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The news shocked me but I still didn’t understand how this helped Aleks. “Okay, even if she is an heiress, how does that benefit you or me for that matter? The money is hers, not ours.”
“It doesn’t help you, because you won’t be in the fucking picture. Me, on the other hand, I’m going to take it all. I plan on marrying Katya and when her parents die, we will go back to Russia, and inherit everything. The property, the wealth. All of it.” He twisted the gun to the side. “Of course, I’ll have to tie up any loose ends back here first…”
“Aleks, calm down. I don’t want Katya’s money. I just want her safe, that’s all,” I told him.
“Yeah right, and I just want world peace. Who do you think you’re fooling with the Nice Guy routine? Stop stalling and tell me where the fuck she is!” he said, shaking the gun.
“I already told you, I don’t know! She has the day off so she could have gone anywhere,” I said.
I was just about to attempt getting off the bed when I heard the front door close. Then I heard Luca calling for his mom in the next room over. I opened my mouth to scream for them, tell them to run, but Aleks closed the gap between us and pressed the gun against my head once more. “Don’t. Say. A word.” His breath was hot against my neck and he smelled like stale booze.
I heard Katya whispering something to her son, and then she went to check on the baby, and I prayed to God that she didn’t bring Kenlee in here with her. A few seconds later, she appeared in the doorway, and a look of horror fell across her face.
Her already pale skin turned even whiter when she saw Aleks pointing a gun at me and smiling.
Her past had come back to haunt her.
Chapter Thirty-One
Katya
IwalkedintoZane’ssuite expecting to have a nice ‘family’ breakfast. We weren’t technically a family but it was starting to feel like one and I couldn’t have been happier. I set the bagels on the counter, put Kenlee in her swing, and then Luca and I went to surprise Zane. The last thing I expected to find was the love of my life sitting in bed with a gun pointed at his head and my abusive ex-boyfriend snarling at me.
Luckily Luca was behind me, so he hadn’t seen what was happening and I was able to cut him off at the pass. “Luca, go to the den and watch cartoons. I need to talk to Mr. Zane for a minute,” I said, ruffling his hair. Luca ran down the hall excited to watch cartoons and I turned to face Aleks and Zane. I felt surprisingly calm for someone who just walked into a real-life episode of a “Dateline” special. I knew I needed to get the gun off of Zane, so I tried reasoning with Aleks.
“Aleks, whatever the problem is, it is with me, not Zane. Why don’t you put the gun down and then you and I can talk?” I asked.
Aleks scoffed at the suggestion. “There is nothing to talk about, Bitch.”
“Aleks—”
“No, you’re not the one talking,” he said. “I’m the one talking. I’m the one in charge. Now this is what’s going to happen — You and that little worthless waste of a human you call a son are coming back to the house with me. You’ll never see Lover Boy again and if you try, then I won’t hesitate to put a bullet in his brain. Or Luca’s brain.” He grinned at me. “I’ll let you pick.”
Fear began to set in, and my voice trembled as I made another attempt to reason with him. “What is this even about?” I asked. “Why do you want me to come with you? You don’t love me, and Luca isn’t even your son.”
Laughing, Aleks said, “Well, you finally got one thing right. I don’t give a damn about you, but you do have something I want, and I am going to make sure I get it. So, march your ass out there, get the kid, and let’s be on our way.”
It broke my heart to see Zane looking so helpless but what could he do? Aleks was crazy and had a gun pointed at his head. I should’ve known something like this would happen. For whatever reason, the universe was against me, and I wasn’t meant to be happy.
I wasn’t going to make it out of this one, but I could at least do something to make sure Zane did. If I refused to go with Aleks, he might shoot Zane or Luca, or all of us. I wasn’t willing to risk it, so I agreed.
Nodding, I sighed in exasperation. “Okay, Aleks. You win. You always win. I will go as long as you promise not to hurt Zane.”
“Maybe you aren’t as stupid as I thought, Sweetheart. As for your lover boy, I don’t give a fuck about him, just you and your inheritance.” He shoved Zane down onto the bed but kept the gun pointed at him as he walked over and grabbed me roughly by the arm. When he was standing in the doorway, he turned back to face Zane. “Don’t even think about following us, or I will kill the kid.”
I looked back at Zane and tried to say with my eyes everything I felt as Aleks shoved me out the door. I hadn’t had a chance to tell him, and now I doubted I ever would, but I loved him. In a world that never seemed to make any sense, of that I was certain. I loved Zane Grey. I could only hope that somehow, he knew.
I picked up Luca on the way out urging him to stay quiet. Kissing his head, I softly whispered, “Shhh. Stay quiet, Angel. It will be okay, Sweet Pea. We have to leave with Aleks for a little while, but Mommy is here, and I will take care of you. Everything will be okay, I promise.”
I wasn’t sure if I was trying to convince Luca or myself. My life was crumbling before my eyes and there was nothing I could do to stop it. I felt like a zombie as I walked to the car in silence, holding Luca, and praying that Zane wouldn’t try and be a hero. As long as he was alive, I could get through whatever Aleks had in store for me. I hadn’tt been to church since I left Russia and felt unworthy of God’s grace, but I silently prayed anyway.
Dear Lord,
Please watch over Luca and me. Please keep us safe from Aleks. And please keep Zane safe. Do not let him do something stupid to try and save us. I thank you for my time with him, and I pray that he moves on and has a happy life. Please have mercy on us.
Thank You,
Your Estranged Daughter,
