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Inadequacy fills me, that I can never stand up to the Bratva pakhan the way Lachlan does.
“Kieran is right,” Lachlan takes over. “We settle this now. The only question is, Anastasia, do you want a relationship with your father?”
Eyes land on her, and I reach for her hand.
“I… I don’t know.” Her hesitation breaks my heart. “He didn’t do anything to me.”
“He tried to marry you to someone against your will,” I speak up.
Nodding, she says, “He did go against my mother’s wishes.”
“I’ve already decided to cut all ties with him,” Katya says softly. “He killed my mother.”
“What?” Ana yelps. “Are you sure?”
“Aye,” Lachlan confirms.
Katya takes Ana’s hand. “And Yulia,” she whispers.
Ana gasps and tears fill her eyes. “How could he…” She sniffs to regain her composure. “I want to see him and let him know I’m safe to end all this craziness. But then I’m done with him, too. He’s a monster.”
“I have your money, Ana,” Eoghan says, bringing his folded hands to the table. “Balor has a ghost program running to make it look like the cash is still there. But if he tries to empty the account or close it…”
“Send it back.” Ana waves her hand. “I don’t want that filthy, blood money anymore.”
I won’t tell her my money isn’t exactly sparkling clean.
“That brings me to my next question.” I stand up. “What can I do for the family when we get back?”
The room grows silent and eyes stray to Kieran, rapping his fingers on the table.
I sit, bringing Ana back to her seat. She needs to rest.
Katya sits, too, and they resume holding hands.
“You’re too polished to be our butcher,” Kieran says to me with a smile. “I won’t waste your talents digging out bullets and sewing up knife wounds. You can do whatever you want.”
Relief washes through me.
“Will he be safe?” Ana asks. “Will we all be safe enough to live a normal life? Sophie goes to school. Has friends. Goes to birthday parties and sleepovers. I don’t want to see her locked up in her house like I was.”
“If our meeting with your father works out, we all can relax our security,” Riordan says. “In the last two years, we’ve forged a solid truce with the Astoria Cosa Nostra.”
“Thanks to my sweet Italian wife,” Kieran says, proudly. “Salvatore Gallo doesn’t want to keep looking over his shoulder at us or the Russians anymore, either.” He lowers his gaze at Ana. “Stasia, you started this war. We are counting on you to end it.”
The room is silent and she nods. “I will.”
“If I have to stomach Papa in my life, too…” Katya begins, sounding strong. “I will. If it means we’re all safe.”
“What about me?” Cormac speaks up from the corner.
Eoghan’s glare at him makes me shudder.
Katya stood up for her sister, I should stand up for Cormac.
Only… I’ve done that for too long. He’s a man and has to face the consequences. Deep inside, I bet he never wanted me to protect him.
“Cormac is coming with me,” Eoghan speaks up before I can start my enabling dribble.
