«? ?? ???????, ?? ?????? ?? ???, ?????? ??? ??? ???????? ??????? ???? ????????? ??????? ? ??????? ????».(I am not Russian, but I speak it because my foster nana was full Russian and taught me.)
She shakes her head once, her brows pinching in confusion as her eyes scan mine.
«???, ???????, ?? ???????».(No, dear, you’re Russian.)
She says it so matter of factly and it causes me to be puzzled by her words. Just as I am ready to respond, I notice Reign behindher shoulder strolling this way. She glances back, clearly hearing his heavy footsteps approaching before turning around fully to face him. I take a step back as he opens the refrigerator door for a bottle of water and as he twists the top off, his eyes move between mine and the maids.
As he brings the bottle to his lips, sweat drips off his tanned skin, and the maid speaks beside me.
— ????, ???? ??? ?? ??????? ????????(Reign, doesn't she look Russian to you?)
Reign’s eyes immediately land on mine, where they linger as he gulps down the water and when he takes it away from his lips, he simply shrugs his shoulders. The maid then turns to me, causing me to break eye contact with Reign.
— ?? ?????? ???-?????? ? ????? ????????? ??????(Do you know anything of your real family?)
I give a small headshake.
«???. ? ?????? ? ??? ?? ????».(No. I don't know anything about them.)
Her brows arch in surprise.
«??, ? ???? ???????? ???????? ??????? ?? ???? ? ???? ????????? ?? ???? ????? ????, ??? ? ????».(Well, I can spot a beautiful Russian from a mile away, and I can bet my left arm that I am right.)
I give a soft smile in response, but I can almost guarantee my parents weren’t Russian. However, I will take it as a compliment nonetheless because I have a great love for all things Russian because of my Nana. As she walks away, my eyes return toReign's, and he simply raises an eyebrow at me as he continues to gulp his water down.
Isit at the table at my parents' house with my Ma, Pa, and little sister Ruby while we have a belated ‘birthday breakfast.’ I gaze down at my food, moving it around with my fork, because I’m not fucking hungry, and I am annoyed that I am forced to do this shit. My mind goes back to last night and how much of a good birthday I had toward the end of the night, all thanks to Charley.
“How was your birthday, son? Did you have a party?”
I lift my eyes to my Ma beside me, her long dark hair yet streaked with gray, curls around her aging features and I give a small nod before resting my back against my chair.
“Yeah.”
I return my eyes to my food, thinking that maybe if I just ram it down my throat, I can hurry the fuck up and get out of here. I hate being in their overbearing presence.
“Was Swan there?”
My eyes snap to my Pa as he sits opposite me, suited and booted in a pristine black suit, clearly ready to go to another Elite meeting today. I sigh as I drop my fork onto the plate with a loud clink before reaching for the glass of orange juice that is perched on the table. As I bring it to my lips, I respond blankly to him.
“She was.”
My father raises an eyebrow.
“And is everything going to plan?”
As the orange liquid slides smoothly down my throat, my body tightens at the question. I keep my eyes on him the entire time until I place the glass back down on the table. I give a small wordless nod in response, and he eyes me suspiciously before nodding in return.
“Malik is in the hospital with a skull fracture, and he is in a fucking coma.”
As my father utters his name, I inhale deeply, a surge of relief washing over me, momentarily relieved of the guilt that gnaws at my insides daily and it is replaced with vengeance, an instinct that has been ingrained in me by my upbringing and training. Family loyalty reigns supreme in the Bratva, and Reign and I have always understood that these days will eventually come. The extent of this family feud remains a mystery, but one thing isfor certain; it's about to escalate, and everyone involved will feel it's fucking wrath.
I meet his gaze with a blank expression because what the fuck does he want me to say? That it's great news? That we've gained another strike against them? The biggest strike lies with Swan, and we all fucking know it. But now that I'm in her presence, the lines have somewhat blurred, and I can feel the guilt creeping in every second that I am with her. Despite this, I know I need to stick to the plan, so I offer a small nod in return. He fixes me with an intense stare before reclining in his chair and pointing at me with his fork.
“Stay fucking focused, son; the time is nearing, and you know what will happen if you deceive this family.”
This man can smell my fucking hesitation from a mile away. He is like an assassin in this shadowy world, and he can sniff out vulnerabilities in the scariest of men, yet deep down I am nothing like him and that is either a blessing or a damn curse. I grit my teeth, trying to hide any signs of uncertainty, and push my chair back without a word more.
“You’re going already?”
