6. Leave
Chapter six
Leave
L uerna distributed the small pancakes onto five different places before adding a scoop of sour cream and then returning with a raspberry jam. Her kids all piled at the breakfast table while her six-month-old twins sat in their highchairs, slapping at the oatmeal and fresh fruits. Silvia did her best to help without overstepping, a constant balance she had to worry about in case Rurik thought her help was too much.
An argument took place down the hall and Luerna strained to hear it over the chatter of her children. She was never involved in family affairs except when ordered to do something. Otherwise, her brothers were constantly in and out of her father’s wing. If this house were smaller, she’d be more aware of what was happening, but the house was divided into five sections, like half a pizza, each slice dedicated to different family members. For the most part, she never heard from the others, especially if the main doors were shut.
But as she glanced down the long hall, the doors were wide open, leading to her father’s side of the house. Perhaps she could make the excuse to visit her mother if only to hear what the commotion was all about.
Luerna quickly passed out all the dishes and poured the juice into each sippy cup. RJ, her eldest at nine years old, groaned in embarrassment when one was put in front of him, and she patted his shoulder mindlessly.
A curse was heard from down the hall. “Fucking bullshit.”
Luerna dived for the doorway to watch Alexei come pounding out of their father’s office with Gil and Adrik on his heels. Gil caught her gaze at the last moment and made a stupid face (something he’s been doing since childhood) before he followed out, slamming the door behind him. She smiled but then sighed in disappointment. Luerna mindlessly fed her twins as she wondered if it had anything to do with Levka and the Borisyuks .
That night Levka ‘attempted’ to rape Kira stayed with her. For the most part, her father’s business was always kept private, but because of the personal matter dealing with Kira, her father had made a grand show of it. Levka had been beaten badly to the point the maids had to cut out a hole in the carpet after being unsuccessful in scrubbing out the blood.
Luerna could still hear Levka’s father pathetically whining and apologizing, but her father didn’t give second chances. It took Yakov no time to reduce their family to beggars on the street.
So many times, she wondered why Yakov hadn’t just killed them, but the answer was simple. It would have been kinder.
For long days afterward, she hated herself for her wild thoughts. She had felt almost betrayed by Levka because she thought she had seen something in his eyes. She thought he liked her or at least found her attractive. She liked the way he looked at her.
But now, Luerna knew he was just a disgusting pervert. It shouldn’t be surprising, considering all the men in their world were some kind of criminal.
“Luerna! Get in here.”
Rurik called from down a separate hallway that led further back into her own section of the house. Newcomers were constantly getting lost in this mansion because of all the different pathways. Even her own children weren’t allowed to journey on their own.
After cleaning all the kids’ faces, she had RJ bring them into the living room to watch a little TV before they began their day. With a deep inhale, Luerna went to her husband’s office.
She was surprised to see her father sitting as a guest. He had his legs crossed and his morning cigar lit, the smoke rose above them like a fog.
Rurik was smiling, an even greater distraction than her father being there.
“What’s going on?”
“I’ll leave you.” Rurik shook Yakov’s hand one last time. “I appreciate this, Yakov.” He shut the door behind him while leaving Luerna alone with her father.
A nervousness settled in her stomach.
“Come. Sit.” Yakov gestured to the chair across from her.
“What’s going on, Papa?”
He said nothing, watching her as she sat. She tucked her hair behind her ear, knocking off any pancake mix off her hands and then wondering if she had any on her face. She rubbed at her cheek before she settled her hands tight in her lap, sitting straight with a numb smile, meeting her father’s gaze.
Luerna used to get annoyed when he would stare at her like this, but when she was sixteen, she learned about her Aunt Luerna, the woman she was named after. She was accidentally killed in a car crash along with her twin newborns at the same age as Luerna was now. And she apparently looked a lot like her aunt.
Yakov cut his gaze off suddenly, turning his attention to random photos on the bookshelf. “I have decided to move to America.”
Her world faltered. “What?”
“You will stay here. I have put Rurik in charge of my affairs.”
“What?” It was the only word that could be processed. There was never any talk of leaving Russia. This was their lifeblood. Five generations of families.
“I’ll only be taking the boys and your mother if she wants.”
Her brows knit as her mind raced in a million different directions. “Papa. You can’t just leave. This doesn’t make any sense. Did something happen? Is someone coming after us?”
He gave her zero answers, staring at something she couldn’t see.
“I deserve an answer. Kira isn’t even married. What is she going to do?”
The topic of Kira’s failed engagement only annoyed Yakov, and he clenched his teeth. “I certainly tried. The fucking wolf regrets it now.”
Luerna bowed her head.
“Why are you leaving, Papa?”
“It doesn’t matter why. It’s the decision I’ve made. It will require you to look over your sisters to ensure they continue on the path I have paved for them and yourself.”
Luerna panted heavily through her nose but stayed silent.
“You’re angry,” Yakov observed, blowing smoke between his nostrils. “You aren’t happy with your situation.”
Her eyes widened as she looked up at him. For a moment, it almost sounded like he cared.
“Is happiness relevant to the success of our family?”
A wall was erected instantaneously, and all emotion was cut off from her face. With a tight back, she replied, “No.”
“Rurik is beneficial to us. He has helped this family in more ways than one, and I have no regrets marrying him to you. I chose you for the simple fact that out of all of my daughters, you would be the one capable of handling him. So, if you don’t like what he does, find ways to punish him. But never interfere with this family’s success.”
She was spiteful in this instance and lashed out before she could stop it. “I have given everything for this family.”
“As you should have. You think I have given any less?”
“Of course not, but–”
“You think your brothers won’t be doing their part? They are young yet, but their time is coming. It is not happiness that makes our family great. It is not happiness that keeps you alive.” Yakov stood, stomping out his cigar on the table. “This mentality is your mother’s doing,” he mumbled with bitterness. Yakov turned back to her and had her stand to hold her arms. A long pause followed a longing shining in his eyes for a moment. “Show me you can handle Rurik; keep him loyal and sated. And your rewards will be plenty.”
Luerna sat there long after her father left. She wanted to scream at him. ‘What rewards?’ She had seen nothing yet. All she got was more misery. She was beginning to think he was lying. Would her father do such a thing? To anyone, she would say ‘yes, in a heartbeat.’ But not to his daughter. Not to the one that looked like his dead sister.
“Mama!”
Luerna straightened and composed herself. She believed in her father. He wouldn’t make her suffer for no reason. He loved her. So she would continue to follow the path he’s marked for her. Even if it led her into hell.