Chapter 16
Elowen
Avi gave birth to a healthy boy and now looks like she might die any moment.
She was energetic and talkative when the painkillers were still in her system, now she’s whimpering in pain. Zo is glued to her side. Their boy is being looked after by his nanny and Aunt Abi.
She was discharged yesterday; today everyone is gathered at Zo’s mansion in San Diego. We’re all having a dinner party in the garden, except for the two of them.
“Are you drinking alcohol?” Mom asks, shocked to see me drinking poison.
I nod, grinning. “You should also try.”
She scrunches her nose. She hates the smell of alcohol, because of that, Dad never touches the stuff. We can’t expect less from my father when it comes to anything involving my mother.
Lyn takes the glass of wine from me and replaces it with a mocktail. “There are thousands of side effects of consuming alcohol. If you want, I can list them for you right now.”
“It’s unfair. Why aren’t you stopping your husband?”
She glances at Leo, who’s standing with Uncle Maksim and Uncle Damir, a glass of what looks like vodka in his hand. Uncle Maksim has the same. Uncle Damir, like my dad, stopped touching alcohol after he found his wife.
“He’s a bull. He won’t feel the effect unless it’s a whole bottle.”
“I won’t feel it either,” I say with a long shake of my head, it wasn’t long on purpose.
She chuckles. “You’re already showing plenty of effect.”
I lean back in my chair, groaning. “Everyone is so controlling nowadays.” A smile comes to me unbidden at the memory of Salvario—no, Hunter. He doesn’t like being called that, Wen, keep it in mind—not allowing me to drink.
Aunt Savi calls my name. “Wen.”
I look up at her. She’s sitting beside my mom.
My mother’s face has regained its light after so many months.
For the past year and a half, all I’ve seen on her face is worry.
I hate that I was the sole reason behind that worry.
Aunt Savi isn’t very different from my mother, her son, Kaz, is the reason behind hers.
He’s become what they’d call a perfect Pakhan, the cruelest one born in the Mikhailov family, and this family had Uncle Maksim’s grandfather, who was a literal demon.
And the reason behind Kaz’s state is somewhat similar to mine.
He loved someone who betrayed him and then vanished.
It’s just that the reason behind that betrayal wasn’t dissociative identity, it was money.
He’s also searching for that person, like I was for Salvario, but his reason is to find him and torture him to death. And yeah, he loved a man, which is a secret, since a gay Pakhan isn’t allowed in the Bratva.
“How are things going in Naples?”
I grin. “Perfect.”
“When will the rebuilding be complete?”
“It’ll take more than a decade, but the framework will be finished in two years.”
She smiles. “Never did I think that the little girl who used to cry over broken toys would become such a strong woman, who would bring a city back to life. I’m so proud of you.”
I smile. She doesn’t know the insane number of suicide plans I’ve had in the last six months. I’m anything but strong.
I push myself up from the chair. “I’ll be right back.”
I walk to the back of the house, away from the side where the party’s going on. I walk closer to the cliff where the hill ends. There are railings all around here so no one falls accidentally.
This area usually stays dark at night, but tonight it’s lit faintly by the mansion’s lights and the glow of the moon.
I pull my phone from my jacket pocket and call Hunter. I lean forward on the railing, watching the moon shine on the ocean waves.
“Hello.” His hot baritone comes through the line. I close my eyes for a moment, sighing, letting the sound soak into my veins.
“What are you doing?” I coo, running my finger along the cold metal railing.
“You’re drunk.”
I bite my lower lip, stretched in a smile. “Who says?”
“Your voice.”
I chuckle. “I only drank one glass of red wine. You can’t call me drunk for that.”
“I can, because you can’t handle even two sips of alcohol.”
“Okay, fine, I’m just a little drunk. Tell me how Rosie and Bruno are.”
“Good.”
“And you?”
“I’ll be good when you come back.”
I giggle. “I’ll be back on Christmas Eve.”
“I thought you’d spend Christmas with your family.”
I look up at the moon. “That’s what I’ll do. With you, Bruno, and Rosie.”
“What are you doing here?” Dad’s voice comes from behind me.
“I’ll call you back,” I murmur, then end the call, shove my phone back into my pocket, and turn to see Dad coming closer.
“Watching the ocean.”
“After getting drunk.”
I groan. “Come on, I’m not even that drunk.”
He takes my hand and pulls me away from the railing. “But drunk enough to fall.”
“Nope, won’t happen. I’m no longer suicidal.” I cover my mouth with my hand. So I’m really drunk.
He cups my cheek, his face shadowed with worry. “I know life’s been unfair to you, but you’re my strong daughter. You fought so bravely for so long. Promise me that whatever happens in the future, you’ll never stop fighting.”
I step closer and wrap my arms around him. His strong arms close around me. “I’m tired of fighting, Dad. I can’t fight anymore.”
His body tenses. I pull away with a smile on my face that isn’t forced, and like always, he notices.
“I’m fine now.”
He smiles, stroking my head, then takes my hand as we walk toward the mansion.
“By the way, why are you here instead of enjoying the party?”
“I’m a father to a little princess. Whether she’s two or twenty-two, I can’t enjoy a party without making sure she’s fine.”
I kiss his cheek. “You’re the best dad.”
He smiles.