Claim (Beneath The Secrets #4)

Prologue

PROLOGUE

MIKHAIL

Six Years Ago…

Song- How Villains Are Made, Madalen Duke

“What do you mean that motherfucker has her locked up?” I cover my mother’s shaking palm with mine and watch her expression.

She has always carried an air of calm composure, but as she’s aged, she can’t hide the subtle tightening around her eyes that is a giveaway to the turmoil inside of her.

“The last I’ve heard, your father has her in the west wing under guard. They were married two months ago.” She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “I’m not sure I have as much sway there as I used to.”

“I’ve heard she’s barely eighteen.” The words twist in my mouth.

My fucking father.

Ivan has a type, apparently. He likes them young, naive, and weak.

I’m glad my mother figured out how to escape from him. But only after he forced three children out of her.

She nods slowly, stealing a glance over her shoulder to her new husband, Sergy.

It makes me happy to see the gentle smile she gives him.

“My sources say they can get her out tonight. They’ll bring her here before we can route her to a safe house.” He slips his arms around my mother’s waist and pulls her tightly to him. “Are you sure you want to do this?” His dark curly hair drapes over his eyes after she nods.

“No one deserves a life with him. He’s a monster.” Her hands clasp until her knuckles turn white. “I want to.” Her chin raises with her firm statement.

“What can I do?” I’m just finding out about her plans, but I’ll do anything to get back at Ivan for what he’s done to us.

Cruelty has guided every decision he’s made.

We all have the scars to prove it, even if they can’t all be seen. I’ve watched Lara wither from a single look from him, proving that there’s damage there I’ll never fully understand.

“The best thing you can do is to get everyone away from him. Honey, what was your plan?” She flicks her gaze between me and her husband.

“I have an idea.” He leans over the counter and flips a brochure at me. “See that guy? That’s my oldest, Jax. He’s an up and coming boxer and just had his first fight in Las Vegas, United States.”

The glossy photo shows a younger version of the man in front of me. Same curly dark hair.

It must run strong in his family since Katerina has the same.

Nikolai has mentioned more than once how much he loves it, and is thrilled that their daughter has it too.

“Okay, what about him?” I admit, he looks like a tough kid, but not sure how this helps.

“He told me the one thing he noticed most about Vegas is how easy it is to get lost there. Blend in.” He taps his temple. “Disappear.”

“Noted. When is she supposed to be here?” I know that stealing away my father’s bride will be a declaration of war. I need to make sure the rest of my family is safe.

“Soon. Less than an hour.” Sergy presses his lips to my mother’s cheek before leaving through the hall.

She leans forward and grasps my hand. “Go, get Niki and the rest out of here. You’re the only one who can save them.”

“What about you?” I know she’s fallen victim to my father’s wrath too often in the past.

She waves her thin fingers idly. “He doesn’t scare me anymore.”

When I head into the living room, Nikolai and his wife, along with Lara and Alexei are all reclining.

Clapping my hands, I gain their attention. “It’s time to go. Mother has some new guests arriving soon, and we need to go pack.”

Lara raises one eyebrow. “What, we’re getting kicked out? Who’s so important?”

I scowl at her. “It’s none of your business. When I say we leave, we leave.” The less they know, the better.

Alexei stands and stretches, ruffling his own hair before reaching for Lara. “Let’s go. He’s the boss.”

Nikolai also rises, but leans close. “What’s going on?” he whispers.

I shake my head and let my lips thin. “We’ll talk about it another time.”

“You aren’t in charge of me,” Lara huffs, but she moves to Alexei’s side.

She doesn’t know it, but I’m going to need her help in America.

I’ll save that conversation for another day.

“I’m going to say goodbye to Papa.” Katerina wraps her fingers around Nikolai’s wrist before disappearing down the hall.

Nikolai scoops up baby Elena, cradling her to his chest he turns to me. “Are they in danger?” he growls low enough no one else can hear him.

“Not if everyone leaves in time,” I hiss.

He can be the one to help me, and has learned long ago that I’ll fill him in when the time is right.

Just not now.

He nods, and uses his body to herd Lara towards the main door.

A thump echoes through the house from the back.

“Go!” I bellow towards my siblings before turning on my heel.

Sergy joins me in the hall as we both race towards the kitchen.

A young woman, barely eighteen, stands huddled in the utility area, clutching a dark silk shawl around her head.

I can only hope Nikolai got everyone out.

