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“You’ll need to rest for days. I suggest you start with some clear soups and then work up to full meals. Your stomach might rebel at first.” He stops and looks over at me. “Pakhan, contact me if you have any concerns or if she takes a turn.” He tips his head and moves out of the condo.
“Where are we?” she softly asks, and I look down into her green eyes. “Why did he call youPakhan?”
“We are in my condo over the restaurant and cardroom I own. I want you close when the game comes and when I’m at work.Pakhanmeans boss or father. My father is thePakhan, but I’m the boss here.”
“Okay.” She doesn’t say more, and I look down to see her long lashes resting against her cheeks. She’s out cold.
“Boss.” Mikhail steps into the room. “She insisted.” He’s pushed to the side and in walksBabushka. She takes in Sparrow and her eyes grow big.
“I suspected, but what happened to her?”
“A man who will die hurt her,” is all I say. I slide from the bed after I make sure Sparrow is tucked in, then I direct everyone out of the room so she can sleep.
“I have soup for her. I can stay here in the spare room and take care of her when you are at work,”Babushkaoffers, and I nod my head as I rub my beard.
“That’s a good idea. I want Boris and Sasha brought here. They will protect her to the death.” Mikhail turns and walks out to collect them.
“So are you going to tell me?”Babushkais in the kitchen area warming the soup and pulling other things from the grocery bags on the counters. I slide onto the bar stool and watch her, recollecting the many times she did this when one of us was sick. She would make the brothy chicken soup, a crusty bread, and ginger tea. She has other home remedies she would pull out too with garlic and stuff, but I notice she doesn’t have any of those.
“I saw her and knew. Just like Gray with Erika, but I saw her back in January before she was legal. She turned eighteen a week ago. I was waiting until she was legal. I had men watching her. But hersukabrother took her out the back and hid her away after he used her as collateral for his ante in the game next week.”
“Why is he asuka? He’s a man.” The ladle in her hand waves around.
“He’s no man, he’s a bitch,” I say. “He’s a coward and weak. He abused her and used her to get money. Not just this time but every time he gambles, he takes money from her. She is the reason they had a roof over their head.”
“Lenivyy sukin syn,” she spits out, calling him a lazy son of a bitch. I can’t help the chuckle that bursts from my chest.
“Even you call him asuka.” I laugh as tears roll down my face. Leave it toBabushkato tell it like it is.
A scream rips through the condo, and I’m on my feet running for my room.
Five
SPARROW
“Why is Morosov putting out feelers for you? Why is he searching for you?” Brett has me by my ratty hair and throws me into the wall. I fall to my knees, and he kicks me in the ribs. “Answer me, slut? Why?”
I want to lie, but I don’t want to be beaten anymore. “He’s the one who gave me the phone and earbuds,” I confess and hope he’ll stop. But he doesn’t. The truth infuriates him more, and he beats me harder.
When he finally moves toward the door, I try to crawl after him.
“Brett, please. I’m thirsty,” I beg.
“You can starve for all I care. MacEvoy is trying to back out because he’s scared of Morosov. I can’t believe you did this to me. You ungrateful whore.” He advances on me again and reaches down. His hand grips my chin, squeezing it until I cry. “I should just fuck you and get it over with. You’re not even my sister.”
I scream as I fight him off.
I come awake with my arms flailing around me. I open my eyes and see Andrei moving toward me. He crawls onto the bed and wraps me in his arms. There’s a woman standing in the doorway. She closes the door, giving us privacy, and I wonder who she is for only a moment.
“Ptitsa, I’m here. You’re safe. He’ll never hurt you.”
“He’s not my brother. He said so.” My voice cracks as I cry against his chest. “He was going to rape me.”
Andrei’s body tightens, his arms flex around me, and then he slowly calms. “I know he’s not your brother. He was going to use you to get your real father to give him money.” His voice is so matter-of-fact. I pull my head away from his chest and look up into his eyes. “It’s true,” he says.
“You knew? How long?”
“I found out after you disappeared.”
