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But my heart aches for the men who died tonight protecting Pyotr from my brother and his new friends. It disturbs me to hear Ben would be involved in the violence—against one of his old friends, nonetheless.
I knew he was running with a bad crowd, that those men he’d been drinking with on the night he stumbled upon me and Efrem were Zhivoder men. And tonight, I confirmed that the man he’s been working for these past few months is, in fact, the leader of the Zhivoder Bratva.
But I never imagined Ben could fall so far. I never dreamed that my big brother would turn to violence. He was always such a kind older brother, a goofball with a reckless streak. Knowing that he could aim a gun at not just his old friend but Pyotr’s wife and innocent child as well? That tears me apart.
My heart is heavy with the unrest I sense building on the horizon.
Pyotr won’t let the attack on his family go unanswered. Now, Ben’s proven to be in direct conflict with the Veles family—a dangerous place to be. I can only imagine the impact this will have on my dad. To find out his son was involved in a gun fight after he’s already disowned me over dating a man with criminal ties.
Suddenly, it seems like my feelings for Efrem are the only stable thing in my world. And as I rest my cheek on his chest and listen to his strong, steady heartbeat, I’m grateful to have him in my life. I don’t know what I would do without him.
3
DANI
“I like the way you’re playing with lighting here,” Professor Blythe says, studying my compilation of a single nature photo finished with three different filters. “You’ve managed to capture a feel of different seasons just by adjusting the exposure.”
Smiling, I nod as I glance at my professor. “That’s what I was going for.”
“You might consider implementing some of this style into your final portfolio. I think it could enhance the fashion theme in an interesting way.”
I perk up at the suggestion. I haven’t had time to get together with Silvia’s girls yet for our photoshoot, but I’m itching to get started, and I love Professor Blythe’s concept. “Yeah, I’ll do that.”
With a nod, she moves on down the line of students working at their stations, and I get back to work.
I saw no point in quitting school partway through the semester—even if this will be my last one since my parents have cut me off. But they already paid for it, so I’ll take advantage of every opportunity I can get. Plus, school helps take my mind off the shambles my world has fallen into.
Every time I think about it, my anxiety peaks. Though I know Pyotr and Silvia are in Efrem’s capable hands and currently staying with the Matron—who has her own contingent of guards—while the fire damage is mitigated in their home, I worry about their safety.
Biting my lip, I refocus my attention on the configuration I’m putting together. This semester is going to be my best opportunity to make a career out of photography if that’s what I want to do. Hopefully, my photo of Efrem, which won the top spot in its showcase, will open doors. Still, I need to build a portfolio that demonstrates my range as a photographer if I want a studio to hire me.
“Alright, that’s our time for today,” Professor Blythe states, her even voice calming as she pulls me out of my reverie. “Remember, your first milestone for your portfolio is due in two weeks. Don’t wait until the last minute.”
Chewing the inside of my lip, I pack up as I think about where I might take my models for their shoot. The headshots should be easy, at least. So that’s where I’ll start.
Dry leaves crackle as they race across the ground, the cold breeze carrying them around my feet as I step outside the photography building into the cloudy day. The weather seems to be reflecting my mood as I squint into the white sky.
Though the trees are still beautifully colorful, I can’t seem to find inspiration for my art with my mind so laden with anxiety. It’s been over a week since everything happened—since the night Efrem saved me from Mikhail Sidorov—and I need to stop thinking about it.
But I can’t; every time I get a quiet moment, Mikhail’s leering face resurfaces in my mind. Shivering, I pull my coat more firmly around me and skip down the steps, heading toward Efrem’s apartment.
“Dani.”
My heart skips a beat at the familiar voice, and I whirl.
Tall and lanky, my brother’s starting to fill out some, though his shaved head of blond hair makes him look like a boy trying to play soldier. His style is different now, a tailored suit replacing his typically casual wardrobe, and I find the mishmash of identities jarring because they’re all so far from the brother I grew up with, the fun-loving, easy-going goofball.
Ben hasn’t said a word to me since the night Mikhail used my brother as an excuse to lure me to his club. I’m still in shock about what Ben did. I can’t believe he opened fire on Pyotr and his family. It disturbs me to think he could point a gun at anyone, for any reason. Not with our upbringing. My brother’s always been a risk-taker but never hurtful. And I keep fluctuating between concerned and angry after what he did.
Seeing him now brings all that emotion to the surface in a flash, and rather than run to my brother for a hug like I normally might, I stand frozen, staring. “What are you doing here?” I ask finally, my tone fluctuating between hurt and accusatory.
“I wanted to talk to you,” he says, his eyebrows raising in surprise at my cold greeting. “Can we… go somewhere?”
My heart flutters as an instinctive warning flits through my mind. Can I trust Ben? It puts my stomach in knots to realize I can’t be sure I’m safe with my brother. Heavy conflict wages between my heart and my head at the thought. I never imagined I could feel that way, but Ben’s betrayal has rocked me to my very core.
“You can walk with me,” I offer, turning to continue on my way.
Ben shrugs, stuffing his hands in his pockets and closing the distance between us.
