AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I could still see the blank eyes of the woman Kostya had been forced to shoot, the image forever burned into the back of my mind.
I took a deep breath as I tried to remain grounded, staring at the house in front of me.
My mother’s house.
It was small, still extremely expensive, but the quaint cottage had been all she’d been able to afford after the divorce. I stood outside on the sidewalk, staring at the aqua front door, a color she’d insisted on. I’d teased her, reminding her that all her neighbors would complain given the neutral tones every other house had been painted. She’d stuck to her guns and in my opinion, it was the prettiest little house in the neighborhood.
Now she’d never see it again.
Swallowing hard, I remained shaken from the horrible experience in the hospital. The thought there was a criminal organization working together provided more questions than answers, although I could tell Kostya was resolute about determining the truth. Why did I have a feeling this had more to do with him than anything else? The nagging had been with me since he’d told me about his supposed true identity. Why would Volkov attempt to kill his long-lost son?
Kostya seemed to sense my sadness, moving directly behind me.
“I promise you that your mother will be in good hands and very protected.” Every command he’d issued after the attempted assassination had been gruff, his anger dragging his beast from the dark lair. He’d been furious with the Bratva’s inability to keep my mother protected, cursing at one over the phone then barking orders like a drill sergeant to his own men. Meanwhile, I’d crawled into bed with my mother after she’d been taken to another room, desperately clinging to her as her system was flushed of the poisons that had almost taken her life.
Now I was here to collect a box that my father had died to protect and in truth, I wanted nothing to do with it. But I had no choice.
Not if I wanted to live.
I rubbed my hands on my jeans, trying to remain calm.
“You’re certain the bastard won’t find another way to get to her?” The heat of his body was more oppressive than anything else, my nerves fried. I was being sent away, forced to live in a paradise that seemed more like a prison when my mother would be two or three thousand miles away.
“I give you my word. You need to trust me, Emily. It’s vital you do.”
I turned to face him, struggling with the complex emotions rushing through me. “I will place my trust in you. But I swear to God that if anything happens to her outside of the horrible disease, I will kill you myself.”
His eyes opened wide, his mouth twisting in amusement. “I have no doubt you’ll try.”
“No. Iwillsucceed. You have no idea what I’m capable of.”
When his smile widened, I wanted to slap then kiss him. He had a way of disarming me every time. “Let’s find the box. The house isn’t safe.”
I nodded, dragging my mother’s keys from my pocket. As soon as I stepped onto the front porch, I knew something was wrong. While the door was still locked, knots immediately formed in my stomach, my sixth sense kicking in. The house had been broken into.
When I pushed open the door, I gasped. The place had been tossed. “No. No!”
Kostya immediately stepped around me, yanking out his weapon. “Stay right here. Do not move.” He threw a look at the two men just outside and instantly they reacted, moving behind me. There were at least four more positioned in other locations, my dark lover refusing to take any chances.
I waited by the door as he went from room to room, my mind spiraling as I stared all the broken furniture, pictures smashed against the floor, glass figurines shattered. They were irreplaceable, beautiful creations she and my father had purchased together, a reminder of the love they’d once shared. I was heartbroken, my entire body trembling. How could anyone do this? Why? Why? I hadn’t realized I’d started to crumple to the floor until Kostya threw his arms around me, holding me tightly against his chest.
“It’s going to be okay. No one is here. These are just things.”
“Nothing is going to be okay, Kostya. You don’t understand memories, reminders of happy times. You couldn’t understand.” I pushed my fist against him, trying to break the connection but he refused to let me go. I sucked in my breath, reeling in my anger. He wasn’t to blame for this fucking mess. “I’m sorry. I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not fine and I don’t expect you to be. However, we need to finish this. Do you think you can look through the mess and see if the box is still here?”
After taking another deep breath, I nodded. “Yes. Maybe they missed it.” The nerves remained as I moved through the house, trying to ignore the carnage, the anger furrowing inside of me reaching a level I’d never experienced before. How dare the assholes destroy everything my mother had worked so hard to achieve. How dare they enter her house under any circumstances.
While I’d never been a violent person, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that if I was allowed to spend time in a dark room with one of the violators, everything I’d ever been taught about forgiveness would be tossed out the window. I quickly moved to my old bedroom, hesitating before walking inside. It had been hard to believe my mother had decorated the room just like it had been in the old house, refusing to let go of age-old memories.
Now I felt honored she’d thought so highly of my high school and college achievements, even posting my various accolades on the walls.
I heard Kostya’s growl behind me, his rage more intense than mine. I slowly turned my head, noticing everything the fuckers had touched. They’d emptied every drawer, yanking items from the closet, crushing various contents.
“What are we looking for?” he asked, his heavy breathing adding to the foreboding feeling remaining in the room.
“A jewelry box with a ballerina on top.” When I said the words, they seemed foreign to me, no longer able to recognize my voice. As he started picking through the debris, I shifted my attention to the other side of the room, more repulsed with every box and drawer I turned over.