“Are you Sergy?” the girl asks as she turns, but when she sees me, her eyes widen. “You look like him. ”

“I know. I’m Mikhail. I’m going to get you to safety.” When I step closer, she pulls away.

Sergy charges in directly, flicking his gaze between the two of us. “I’m Sergy. There’s a safe area here in the back where you can stay until the transport gets here. Mikhail is the one who will be traveling with you.”

Her large brown eyes work slowly up and down me before she rolls her red bottom lip between her teeth. “Okay.”

Sergy glances to me. “I’ll let your mother know she’s early.”

Holding out my hand, I offer it to Zoya. “Come with me, I swear I’ll keep you safe.”

Her dainty fingers spread over my palm before she hesitantly follows me the back way past the foyer.

I hope like hell no one else sees her.

The level of hell my father will rain down on anyone who knows she’s here will be ungodly.

But I can see why he chose her. Hair the color of a raven smoothing around her olive skin gives a striking look.

We make it to the far wing of the house without seeing anyone.

The faint sound of yelling filters through the walls.

Fuck.

“Stay here, don’t move.” I point at her before latching the door.

It blends with the bricks making it nearly invisible.

Clever.

Striding through the corridor, I almost collide with Nikolai and his baby.

“Mikhail! What the fuck is going on?” He grabs my arm, stopping me from moving past him.

“You need to get the hell out. Now. ” I grimace as his grip tightens.

I need to work out more, he’s getting too much stronger than me.

“Katerina…” He looks around at the empty room. “I have to find her.”

Lights flicker through the windows, glaring along the far wall.

Shit.

“If you want your baby to survive this, you have to go. That’s Ivan.” My finger stabs towards the glimmer of SUVs moving through the yard. “He’s surrounding us. You know as well as I do what happens when he’s angry.”

Nikolai pales, letting me go. “My wife?” He looks like he’s not sure which direction to go.

“I’ll get her. Trust me.” I hope I don’t regret those words.

His teeth grit before he turns on his heel, ducking quickly past the plate glass wall.

I run down the adjoining wing towards where I know Sergy went to find my mother.

Sergy flings open his door before I get a chance to knock.

“What’s the plan? Fighting back or running?” I look from him to where my mother sits perched on a stool near her desk. Katerina stands behind her, her knuckles white as she grips Mother’s shoulder.

Sergy shakes his head, his dark curls bouncing across his forehead. “We’d need an army to take him on.”

Holding out his hand, he shoves a piece of paper at me. “Take this. The man is an up and comer. He’ll be able to help you hide Zoya.”

I unfurl the note and memorize the name.

Enzo Testa.

Pulling out my cigar lighter, it disappears into smoke.

“Do you trust him?” I grunt, unsure what to do next.

Sergy nods. “With my life. He fought with me and the Butcher after Vanyos’s daughter was kidnapped. He knows Zoya and will keep her safe.” He grabs my arm where Nikolai had, deepening the bruises. “Go get her, we’ll escape through the passage from my suite.”

He shuts the door, leaving me standing in the hall.

The yelling is louder, I can begin to understand my father’s words.

“Bring her out!” he repeats.

Time to go.

Skirting down the far side of the house, I manage to just reach the hidden entry when an explosion rocks the building, throwing me forward with the blast.

Shit.

Rubble nearly blocks the door from swinging open.

Zoya is huddled in the corner, her wide eyes rimmed with tears. That full lower lip trembles as I reach out to her.

“Come on. We need to hurry.” I can hear Ivan’s voice calling through the house.

He’s inside.

Waving my palm, I try to beckon her to take it.

This isn’t the circumstance to freeze.

“I’ll carry you if you can’t walk,” I growl, barely able to keep the impatience out of my voice.

Fuck it.

Grabbing her, I toss her over my shoulder like a sack of fermenting potatoes and begin to trot towards Sergy’s end.

“Mikhail. How did I know you’d be a part of this betrayal?” My father stands, silhouetted by the bright lights of the vehicles outside, a wave of smoke surrounding him makes him look like the devil himself stepping from the gates of hell. Flames lick the fractured beams that litter the ground, flickering ominous orange on his enraged features.

Shit. I’m trapped.

I let Zoya slide down my body, and push her behind me so I’m between her and my father.

“Give her to me.” Ivan unsheathes a long knife and stalks towards me.

