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Sofia
The door shut behind Zak,and I expected to feel relief that he was gone. He’d left as I’d told him to.
Good. Maybe he’d go back to Oleksandr and the two of them would leave me the hell alone.
But even as that thought filtered through my mind, it pissed me off. How dare they do this to me. I was worth more than just the children I could bring into the world. I was more than just the DNA that coursed through my entire body. I was better than that, and I sure as fuck was better than Oleksandr Davydov.
I was Sofia Volkov, the only daughter of Adrian and Victoria Volkov. Bratty sister to Theo Volkov. Niece totheAnya Volkov Vitucci. They were my family. Not the Davydovs. Who the hell cared that I might share DNA with those idiots? I was raised by people who loved me, taught me the value of life and love. And made me a fighter.
Lying in a hospital bed, feeling sorry for myself because some stupid guy had broken my heart, that wasn’t fighting. That was rolling over and letting them walk all over me.
“Fuck this bullshit,” I hissed to myself as I threw back the covers, unhooked the wires attached to the heart monitor, and ripped out the IV.
I found some medical tape to put over the small wound caused by removing the IV. The only thing I was wearing was a hospital gown, but Tavia had brought me a robe, and I quickly thrust my arms into it. Tying the sash at my waist, I walked to the door and started to pull it open just as I heard female voices. Frowning, I waited and listened.
Olena told Zak that they needed to talk, and thenTetkasaid she had secured a room. I waited until I heard their footsteps moving down the hall before opening the door completely and following after them.
Down the corridor, I saw Raven close a door behind the group, and her green gaze locked with mine for mere seconds before she closed the door. When I got nearer, I noticed she’d left it cracked slightly, and I could see her shadow. Curious, I leaned against the wall beside the door and waited, listening. By the time Olena finished her confession, my heart was racing, and I was glad I’d taken the heart monitor wires off before leaving my room.
I hurt for Olena and even for Yulia, but my anger at Oleksandr only heightened. All of this was his fault. If it hadn’t been for him, how would my life have turned out?
But then I realized, if Yulia hadn’t been so scared of her father, she never would have given me up for adoption, and I wouldn’t have become a Volkov. I closed my eyes, considering that maybe, just maybe, I had something to thank that old bastard for. But getting the best parents in the universe was all I had to be thankful for.
Anger boiled through me, and I was about to push away from the wall, go in search of my clothes so I could leave and find my biological grandfather. It was time to show him that I was worth more than just bearing his great-grandchildren. And I sure as fuck was more dangerous than he’d ever imagined himself to be.
But then I heard my mother’s plans for me. Send me to Creswell Springs with Raven. To heal and let my pregnancy progress. Because she thought I wasn’t strong enough to deal with Zak.
My heart broke at the pain in her voice. I knew she would have wanted to be a part of every moment of my pregnancy, so this decision couldn’t have been easy for her. But she’d made it. To protect me.
It pissed me off that I’d let her down, though. That, for a short time, I’d let my pain get the better of me and I’d made her think that I couldn’t handle the consequences of my own stupidity. I blamed that on the Davydov DNA I unfortunately possessed. But it was my mother, aunts, and even Raven who had taught me to be stronger than that.
I wouldn’t let them down again.
Putting the steel back into my spine, I squared my shoulders and stepped away from the slightly cracked door. As I did, Raven gave me a wink, and I found the energy to flash her an evil grin. A grin that she’d had a hand in teaching me to possess.
Without wasting time, I made it back to my room. Maybe I should have been surprised to find Tavia and Lexa waiting there, but deep down, I wasn’t. Tavia already had my clothes set out, and she and Lexa helped me dress. Sneaking out of a hospital was more complicated than I would have thought, but given the security my dad had put into place for my protection, it was to be expected.
Twenty minutes later, I slid into the back of an SUV that Lexa’s husband was driving. My brother was in the passenger seat, and he glanced back for a long moment, assessing me from head to toe before giving the nod for Ben to drive.
Ben stopped outside of the hotel where Oleksandr and his family were staying. As I stepped out onto the sidewalk, my brother unfolded himself from the front passenger seat and pulled a gun from the holster under his suit jacket. “Just in case,” he said, but I shook my head.
I wasn’t there to spill the old man’s blood. Death was too good for him. He deserved a long, lonely life, knowing he’d fucked himself out of the things he’d been so ambitious for, that he’d cast aside all the good things he might have had a chance to share in.
“There’s no need for that,” I told Theo.
“But he might try to hurt you,” he argued, pushing the gun into my hands.
“And if he does, I know how to protect myself. Don’t worry about me, big brother. I’ve learned more than you realize while staying with Raven over the summer.” Forcing a smile, I turned away and walked into the hotel, mentally reminding myself that I really didn’t need that damn gun.
Days before, I’d wondered why Oleksandr and his family hadn’t decided to stay at the townhouse with Zak, but now I understood all too well. Zak hadn’t wanted to chance Oleksandr running his mouth.
Refusing to think about Zak yet, I focused on what I would say to my grandfather when I confronted him. All the way up to the penthouse, I considered everything I wanted to express to him. My anger only escalated as the elevator rose higher.
It was midmorning now as the doors opened, and I stepped off. Sucking in a steadying breath, I marched over to the door and knocked.
The door opened several moments later to Volodymyr. It was weird, looking into eyes that were the exact same shade as mine, down to the little flecks of darker blue on the outer rims. Growing up, I’d never given my biological parents much thought, and even as I looked into the face of the man whom I shared one half of my DNA with, I still couldn’t find the will to care much about him. Adrian and Victoria were all I needed, all I’d ever wanted. This man and Yulia didn’t matter to me on the parental level.
Still, it was a bit surreal looking into a pair of eyes identical to my own.
