Chapter Twenty-Four – Maria
“ Why the fuck will I kill my own daughter?”
That had come out as soon as I barged in. Imagine my shock when I learned that the same former notorious criminal from the 1980s was the actual grandfather of my precious Polina.
It felt like I’d fallen into a parallel universe where the most estranged plots occurred.
The revelation rocked me to the core.
It hit Roman hard, too. I could tell; I saw the mix of emotions spread across his face: confusion, anger, disbelief. And that was a lot, coming from a man who might as well have had statues as his ancestors.
I laid low, rolled like a hero in an action film, crawled like a soldier in enemy territory, and finally hid behind one of the blown-up sofas with lots of white stuffing hanging out.
I wanted to feel guilty for doing the opposite—o f the opposite— of Roman’s instruction. But how the hell did he expect me to just sit in the car and stay put while all the action went on inside?
I’d stuck my nose up, internally refusing to acknowledge that I was worried about him when the gunfire sliced through the air.
I’d refused to accept that my heart sank to my stomach in a sick, twisted way when neither of his men emerged from the house after half an hour.
I didn’t care; I’d tried to convince myself. I didn’t care about a man who had hurt me without a second thought—and who was probably bipolar due to his snap-like switches between moods. One minute, he’d look like he wanted to devour me, swallow me whole, and spit my remains to Hades, and the next, he’d be sitting there, missing the sound of my voice.
Absolute nonsense.
Except for one tiny factor: I did care.
I cared enough to throw caution to the wind, disregard safety measures, and run into the house like a mad woman searching for her long-lost treasure.
I cared enough to lie in wait behind a couch, listening— eavesdropping— on Benjamin narrating his story because I knew if Roman laid eyes on me, he’d be upset. And I didn’t want to upset him any more than he already was.
The old man’s voice cracked with emotion as he spoke of his daughter, Lorelai, and how he had failed her in every way possible.
“Just like you, I was too caught up in that life.” He shook his head. “I neglected her, abandoned her. I couldn't be the father she deserved. I didn't even give her my name.” He paused and sniffled. And Roman looked at him like he hadn’t seen a more appalling sight.
“I was too busy, too caught up in the violence and the power struggles. I didn’t even give her my name; I didn’t want a daughter in my life. I thought I was protecting her, but really, I was just running from my responsibilities. I was just cowardly, investing so much of my time in things that didn’t matter, and by the time I realized the damage I had done, it was too late.
“She grew up without me, living her own life, separate from mine. And I let it happen. My little girl was so beautiful, inside and out. She did everything right. Helped the poor and needy. Never held grudges. Went to church on Sundays. Believed this world could be a better place. She had a heart of gold. And I was too proud, too stubborn, to reach out and be a part of her life. Now, I’m left with the weight of my mistakes.
“As the years passed, I realized the error of my ways. I saw the harm I had caused, the pain I had inflicted on my own flesh and blood. And I knew I had to make it right. So, when your father kicked me out of Chicago, I took it as a sign. Decided to start afresh, beginning from scratch to see if I could erase my wrongs. But it was too late. My sins caught up with me. My Lorelai had moved on. I heard she found love with one of the Varkov men. Roman, the son of my enemy. And she had married him, unaware of the feud between our families.”
He clenched his fist on the armrest and leaned back like a man resigned to his fate.
“My heart aches as I think about it. She was too innocent, too pure, to be caught up in our world. She was the reason I never retaliated against your father. Or you. By the time I came to my senses, it was too late. Lorelai was gone, taken from me by fate, leaving behind my beautiful granddaughter, Polina.”
Roman’s eyes hardened, but he didn’t interrupt the old man.
“I’m left with the memories of my mistakes, the what-ifs and the if-onlys. I’m left to pick up the pieces of my ruined past, to try and make amends with the only family I have left: Polina.”
“Nice try,” Roman snapped. He waved the gun in the air but didn’t aim. “Try something else. I’m not giving my daughter up for some sob shit, you hear me?”
