Page 144 of Fractured Ties

“Better I delivered the news and had you go in, than someone forced you,” Konstantin added after a moment. “He didn’t specify how he wanted you brought in, yeah?”

Kolya scowled. “Hmm.”

“Sorry, brat.”

“Don’t be. I did this.”

And Kolya knew it would be better if he faced his father’s punishment—whatever it was—head-on, and just got it over with. The longer he tried to avoid Vadim, the worse this would be in the end. Once this was done, he could finally move on. He could begin this thing called life that he hadn’t even been living before Maya. He was actually looking forward to really living.

“Stay here, yes?” Kolya asked. “Maya likes someone to talk to in the morning.”

Konstantin smiled a bit. “Oh?”

His request was partly for Maya, but also for his brother, too. Konstantin and Kolya were a lot of things, but he knew his brother at the end of the day. There was no way Konstantin would be able to stand back and watch a punishment against Kolya without saying something or at least, wanting to.

Kolya figured he could just take that option away altogether.

He shrugged. “You always did talk too much for your own good.”

Konstantin rolled his eyes. “I do not.”

“A little. But she likes that about you.”

With that statement, Kolya turned to head back into the house. The quicker he got to the Compound, the faster this would be over. It was the sharp bark behind him and the pattering of paws against the ground that made him hesitate.

Over his shoulder, he called to Sumerki, “You stay.”

Konstantin chuckled when Sumerki still kept coming. “He doesn’t listen well, yeah?”

Kolya frowned. “Not when he thinks I am leaving without him, no.”

“I’ll take him—you go.”

Konstantin went to grab the pup, but Sumerki was quick to slide out of the man’s way as he darted up the stairs and came to stop at Kolya’s feet. Looking up at his master, he waited with his big eyes.

A silent, Please.

Kolya sighed. “I’ll take him. Vadim won’t touch him. Otherwise, he’ll whine all night and wake Maya up.”

But really, he just wanted his dog. If he couldn’t have Maya, then Sumerki would help a great deal to give Kolya something to focus on.

Not that he would admit it to anyone.

“Your call,” Konstantin said.

It always had been.

• • •

Zhatka—Reaper—was waiting the moment Kolya pulled into the Compound. He thought that was the first time he’d ever seen the man outside of the chambers he managed beneath the Compound, but Kolya knew that couldn’t actually be the case. He didn’t even know the man’s name, but Zhatka had to have a life outside of this hell that Vadim created.

Or did he?

Who knew?

Vadim might very well own the fucking soul of this man. No one really knew anything about Zhatka but Vadim.

Stepping out of his Hummer, Kolya tucked Sumerki under his arm. He could feel the dog’s tail wagging against his back, even as he crossed the grounds to the entrance where Zhatka stood dressed in all black.