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No sooner do I kill the engine than the doors of the vehicles behind us swing open. Grisha, Boris, and Ivan step out, eyes scanning the surroundings. Even on a routine shopping trip, they’re wired for danger.
Ivan approaches our car, giving me a nod as I hand him the keys. He’ll take care of parking while we head in. Bodyguard and valet – Ivan wears many hats.
From the backseat, Yulia’s excitement is almost tangible. “Sophia!” she exclaims, her voice high with enthusiasm. “You’ve never been to Patrick’s store, have you? It’s the best!”
Sophia looks down at Yulia. She smiles widely at the child’s excitement.
“No, Yulia,” she answers. “This is my first time. Can you show me around?”
Yulia practically bounces in her seat, clapping with joy. “Oh yes, yes, yes! I’ll show you everything. Especially the teddy bear aisle. You’ll love it!”
Yulia’s delight somehow spreads through the tension-filled vehicle like a ray of sunshine. As we step out of the car, Yulia grabs Sophia’s hand, tugging her along toward the entrance of the store.
Yulia’s face lights up the moment she spots the teddy bear aisle, scampering toward the towering stacks. Dimitri, the man who loves her like a brother, follows closely, keeping a protective eye on her.
“Mr. Ivankov,” Patrick greets, a formal nod punctuating his words. His large hands are clasped together in front of him as if he’s praying. His face is weathered, age and stress carving deep lines into his skin.
“Patrick.” I nod in return, the corners of my mouth lifting in a half-hearted attempt at a smile. “Your father would have been proud. You have kept this place running smoothly.”
His face softens at the mention of his father, a nostalgic glimmer in his eyes.
“Well, we try to keep up the tradition, just like your father did with you, Mr. Ivankov.”
“Yeah, tradition,” I grunt, a sour note in my voice as memories flood back. I glance around the old toy shop, each shelf and corner a reminder of a past I can’t escape. When I was a kid, this place was a haven, a rare escape from the harsh realities of our world.
“One toy, Luka, and not more than that,” my mother would tell me, her soft eyes filled with a love and kindness I’ve long since abandoned. “One is enough. We mustn’t be greedy. There are others who have less than we do.”
Greedy.
The word stings even now. She was always teaching me about compassion, about understanding, about not being the very thing I’ve become. How she’d hate the man standing here now. A ruthless, cold-hearted bastard who’s long forgotten her gentle lessons.
“So, Yulia’s turning eight.” Patrick’s words pull me back.
“Yeah,” I reply, my voice as cold as my thoughts.
Eight.
The word hangs in the air, heavy with meaning. It seems so long. And Patrick has seen the change, the hardening, the shift from that wide-eyed boy to the monster I’ve become.
I don’t try to hide it. It’s who I am now.
Chapter 51
Sophia
I DON’T feel well.
My heart’s pounding like a drum in my chest. The toy shop around me seems to blur, the edges of my vision getting fuzzy.
What’s happening to me?
This can’t be happening now. Not here, not with Yulia.
Think, Sophia, think. What’s Aleks planning?
My mind returns to Anya, her evil smirk, and her cold, deadly eyes.
Should I come clean with Luka?
