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I swallow hard and tell the truth. “You know I could never do it.”
Her delicate hand reaches out, her fingers coated in ruined makeup, and grasps mine. “Deep down, I knew. If you had wanted me dead, you wouldn’t have let me run away that day. They convinced me to hate you, and I was willing to do it. I hated you that day.”
I don’t ask for forgiveness. “You don’t have to marry him, Sonichka. I’ll protect you.”
Much calmer than before, she pauses before she speaks. “They’ll kill me if I run out. I made a deal to take over the Bratvas. To be their puppet. And they won’t like it if I go back on my word.” She scoffs. “You know how the Bratva operates. If they think I’ll bring Karamazov men to you, they’ll kill me.”
“They won’t dare.”
She shakes her head. “They hate you. They talk about ways to kill you. To kill Paige.”
An icy finger touches my back, and I look toward the locked door. Popov will watch over Paige if Paige lets him. I become anxious and worried, wondering where Paige is. I pull out my phone to text my guard to locate her and immediately text me back.
I turn back to Sonya. “It’s time to go, Sonichka. Come home with us.”
She scowls at me as the tears start again. “You have to kill Gleb Novikov, or they will kill me as retribution.” Sonya stares hard into my eyes as she straightens her back. Her gaze grows colder and harder, as if I’m looking at myself. “You owe me, Andrushka.”
The door opens suddenly, and I’m on my feet, ready to fight. But Paige walks in, followed by Popov and Sorokin. I reach out my hand. Sonya grips it, and I pull her off the floor. Popov surveys the room quickly and grabs the bulletproof vest. He gently helps Paige drape it over her torso.
“People are starting to get agitated, Andrei Vasileyvich,” he says. “And unless you want a repeat of the last Gleb Novikov wedding, I suggest it’s time we leave.”
Paige smiles softly as she holds onto Popov’s arms, giving silent permission for me to assist Sonya. Undetected, we head toward the back of the building and hurry out the fire door.
Chapter 39
Paige
Sonya decides to sleep in Emma’s old room instead of Eva’s, which is understandable. I would’ve done the same thing. Too many memories to handle while she and Andrei form a lasting truce. Boxes of jeans and books that Emma left are carted out in cardboard boxes to the attic by the household staff.
It looks like she left almost everything behind.
Later, Sonya orders the staff to arrange some of the better pieces of furniture from Eva’s room in hers. A few small tables and ornate chairs, all of the blue velvet curtains, and the antique brass bed.
I guess some memories still offer comfort.
And after a heated discussion with Andrei in his office, her bedroom door is left unlocked, and only Sonya has the key. I watch them shout at each other from a safe distance on the couch. A part of me is nervous, while another part of me is relieved. Their petty argument mimics Emma and me when we really go at it.
“Vanya will be my guard for now,” Sonya says.
Andrei scoffs. “Will he stand outside the door or in your room?”
Sonya purses her lips. “He’s the only person in this house I can still trust.”
Andrei sighs. “Sonya, you are protected here.”
She glares at Andrei, folding her arms across her chest. We all know what she’s thinking—is she his sister or a hostage in the war?
Early the next morning, there’s an earth-shaking rumbling outside the gates. It sounds like a construction crew is racing down the road, determined to burst through to the other side. I hurry to the living room window and stand by Dmitri to look out, but we can only hear a loud cacophony, like the world is crashing down.
Sonya races down the stairs toward the front door as Andrei rushes out of his office. His eyes widen as her hand touches the front doorknob, and I catch my breath as I watch the scene unfold. It’s the end for all of us, and she planned it perfectly.
“Sonya, get away from the door!” Andrei shouts, doubling his speed toward her. But Sonya ignores him. Not only does she ignore his order to stop, but she hurries down the front steps to the drive. She turns back long enough to smile at him.
As the main gates start to open, Andrei and Dmitri hurry after her, their hands reaching for their ever-present guns. Sonya stops in front of the open gate as Andrei’s blue Lamborghini drives through, followed by a line of tinted Volvo SUVs.
“Sonya?” Andrei grabs hold of his sister, pulling her protectively against her chest, and stares at the thundering procession.
Sonya laughs at Andrei, untangling herself from his grip, and then spins in a circle holding out her hands. “I come bearing gifts, Andrei.”
