for months without her. If they saw it and kept the information from me, it didn’t speak much about our friendship.
“Of course not! Are you insane?” Michael exclaimed, but I ignored him.
Instead, I focused my attention on Dominic and Radmir, who refused to meet my eyes, so I snapped, “Answer me.” Hierarchy be fucking damned in that moment. None of them would have stayed sane if it concerned their women.
“No,” Dominic replied steadily, finally holding my gaze, and it soothed the raging beast a little.
However, we’d been best friends for years. I’d have recognized the uncomfortable stance anywhere. “But?” There was always a fucking but with them.
“I heard a rumor between brotherhoods that your father made a deal with the Irish people, and I knew Melissa came from that background, because Dima dug deep enough to get classified information. It niggled on my mind, so we’d delved into it, but didn’t come up with any results. So we suspected it might be her when we didn’t find her during the ambush.”
“And you didn’t feel the need to tell me?” They had no fucking right!
“Honestly, no. We weren’t sure, and you were barely holding on, Yuri. The only thing keeping you alive was Artur,” Gleb pitched in, leaning on his elbows and clearing his throat. “We couldn’t risk you going rogue again and leaving your kid for the sake of curiosity. And we both knew, even if there was a slight chance, you’d go there.”
He was right, of course, how could I not?
My woman was there.
Then it all hit me at once.
Alive.
She was fucking alive and breathing, and mine.
So fucking mine.
Grabbing the edges of the bar, I spun around, my back to them, and rested my head between my shoulders while emotions filled my entire system.
I could still taste her in my mouth, feel her surprised gasp, and then my satisfaction as she leaned into me with a slight moan. She quickly put herself together and pushed me away right in time as the Irish fucker entered the building.
Her eyes caressed me in a way only a loving woman could, and no fucking way would she have even allowed me to touch her lips if she didn’t know who I was. So amnesia was out of the question.
“She remembers.” The words spilled from me like a stated fact.
Which could mean only one thing: she stayed for some kind of operation, wanting to either catch Aiden or they were playing a game with Arden.
Some fucking operation was more important to her than her man and our son? She didn’t think about my feelings? The job came fucking first!
I couldn’t believe this. So much for her self-proclaimed love.
“Before you come to fucked-up conclusions, Yuri, watch this,” Dom spoke quietly, and turned his iPad to me as I walked closer. “And then comment.”
“What’s this?”
“That’s the real business of Aiden. He worked with your father and some third guy. This is what we found. If Melissa knows… I can’t really blame her for staying. Especially with my past.’’
It played for five minutes, but it was enough.
I understood.
Even if it brought me pain, I understood.
Because I would have done the same thing if I were her.
Melissa
Taking a deep breath, I plastered a fake smile on my face and entered the living room where everyone awaited me.
Arden’s face lit up in a smile as he rose from his seat and gave me a soft peck on the cheek, and I barely restrained myself from punching the idiot right in his face.
He pulled the chair out for me and I sat down, my grumbling stomach indicating hunger.
Arden frowned, as he sat beside me and squeezed my hand. “Macushla, I hadn’t realized you were hungry. Our meeting took too long.” I clenched my teeth at him calling me darling, and I sent him a warning glare, but he just shrugged.
Yeah, he clearly didn’t give a shit about my requests.
Then the voice from the other end of the table stilled me as he addressed me. My hands in my lap fisted while I counted to ten in my head and willed myself not to snap.
A hard task in the company of a man who killed your entire family. “Edana, my sweet.” I looked at him when he raised his wine glass. “Here’s to your and my son’s marriage. May you bring us lots of grandkids.”
Right. Part of our backstory was that Arden found me after all these years and married me after all. Aiden bought the whole story so easily, but Arden claimed there was nothing strange about it.
Everyone at the table followed suit and I nodded, sipping the wine slowly while glancing at Arden with love. He picked up my hand, leaving a small kiss on my knuckles. “Thank you, Father.” Anytime I said that to him, bile rose in my throat, but I contained the deep fury, knowing the rules of the game.
If they knew the truth, then everything would be over for everyone.
“How did the meeting with Dominic go?”
