Chapter 39
With every passing day, I miss Thatcher more.
It’s been torture to have to ignore him, and I know he’s probably spiraling at my silence.
Teddy arrived today, and I wanted so badly to ask him how my solnyshko was doing, but even that’s too dangerous.
We’re so close to the finish line here, though, and I just have to make it through one more night pretending to be in love with Oleg the oaf.
Between him and his father, I’m not sure who I’m more excited to kill.
It was decidedly Zakhar, but every moment I’m forced to stand by Oleg’s side, I loathe him more.
As I sit beside him with his unwelcome hand on my thigh, inching higher, it’s taking everything within me not to take him out right here and now.
“To Oleg and Mila!”
Cheers erupt after the last speech, bringing my focus back to the table of guests. I’m at the head of the table beside my all-too-handsy fiancé, with Zakhar and his friends and men placed closest to us. My own men and family are seated so far down, I can hardly see them.
“Everyone is dying to know about the lady who snatched our Oleg up. Tell us about yourself. How did you two meet?” one of the more noticeably drunk wives slurs from a few chairs down.
“Oh, well, I run the—”
“My beautiful bride has been helping me transfer things over in New York,” Oleg says, squeezing my thigh.
“That’s how we met, actually. The Zadorovs will be taking over the outfit there and installing me as the Pakhan, so I’ve been spending quite a bit of time there.
My girl was being so kind, helping her cousin get his records in order to make things easier for everyone. Isn’t that right, pussycat?”
“Spot on, darling.” My saccharine smile must be convincing, because nobody bats an eye, even as I wrench Oleg’s hand off my thigh.
The faux story draws the attention of the other women seated nearby, who coo in unison.
“So was it love at first sight?” This time the question is directed at Oleg instead of me.
“Oh absolutely! Trust me, I had no intention of falling in love so easily, but I knew the moment I saw her that she was it.”
Oleg drones on as I glance at where Misha is staring back at me. I can’t see him well enough to make out his expression, but I know he’s furious.
“What are these two lovebirds talking about?” Zakhar says, interrupting his son.
“Oleg was just telling us how smitten he is.”
My father-in-law-to-be chuckles. “Oh yes, we’re all smitten with our sweet little Mila. I know she’s going to make my son a very happy man. Just look at how in love they are!”
Oleg leans down to kiss my head. I do my best to smile instead of cringing, and judging by the women’s swooning, I guess my acting skills are still on point.
“See, look at my little lovebirds. These two are going to make me a litter of grandchildren!”
“A litter of heirs you mean?” One of the nearby men laughs. “You’re going to need a lot in order to run all of the outfits you’ve taken over, Zakhar.”
Oleg throws his arm around my shoulder and pulls me closer to him. “Don’t you worry about the grandchildren. I’m going to put so many sons in my wife, she won’t know what to do.”
Fuck that shit. I can’t stop the visceral reaction to slap the shit out of this asshole. Luckily, his crude language warrants such a response, so I play the bashful bride.
“Oleg!” I gasp, slapping his shoulder way harder than necessary for the act.
Our audience eats it up, breaking out in laughter. His eyes darken momentarily before he remembers where we are and joins along.
“Oh, you’ll pay for that one soon, wife,” he pretends to joke.
But I know he’s serious. I know that, given the chance, his abuse would be insurmountable. That’s why he’ll never get the chance to lay a hand on me, or anyone else for that matter.
Tomorrow. I just have to survive until tomorrow.
The possibility of failure rarely overwhelms me, but with so many people who mean so much to me all here together, I can’t help the momentary lapse.
Ivan and Blanche sit, shmoozing the people all around them like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
I’ve gotten so close to Ivan in the past couple of months.
He’s so gentle and fatherly, and didn’t have to come here and risk his life.
His wife definitely didn’t have to. They have children and grandchildren and a million other reasons to live, yet they chose to come help me.
If anything happens to them tomorrow, I’ll never be able to forgive myself.
Then there are my brothers sitting across from them.
To everyone else, Misha looks as cool as a cucumber, but I know his subtle tells.
And Teddy’s as obvious as day running his fingers through his hair.
I have to get that trained out of him. Before Teddy came into my life, Misha was the only person I loved.
Then Teddy showed up, and as much as I fought it, I couldn’t deny the love that my baby brother brought into my life.
I would tell myself it’s just one more person, but as an extension of Teddy, Ellie and their baby were always a part of that love as well.
If anything happened to them…well, I wouldn’t want to continue living.
At the thought of my own demise, my mind goes to Thatcher.
It would kill him to lose me. It’s a realization I’ve had recently, and one that’s added pressure to my already overloaded list of responsibilities.
Of everyone I hold dear, nobody holds a candle to Thatcher.
Not even Misha can compete with the love I have for my solnyshko. I have to stay alive for him.
Fuck, more than that. I have to stay alive for me.
I’ve always had something to die for, but for the first time in my life, I have something to live for.
My determination finds me again, washing away any doubts of success tomorrow. It has to work. And I refuse to allow anyone I love to perish in the process. We’ll take our territory back once and for all, burning anyone and anything that stands in our way.