“I’m not asking you to give her up, Roman. My deepest desire is to make things right.” Benjamin was almost begging now. “You have to listen. Everything I’ve said is nothing but the truth. I’ve lived a life filled with pain and loss. My sons, my precious boys, were taken from me by the vicious hands of the Morales cartel. They sought to destroy me, just like your father did. And they succeeded, leaving me with only my daughter, Lorelai. But even she was taken from me. I have no one….”
Hearing that, my heart moved for the old man.
Funny how we suddenly shared one thing in common: a sense of loss and loneliness.
“My siblings, my brothers and sisters, all gone. Killed by the same ruthless enemies who sought to destroy our family. I am all that’s left, the last remnant of a once-strong clan. And now, I have only Polina, my granddaughter, who carries my blood.
“Roman, you might not understand, and I don’t expect you to. I don’t even plead for your sympathy. But the weight of responsibility is crushing me. I must protect her, shield her from this brutal world that has taken everything from me. The mafia, with its endless violence and bloodshed, has destroyed my family. I cannot let it take Polina, too.
“I am haunted by the memories of my loved ones, their faces etched in my mind, their laughter and smiles echoing in my ears. I am driven by the need to keep her safe, to give her the life they never had. A life free from all this pain and fear. I owe it to her.”
As I listened to Benjamin's words, I felt a lump form in my throat. He spoke with such conviction, such regret, that I couldn't help but believe him. My eyes welled up with tears, and I fought to keep them at bay.
But my emotions were short-lived when I noticed Finn suddenly break free from the ropes tied to his hands.
My heart raced as he quickly grabbed a gun from the floor—one that must have belonged to one of Benjamin’s security guards lying lifeless on the floor, I realized—and pointed it directly at Roman.
Something flashed before my eyes, but it wasn’t my life. It was ours . The one we’d shared in a few months. The nights we’d cuddled, the silent jokes we’d traded, the heated conversations we’d had.
Hate burned in Finn’s eyes—hate for Roman, hate for being humiliated. And he was determined to make those fond recollections the only memories I’d ever have of him.
Fucking never!
My scream was instinctual, a warning to Roman to get out of the way.
“Roman!” I yelled at the top of my lungs, momentarily forgetting that I was to stay hidden.
Roman’s reaction was swift, like he’d sensed it coming. He dodged the bullet by mere inches. My heart galloped, and my mind reeled with fear.
But Roman didn't hesitate. He quickly overpowered Finn and slammed him against the wall.
Silver glinted in the air, and I realized Lev had thrown him a knife.
My breath hitched.
I knew what it meant.
He was going to hurt him.
He was going to hurt Finn at the exact same spot where Finn had hurt me.
He pressed the knife to Finn’s neck and growled under his breath, “Look away, Maria.”
I wasn’t sure I could stomach being an eyewitness of another man’s death, so I looked away. And his promise came back to me, loud and clear, despite the sound of a blade swishing against flesh, the choked gurgle, and a heavy slump of a now lifeless body on the floor.
Five words that were not ordinary threats but a vow.
I will slit his throat.
The silver blade clanked on the ground, and he walked back to Benjamin and Lev, who didn’t so much as flinch, like he hadn’t just taken a man’s life.
He motioned to the old man with a bored wave of his hand. “Continue.”
While the conversation went on between the two men, a loud ringing erupted in my ears, and a wave of nausea washed over me.
Benjamin glanced at the body, looking slightly disturbed. “That’s why I want to get Polina out of this, away from all this violence and bloodshed. I want to give her a chance at a normal life.”
“You don’t get to fucking decide that!” Roman roared. His voice boomed on all the corners of the house. I had never seen him this upset. “Polina is my daughter. Mine! And no one can protect her better than me. You abandoned your own daughter. You have no right to claim you want to protect mine.”
The words stung, probably pierced the old man’s heart like a dagger, but he knew Roman spoke the truth, and it hurt.
But my head was spinning, and I turned pale.
On accident, I gazed at Finn’s lifeless body, and my eyes widened with horror.
I suppressed a gag.
I was going to vomit.
I really was going to vomit.
Quickly, unable to hold myself back, I turned and walked out of the room, leaving all the drama behind.