Page 48 of Fractured Ties

His brother let out a harsh sigh before he dragged his hand down his unshaven jaw. “I mean … at least, Kolya, the girl belongs to her family, or what might be left of it. At most, she belongs to the organization—to the Boykovs. That’s how this has always worked.”

Kolya nodded. “And I am a Boykov, no?”

And that was why he’d taken her. He saw her, and he’d wanted to have her. He had never wanted anything before—not like that, not so fast, and not with such intensity. He had every ability to make the call, and so he had. Besides, had he not taken Maya, someone else would have . Which was exactly what Konstantin was saying in a roundabout way.

Kolya continued with, “The son Vadim wants to take his place, and be his next king on the chess board. I think that—and the cross he demanded be put on my chest three years ago—has given me this … privilege. What good is having privilege if I never use it, brat?”

It was hard to miss the clenching in his brother’s jaw at his words. It wasn’t that Kolya meant to poke Konstantin’s only nerve because he didn’t. And God knew Konstantin did his very best to hide how much that one particular thing bothered him.

Vadim’s dismissal of Konstantin.

Vadim’s choice in Kolya.

Hell, Konstantin still didn’t have his stars—something Kolya had been given by his brother’s age, although he suspected it would happen soon for Konstantin. It didn’t matter because both brothers knew what the real, honest-to-God truth was when it came to their father.

Right now, Vadim had what he wanted in Kolya.

He was not going to look for it in Konstantin.

Shame, really.

Everything Vadim wanted was staring back at Kolya in his brother. From Konstantin’s calm, cold disposition or his immaculate control and appearance—he could be every inch a little boss in waiting. He never stepped out of line directly, but he knew when to push just enough to bend it and get what he wanted, too. Their father was such a fucking asshole that he was too caught up in his own desires to see it.

“I meant,” Konstantin said, taking careful effort to keep his tone level, “that she belongs to Vadim.”

Kolya’s rage simmered on low. Like someone had shot him with fire straight to his goddamn heart.

Somehow, he hid it.

Like Konstantin hid his anger, too.

The two of them were good like that.

Trained like that, really.

They could both thank Vadim for this.

Standing from his seat, Kolya shoved his hands into his pockets. Sumerki hustled to get up to his paws, too, always wanting to follow along with his master, now. That pup was the second-best decision Kolya had ever made, next to taking Maya. “Nice visit, brat, but that’s quite enough for the day, no? Time to go.”

Konstantin didn’t even argue.

• • •

Kolya occasionally glanced over his shoulder as he quietly climbed the stairs to the second level of the townhouse, and even as he headed down the hallway to where the bedroom was that he’d been using for their stay. Sumerki trailed behind a few paces, although it took him time to navigate the stairs.

Still, it amused Kolya.

Without even needing to be told, the pup followed. He wanted to please.

Coming to his doorway while still peering back at the pup, Kolya didn’t notice his room wasn’t empty. When he did see Maya inside, he turned into a statue. She stood in front of the full-length mirror—her room didn’t have one—and held a dress up against the front of her body. Another handful of dresses had been tossed on the bed.

Discarded or not yet tried, likely.

He didn’t care about those.

Or that she was in his room.

Or that Sumerki ambled his way into Maya’s room farther down the hall even though Kolya was supposed to be making the dog stay with him.