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“I don’t need to be objective,” I bark. “That’s the benefit of being the most powerful man in the room.”
Leonid’s expression is sour. He knows as well as I do that the threat applies to him as much as it does to Sasha.
He was hoping that half-naked women and free-flowing liquor would soften me up. That I’d become more agreeable. As he’s now learning, he thought wrong.
“Okay,” he says, holding up a finger like he’s just invented the lightbulb. “Hear me out.”
“No. I’ve listened enough, Leonid. Throw your party if you like, but cross me off the guest list. I won’t be—”
“If I can get Sasha to apologize, will you agree to the party?” he asks in a rush. He knows my patience is short. The amount of time he has left to convince me is shrinking away.
“It doesn’t matter because that will never happen. Sasha will never bend the knee.”
“I’ll see to it that it does,” he says. “Leave that to me. All I need from you is a guarantee that you’ll show up if Sasha is ready to make amends.”
I could refuse. Leonid would hate it, but he wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.
The trouble is, diplomacy is a two-way street. If I refuse this now, there is no telling what Leonid may refuse later. Allies have to give and take, and Leonid has compromised a surprising amount in offering to talk to Sasha beforehand.
“IfSasha is ready to admit his wrongs and beg for my forgiveness,” I say, ignoring the way Leonid’s face is already lighting up in sheer delight, “then I will make an appearance at your party. That is the most I’ll promise.”
He claps his hands. “Wonderful. This is the first time you’ve attended anything public in years. You honor me.”
In the last few years, the things that used to seem important to me shifted. Before, I was constantly working to strengthen the relationships I’d fostered. Partly to make sure Ilya had a secondary round of defense. If anything happened to me, I wanted to know people would feel obligated to care for him.
Now… suffice it to say that reasoning is gone. I do what needs to be done and leave the socializing to German and my other lieutenants.
“Viktoria will help make it all worth your while,” he adds. “She’s coming into town tomorrow to help her old man. A beautiful woman makes every party better, if you ask me.”
I grimace and push to my feet. “Our business is done. I’ll leave you to your mistress and her new friend.”
I storm out past several smiling dancers and step onto the sidewalk, the full sun burning my eyes. Before I even take a step, I pull out my phone and text German.
Find out as much information as you can about Rayne. I want to know everything.
10
RAYNE
When I walk into Yuliana’s daycare classroom, the room is overflowing with kids and noise and color. Paper rainbows dangle from the ceilings. There are cubbies with each kids’ name on them, the inside bursting with craft projects and little treasures the kids have stored away throughout the day. A plastic fish labeled “Classroom Pet” floats in a box painted to look like an underwater scene.
Yuliana is at the back of the room, ensconced behind a wooden kitchen set. She confidently takes orders and shakes plastic food around in plastic pots and pans for the other kids.
It’s nice to see her like this. Thriving and happy. Just a year ago, I wasn’t sure we’d ever be here.
“She’s doing great.”
I turn and find Ms. Albrecht standing next to me, smiling fondly at Yuliana.
“Is she?”
Ms. Albrecht nods. “You’ve done a great job with her. She’s kind and imaginative.”
“And she’s talking okay?”
Yuliana talks great at home with me, but I’m not sure how she does in environments she’s less comfortable in. Sometimes, when we’re out and about, I have to remind her to use her words.
“‘Okay’? She’s talkinggreat. Maybe too great.” The teacher laughs. “I’m just teasing. Like most of the kids, I have to be careful where I lay Yuliana for naptime. If they’re next to their favorite friends, they’ll talk each other’s ears off.”
