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“Like fuck you will!” I yell, knowing this is not the best reaction in the world, and Alexei glances up from his phone with concern.
“Serena!”Kill says calmly and I hiss, “Don’t you dare send Shade. I am not a child, Kill. I’m a Vieri just as much as you are and I’m telling you that I can deal with my own shit.”
I am so incensed, and say icily. “I will be the judge of what is best for me, so tell me what I need to know, and I’ll decide where I go from here.”
I am fuming, out of control and have lost all reasonable thought, and it doesn’t help that my fucking brother is calmness personified.
“All we discovered is there is a hit on you. Trust no one and protect yourself. Mom is waiting for you, and you’ll be safe with her, but you need to get there first. Shade can get you there, Serena, and deal with the woman who was paid to kill you. You may be a Vieri, but you are not on your own. There are three of us and only a fool wouldn’t use every weapon they have.”
I realize he’s right and I don’t know why I’m making a scene, but I expect it’s because this was my one shot at freedom. It’s not turning out well at all and if my brother arrives, Alexei will be off the hook. If I’m honest with myself, he is the reason I want to do this alone because all the time he feels the need to protect me, the adventure continues.
However, circumstances have changed, and he is in no position to offer me the same level of help he intended and so, with a sigh, I say in defeat. “Okay. I’ll wait for your instruction.”
I cut the call because I’m liable to say something I will regret. I know I’m being a brat, but I hate being passed over all the time. I’m a woman and don’t have the same position in our family business that my brothers enjoy. I thought I had come to terms with that. It appears I was wrong.
CHAPTER19
ALEXEI
Fuck my life. Everything was going so well until it unraveled around me. Now I’m facing something I hoped to avoid. Serena informed me she would be leaving with her brother as soon as he landed, and she was instructed to be at the airport and ready when they arrived. He will text her the estimated time of arrival and she asked if I could call her a cab.
I feel so helpless because I’m in no position to help. My family needs me, and she will soon be with her own. But I don’t want to see her leave.
I said nothing and just played it cool, but inside I am tearing myself apart with frustration. Why do I even care? She is a stranger to me, but for some reason I don’t want to let her go. I told myself it was to protect her. I was fooling myself. It’s purely for selfish reasons. I want to keep her for my pleasure and now I must let her go.
Since the call, it appears a wall is building between us, and I can already tell she is preparing herself to leave, and I must do the same.
She won’t even look at me and so, with a heavy heart, I make an excuse to leave and head back to the main house.
“Alexei.” I stop as my brother Mikhail heads through the door, his entourage scrambling around him. He crosses the hall, and we embrace as brothers do and he says gruffly, “How is she?”
“Trying to hold it together.”
I think of mama and my heart beats faster because she is the only one who matters now. Her future is an undecided one. She is a widow, who has lost a lot more than her husband now. Our older brother Artem will inherit the house and the bulk of the business while the rest of us continue in our roles, making sure that our business prospers.
“Is anyone else here?”
He asks and I nod, “Ana, of course. Valentin has landed and Arman will be here within the hour.”
We start to walk toward the chapel and Mikhail says with a hint of anger, “Was it intentional?”
The thought had crossed my mind and I say roughly, “Too early to say. I believe Artem will have planned for an autopsy, but we must make certain it happens when mama is distracted.”
“She will agree. If somebody did this, they will pay.”
His rough tone sits well with me because, like me, he has already considered the facts. Our father was in good health, had regular check-ups and the hour before he died, he complained about the food.
Mikhail growls, “I have set the wheels in motion to investigate his death. If it was intentional, we are at war.”
I nod, my heart sinking as I realize what that means. We come together to make the fuckers pay, and as wars sometimes go, it could be a long one.
We reach the chapel and Mikhail heads straight to mama and Ana whispers, “She’s exhausted. She won’t leave him.”
“I’ll see what I can do.” I say thoughtfully and as mama leaves Mikhail to pay his respects, I pull her to one side.
“I need your help.”
Her eyes widen.
