“Excellent work, Maxim.” His voice carries rare approval. “Come by tomorrow for the full debrief. You’ve more than earned your place back in the family.”
I should feel triumph. Instead, I feel hollow. The revenge I chased for so long tastes like ash without Sydney to come home to. She’s my family now.
The iron gates of Alex’s house loom in front of me, reinforced and monitored. I park outside and approach on foot. Two guards step forward immediately.
“I’m here to see Sydney.”
One of them radios inside. Minutes later, the gates open just enough for Alex to step out. My half-brother looks as pissed as I expected. We share the same dark hair and build, but years of estrangement puts disgust on his face whenever he sees me.
“Maxim.” His voice is flat. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“I need to see her.”
Alex crosses his arms. “No. You don’t get to drop your drama on my doorstep and then waltz in like nothing happened. Besides, your sugar baby doesn’t want to see you.”
The word “sugar baby” hits like a punch. It’s what she is on paper, but she’s so much more. “It’s not drama. Her life was in danger because of me. Because of my fucked-up life.”
Alex’s eyes narrow. “And whose fault is that? You bought her at an auction, Maxim, throwing your dick around while doing so. What were you thinking?”
I flinch. The regret burns hotter. “I know how it looks. But it’s real between us. Or it was, until I fucked it up. I…” I trail off, swallowing hard. “I can’t tell you all the details of why my life has been a mess for the last three years. Not yet.” I need permission from Rik before I can share that with my brother. I swallow. “But I can tell you, I was scared about how Sydney makes me feel and not ready to deal with it.”
For a second, something flickers in Alex’s expression. Recognition? Maybe even reluctant understanding? But he doesn’t soften. “She’s broken, man. Crying in the guest room. Barely eating. Rosie’s been trying to talk to her, but all she does is cry.”
Each word lands like a knife. I rake a hand through my hair, chest tight. “I need to fix this.”
“You could have been gentler with her. Especially with her brother in the hospital.”
My head snaps up. “Her brother is in the hospital?”
“You don’t even know that her brother has been in a coma for the last eight weeks? Alex sighs. “You’re such a fuckup.”
Holy fuck. Ben is in the hospital. That must be why Sydney needed the money. Shame fills me. “I need to see her, Alex.”
“Not tonight. Give her space. And while we’re at it—” My brother steps closer, voice dropping. “We need to talk about us too. You disappearing into this undercover shit, acting like the Kedrov name means nothing and keeping me in the dark. We’re brothers, whether or not you like it.”
“I couldn’t,” I protest. “The Feds insisted the Pakhan was the only one in the know.” The downturn of his lips shows how he feels about my excuse. “I’m sorry,” I say. “I’ll grovel and fully make it up to you later. But right now, Sydney comes first.”
Alex studies me for a long moment. “She’s been paying for her brother’s care with every cent you gave her. Her savings were depleted and credit cards maxed out. The auction was the only way she could dig herself out of debt and continue paying the hospital bills.”
The ground shifts under me as Alex confirms my suspicions. Guilt crashes over me like a wave. She’s been carrying this alone while I fucked her every night and never asked.
“I didn’t know,” I whisper.
“Yeah, well, now you do.” Alex jerks his head toward the gate. “You need to fix your shit, Maxim. But a simple apology is not enough.”
He turns and walks back inside. The gates close behind him with a heavy clang.
I stand there in the dark, the weight of everything settling on my shoulders. The takedown is complete. Revenge achieved.
But the real battle is just beginning.
I drive away from Alex’s fortress with new purpose. The revenge mission is over, but now I fight for her. The most important battle of my life.
CHAPTER 9
SYDNEY
The guest room at Alex and Rosie’s house feels more like a luxurious cage than a sanctuary. I’ve been here two days, and every hour drags. The high walls and constant security presence remind me I’m not really free. I have no job, no money of my own, no place to live. I’m a kept woman by a man who no longer wants me.
