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Dad always gives the best hugs, but this is different. I feel the way he trembles, holding me so tightly like he’s afraid to let go. My father is the bravest, most wonderful man in the world. I look up to him. He’s always been my hero, and I want to make him proud.
And that’s why it breaks my heart to see him so visibly disturbed. He says nothing because he frankly doesn’t have to. If I thoughtIwas scared, I can’t imagine the turmoil he and the rest of my family must have gone through.
“My pride and joy,” he murmurs. “Welcome home.”
I hug him back, holding back tears. “It’s okay, Dad. Everything’s okay.”
“Sandra!” Charlotte cries as she throws herself at us, joining the hug. “I was so worried about you! I thought for sure you were going to end up in a ditch somewhere.”
I manage a tired laugh. “Oh, please. Like I’d ever let them kill me.”
“Did you give them hell?”
“Obviously. Do you know me at all?”
My twin smiles. We’re exact copies of each other, but I’ve always found her smiles so much brighter and sweeter than my own. Maybe it’s because of the weight and responsibility of being the firstborn, but who’s to say?
Dad turns to Aunt Nat. “Does she need additional medical attention?”
My aunt shakes her head, easily sidling up to Uncle Dimitri. “She’s lost a bit of weight, but overall is in perfect health. No broken bones, only a few minor bumps and scrapes. They treated her well.”
Uncle Pyotr snorts. The irony of her last comment isn’t lost on me. If Andrei wanted to treat me well, he shouldn’t have kidnapped me in the first place.
“I’m all for a happy reunion,” Dad says to the room, “but there are still important matters to discuss.”
I arch a brow. “What are you talking about?”
Dad turns to his brothers. “Dima, Pyotr, Luka. With me. You too, Sandra.”
The list of names he calls out makes everything clear. He wants to talk about Bratva business.
Charlotte gives me another tight hug. Mom kisses me on the cheek. Frederick claps me on the shoulder, mumbling under his breath about how he’s happy to see me. Much like Dad, Freddy’s never been one for words.
As nice as it is to be home, our walk down the hall towards my dad’s private office has the butterflies in my stomach rioting. My gut tells me something big is going down, and I have no doubt it has to do with my kidnapping.
Dad takes a seat in his chair with a heavy sigh, my uncles scattering themselves about the room. When the door shuts firmly behind me, Dad begins. “Did you get a name?”
“Andrei Nicolaevich,” I answer dutifully. “But I couldn’t get much else from him.”
Dad nods slowly, the dark circles beneath his weary eyes undeniable. “I’m sorry we weren’t able to extract you sooner. Turns out, the man in question is a lot more resourceful than we first anticipated.”
“How did you get me out?” I ask, curious. “What did you do?”
“We gave him a sliver of land in the south of the city.”
My mouth almost drops open. I might be grateful to be free, but— “You didwhat?”
“It was the only way to secure your release.”
“Dad, that’s…”
My mind reels. To most, the forfeit of a tiny district might seem like a small price to pay for the release of a hostage, but not for the likes of the Bratva. I can already see this blowing up in our face. One concession might lead to another, and then another. It’s a sign of weakness, one our enemies may choose to capitalize on. I don’t know if this was Andrei’s intention, but by officially snatching away our territory—no matter how small—he’s put a target on our backs and smeared our near-perfect reputation.
“I’d do it again in a heartbeat,” Dad says, his voice gentle, his eyes hard and stern. There’s no challenging him on this. What’s done is done. The only question is what do we do next.
“He can’t get away with this,” I grumble. “I swear I fought back.”
“We have no doubt you did,” Uncle Dima says with a reassuring smile. “But you’re right. Something has to be done. Not just for our honor, but for yours, as well.”
