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“Will you let me finish, for heavens sake?”
I perch on the end of the bed. “I’m sorry.” I bite my lip in hesitation.
“You were right about Vlad,” he says with a heavy sigh. “You were right about many things.”
My eyes go wide. “Did something happen…?”
“He got what he deserved, Katiyal. He confessed to everything. He was the one who orchestrated the whole kidnapping to scare you. He planned on being the hero by coming to your rescue. He needed to ensure he had your affections since it was obvious you didn’t want this marriage. I’m sorry,sladkiy rebenok.”
I stare at him with my mouth agape. “Oh. My. God.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
“I had no idea he could do something like this…” I hold a hand over my heart, hardly daring to believe it. “He had me tied up, beaten…I had no food…”
Aleksi shakes his head. “The shame is mine.”
“No, the shame is his.”
The air between us shifts as he says, “And to think we were all cheering you on to marry this asshole. His true colors really showed in the end, Katiya, as much as it pains me that I didn’t realize sooner. I’m sorry for that, do you hear me? I’m sorry he hurt you and for what he did.”
I glance over at him, his eyes sincere, glazing over.
“I don’t know what I would do if something ever happened to you,” he adds. “My heart would be broken.”
I stare at him. I’ve never heard him say words like this to me before.
I go to open my mouth, but he stops me.
“Ever since the day you were born, when I held you in my hands, I knew I had to protect you. I swore that I would do whatever it took to ensure that no matter what happened, your identity was kept secret. That way, nobody could hurt you.”
I frown, not understanding where this is going. “What are you saying?”
He moves to me and reaches for my hands and holds them in his. “You do know, Katiya, you’ve always known. It’s why I favor you above anyone else. It’s why I can’t bear to see what could happen if the truth came out. So, the solution was simple. You’d grow up with my brother, Yuri. He has never been involved in the family business to the extent that I’m involved, and it seemed like a safe bet. He was never important enough to be bribed or taken out. I thought that by doing that, you’d be in better hands.”
My mouth drops open. “You’re…you’re…”
“You can say it,” he says. “Say it, Katiya, let me hear you say it.”
“You’re my Otetz?”
He nods, and he moves one hand to hold my chin. “I’m your Otetz, Katiya. It’s why I’ve always looked over you your entire life. I’ve always been here, waiting.”
Fury boils up inside me. “How could you lie to me?” I yank my hands back as he lets out a low breath. Then he chuckles.
“Aleksi?” I scold. “Why are you laughing?”
“You’re just like her.”
I blink. “Just like…my mother?”
He smiles warmly. “Yes. You’re exactly the same.”
I turn to face him, a tear escaping down my face. “Who was she?”
“The love of my life.”
I shake my head. “Where is she?”