“Fuck you. She’s practically a child, and you’re a monster.” I wish I had a weapon.

A twisted piece of rebar sticks out of a broken piece of concrete. With a hard jerk, I’m able to free the gnarled metal and hold it in front of me.

It isn’t perfect, but it’ll work.

“That’s my wife.” He points with the tip of the blade. “Return her at once.”

“Over my dead body,” I grunt, squaring off.

“Such a simple demand,” he yells as he rushes me.

He’s fast for being so old, nearly overtaking me before I swing catching him in a glancing blow to the hip.

With a trained pivot, his arm rotates around and the edge of his knife scores me down my side.

Pain rips through my ribs when he tears a ragged line through my flesh.

Staggering away from him, I lash out with the rebar to keep him at bay. When he dives forward for another stab, I swing and connect with his thigh just above the knee.

With a roar, the knife tumbles from his hand and bounces on a piece of rubble. “You good for nothing piece of shit,” he grumbles, rolling over the debris scattered floor.

Now’s my chance. Lunging, I raise my bar over my head to drop it on him.

But he twists, holding a burning chunk of beam as a club, he fends me off and continues the thrust until it skewers me in the face.

Agony swallows me as the smell of charred skin and the taste of cinder forces itself into my mouth.

Stumbling, I crash to the ground, frantically pulling the hot embers from my jaw and cheek.

He climbs to his feet, looming over me, and raises the smoldering chunk of wood over his head.

This is it, my last moment.

Death by my own father’s hand.

As he swings down the final blow, arms grapple him from behind, shoving him over in a tangle of limbs.

Sergy raises his head over Ivan’s back and turns to me. “Run! Get the fuck out!”

My father bucks up, tossing Sergy off, elbowing him in the chest as they roll.

Shit.

The fire in my face screams at me, but the drive to get away is stronger. I manage to get my legs under me just as another explosion rocks the building, sending me crashing forward.

Concrete and wood plummet from the ceiling, pummeling me where I lie.

Strong hands clutch my jacket. Sergy flips me towards him, then collapses against a chunk of brick.

“Where’s Ivan?” I ask him hoarsely, choking on the thick air.

It’s only then I see the shiv of metal sticking out of Sergy’s chest.

“He ran,” he coughs, blood tinging his spit that gathers on the corner of his mouth.

That isn’t good.

“Get Zoya out of here.” His fingers claw at my arm. “And Mikhail, there’s one more thing.” He draws a ragged breath. “Ivan will be back for revenge. He knows about my youngest daughter, Anastasia. You have to keep her safe, too.”

“Ana, who?” I don’t know if I can handle any more obligations. I already feel as if I have the weight of the world on my shoulders.

“Please. She’s my baby girl—” Spasms wracks his body and a bubble of dark fluid spills from his lips. “—Katerina doesn’t know. Neither does your mother. Please, for me?” His hand falls limp away from me before his eyes unfocus.

Fuck.

He saved my life. Gave my mother a love she never had. Accepted Nikolai as a son.

God damn it.

“I’ll do it. I’ll keep her safe.” My palm brushes over his eyes, closing them.

Zoya moves in the corner of my vision, climbing out from under the table she was hiding under.

“Is he, I mean did he…?” Her question trails off as her eyes chase the trail where my father disappeared to.

“We have to go.” Roughly, I grab her hand and begin to lead her towards the main suite where I know Mother and Katerina are waiting.

But a wall of jumbled rubble blocks every access.

“Shit,” I whisper, turning to lead her away.

We’ll have to do this the old fashioned way.

“How fast can you run?” I ask.

She’s already almost jogging to keep up with my brisk strides.

“Not as fast as I used to. The baby makes it harder.” Her admission almost goes over me.

Stopping, I grab her shoulders. “Baby? Does Ivan know?” My nose is so close to her, I can feel her gasping breath over my skin.

Her wide dark eyes flick between mine and the burning wound on my face. Biting her lip, she shakes her head. “That’s why I had to run now. Any longer and he’d find out.”

“Fuck. Okay. Let’s go.” I practically drag her out the door on the far side from where my father’s men are, then sneak out through the woods, circling the estate.

It’s only then I get a clear view of the house.

Or, what’s left of it.

The kitchen and living room where I fought Ivan is the only section standing.

Sergy’s wing, where my mother and Katerina were, is flattened.

Hollow misery overtakes me.

I’ve gotten Zoya out, but at what price?