“Fine. He listened to the deal and agreed to meet to discuss it. That’s about it.”
Aleksei smirked. “That’s him. King of the world.”
I couldn’t help a jab. “Not a fan of his, I gather?”
Aiden shot me a look that practically told me to shut up, so I glanced at my dishes, acting up the fear.
Fucking asshole.
“Forgive my daughter-in-law. She doesn’t know when to stay quiet.”
“My daughters are like that too. Thankfully I know how to teach them a lesson.” Aleksei cleared his throat. “I’d like to work with you. You seem like a great man to do business with.”
Aiden’s eyes sparkled as he smiled with satisfaction, and opened his mouth to say something, when he glanced at me. “I think Edana will be bored with all the man talk. Let’s continue it after dinner.”
They shifted the topic to weather and sports while I shared a look with Arden.
If everything went according to Aiden’s plan, then it meant the finale was close. And we had to be prepared for that.
Yuri
Slipping on my black sweater, I glanced one last time in the mirror, satisfied with my all-black attire, and quickly put two guns, a knife, and a taser into my pockets.
I would be fucking damned if they had my woman at Kuzmin’s mansion and I wouldn’t go to her.
I’d already asked Michael to watch over Artur, and since the guy was a sap for the baby, he gladly agreed and even winked at me.
I paused in front of my door, frowning. Why was he so smug? Shouldn’t he at least ask where I was going or what I planned to do, considering he was up my ass all the fucking time?
“Fuck,” I muttered and exhaled heavily, opening the door of my compound room only to see my three friends standing there wearing the same clothes as me and leaning on the wall. “I should have known.” We’d grown up together; did I really think they wouldn’t know my plan?
“Well, you took your sweet time, princess, pampering yourself and all.” Gleb wiggled his brows and nudged me in the side while I stepped back and pointed a finger at him.
Leave it to him to find something humorous about this situation.
Walking past him, I barked, “I don’t need babysitters.” They didn’t listen and followed me, while on the way Dom whistled to Kostya, who was in the middle of arguing with one of the brothers about some soccer game.
“Make sure the guys are on watch, and get rid of the whores,” he growled, not liking that lately they frequented the place a lot.
Guess the new generation was horny as shit.
We stepped outside as the heat settled, bringing a light breeze that fanned my skin and provided at least a little freshness. “I repeat, I don’t need fucking babysitters. I will slip into the night, get inside, talk with her, and leave. With you all, it will be impossible.” Vitya just pointed at the black Hummer.
“Get in the car, Yuri. If they find you there, shit will go down. You need
us to protect your ass.”
“Well, they will find us pretty quickly with this car.” Subtle they were not.
“We will park it outside in the forest where they won’t see it, and it’s our land. Then we will run toward the mansion and you’ll be with Melissa again,” Gleb said, while turning on the music.
I looked at Dominic, expecting him to be the sane one in this situation, since he was a pakhan, but he just shrugged and got in the car. Since the windows were down, all of them watched me expectantly.
“What are we? A bunch of chicks doing a road trip?”
“Hey, nothing wrong with that,” Gleb said, and then added, “Come on, Yuri. We haven’t had this much fun in ages.” The minute the words left his month, I noticed them visibly tense, but they tried to hide it.
And then it dawned on me. We’d been best friends for seventeen years, inseparable in everything, having each other’s back.
And only two times had I seen them like that: when Savannah died and now.
My friends were afraid for my life, not knowing what I might do next, afraid for not coming in time like back with Savannah when I almost died.
And for so long, I wished I did, because then I would have been together with her.
What a fool I had been.
I did love Savannah as much as a boy who didn’t understand it could, and I’d never regret meeting her, because she saved me in a way. But now she was a beautiful memory that would forever stay that way, but not because she owned my heart.
But because she made me the man I am today.
My whole heart belonged to Melissa, and I had no intention of doing anything to jeopardize it. But if my friends needed to be close to me, then so fucking be it. “Fine,” I finally replied and hopped into the car as Gleb navigated it smoothly along the road, and a smile pulled at my lips.
Just like the old times.
Melissa
Grabbing Arden by the elbow, I pushed him inside my room and pressed him against the door.