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“What was that?” Zafira looked over her shoulder where she stood at the stove, already busy preparing breakfast.
“You’re up early,” he mumbled as he poured himself a steaming cup of coffee before sitting at the table.
“I’ve had enough bedrest. Anymore lying around and I’ll start getting bedsores. It’s been two months since I was shot. My wound is almost completely healed, and the walks have helped to start rebuilding my strength. Now, it’s time to take my healing up a notch.” She spared a glance his way. “If what you said is true, I need to be ready to fight.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You need to be protected. If you think for one moment I’ll let you go charging out into—”
“With all due respect, Andrei, you have no say over what I do. Don’t get me wrong. I appreciate all you have done. God knows, if it wasn’t for you, I’d be dead. But neither am I a porcelain doll. I grew up in the Bratva world—lived it and have known nothing else my entire life. I have faced and survived more territorial wars in one lifetime than you could ever imagine. Believe me. I do know what’s coming and as always, I will not give satisfaction to my enemies by going out on my knees. I will fight to the bitter end and take as many with me as I can.”
“With all due respect,Comare, you have no idea what’s coming.”
Dishing up, she took the seat across from him.
“Be honest, Andrei. Are you keeping me here to draw my sons’ attention from realizing what’s about to happen, or is this an attempt to force them into surrendering the Guzun Bratva throne to you? Do you really hate us so much that you have the desire to destroy everything that defines us?”
“You’re wrong,Comare. I never had such visions of grandeur. Being the Pakhan of the Red Bratva fulfills my desire for power.”
“Then why the cryptic remark that you will be leading the upcoming war?”
“The word is self-explanatory. This particular war isn’t going to end in a standstill. Believe me, it will require a victor. I will be fighting to win, even if it means I have to take on a role I believe should never be in one singular man’s grasp. If Gareth Sanders achieves his quest, we’re all fucked. I, for one, will never bow to a bastard like that. For one person to have so much power over global crime… it’s suicide at best for anyone who opposes him should he succeed.”
“I thought Arian said that Izolda didn’t know what Sanders looked like or who he truly is.” Zafira stared intently at him. “Why do I get the impression that you do?”
“Because you’d be right.”
“Andrei—”
“Enough fishing. Let’s eat.” Ignoring the annoyed look on her face, he started eating. “Isn’t the little princess joining us?”
“You do like to annoy her, don’t you?” She tilted her head. “Why is that, I wonder?”
“Stop looking for a faerie tale that isn’t there,Comare. Too many stories start with the words, ‘once upon a time’ and end with ‘and they lived happily ever after.’ It was never meant to be for us, and it never will.”
“Hmm, now why don’t I believe you, my dear?” She ignored him cursing as she smiled gently. “I wasn’t born yesterday, and I’ve known you from when you were a little strappling boy. You’ve been in love with Vanya since forever.”
“Love makes you weak.” He stared at her with his expression as impassive as his eyes were void. “You, more than anyone, should realize that.”
“Of course, that’s it. As the mighty and feared leader of the Red Bratva, you don’t deserve to be happy and loved. Is that it?”
“Enough of this emotional drivel.” He outlined the leather mask covering the top left side of his face. “This is all the reminder I need of why love adds nothing to my life. No,Comare. I have no love interest in your daughter. Accept that.”
“If you say so, my dear.”
“So,” Andrei said with irritation rife in his voice at the knowing smile curving her lips. “Is she going to sleep the morning away?”
“Vanya? Oh, no, she went for an early morning run.” She glanced at her watch. “Strange though, she’s been gone for two hours. She should’ve been back long ago.”
“Blyad’! Doesn’t that woman ever listen? I explicitly told her not to leave the house without telling me.”
“Since when are you so naive to believe that would stop her?”
“You almost getting killed should be more than enough reason for her to be cautious.” An ominous frown drew his brows together. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think she was looking to get hurt.”
“Why on earth would you say that?”
“To ease her guilt that she wasn’t there for you.” Finishing his meal, he got up. “I’d love to know what happened to steal her confidence. Nothing ever got her down before. Her actions of late, it’s not the Vanya I used to know.”
“I don’t believe you.” Zafira’s voice was sad. “You were the only man she ever gave her heart to. Don’t you realize how deeply she loved you, Andrei? When you left her, you broke her heart. The day she witnessed your supposed death, it broke her soul. What do you think finding you alive then claiming to be her half-brother and hating her family did to her?”
