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Questions I didn’t know existed are starting to be answered. Jesus, was my mother killed because of my dad? And what was he talking about? And all those men…
No…Bile creeps up my throat at the thought. For ten years, I thought my mother was cheating on him. But if what he’s telling me is true…
Oh God. I’m sorry, Mom. I’m so sorry.
Andrei wasn’t making it up. There are worse people in the world than him, and I’m sitting next to one that raised me.
I stare at my father, my mind filled with reproach, but my heart won’t let me hate him.
Instantly, I find excuses for my dad. He looks so frail. Maybe he’s confused and doesn’t know what’s going on. Maybe he thinks he’s a character onBreaking Bad. But things are falling into place. Things I’ve noticed but never questioned.
Just then, another thought enters my head.
Wait, we were broke all our lives.
“Dad, where is the money? Is it gone?”
He shakes his head. “You’ll get what’s left when I die.”
The chair screeches across the floor as I jump up, trying to get away from this chaos crashing down on me. Panting, I step away from the bed. I feel trapped, and people can’t be trusted.
Every person I loved has told me horrible lies. There is no one to trust. I feel exposed, and anyone can walk through the door and shoot me because of something my father did. All I want is to go back to the mansion.
I want Andrei to hold me tight and tell me I’m safe. I was wrong, so wrong about him … but maybe I wasn’t.
But then, another thought hits me.
Bratva.
“Dad,” I ask slowly, fear permeating my voice despite my best attempts. “What Bratva did you steal from?”
He sighs softly. “I stole from all of them.”
“Including the Barinovs?”
In an instant, Dad is lucid, and his sharp eyes pierce into me. He looks like an entirely different person as he asks harshly, “How do you know that name?”
I’m not even aware that I’m rubbing my stomach until it growls. I need a break from my shitstorm life. I need to think. I need to get out of here.
“Paige.” He looks at me. “Answer me.”
“Do not mention this again.” Leaning close to him, I speak in a whisper, but my words are harsh. “Do not say another word to anybody. I have to get something to eat before I faint. We’ll talk about this when I get back, but say nothing. Especially not to Emma.”
He stares at me blankly, and for a moment, I wonder if he even understands. Then Dad nods before his eyes slowly close. I freeze in place, but soon his breathing is low and regular. I glance up at the machine. He’s still alive, but for how much longer? Will I have a plan before he dies?
With blinders on, I hurry in the direction of the cafeteria. The sunlight streams through the lobby windows, and the clock says it’s only 1:00 p.m. I pull his phone out of my pocket and stare at the image on the lock screen. It’s me with a goofy smile, taken only last year. Things were hard then, but I could laugh about it. Not anymore.
I tap in his password, which is always the same. Either my birthday or Emma’s. The welcome screen is a smiling Emma dressed in her softball uniform. I scroll through his contacts, looking for her name. My finger freezes when I stare at a name I don’t recognize but that somehow sounds familiar.
Sava Khodemchuk.
Wait, I’ve heard it before. He’s the one who told Eva to be brave and she will end up with what she wants. What the hell is his name doing in my dad’s phone?
I tap on the contact, and its number is one I don’t recognize. The only contacts between him and my dad are texts of number sequences, each one too short to be a phone number or bank account.
I have a vague idea of what the numbers mean, and I feel nauseous.
The hospital cafeteria is as large as a city block, with food on the left and seating on the right. I head toward the food, thinking I may be able to tolerate a salad and tea.
