Chapter Two
Kirill
She’s back.
I thought all of this shit was behind me.
“You may have had a place here once, Zoya, but it’s gone.” I cross my arms over my chest. “You are no longer wanted.”
“How can you say that, Kirill?” Her voice is shrill. “All these years I was raising your child. All the sacrifices that I made for him. For us .”
“If I had known about him, there would have been no sacrifices.” I look at the boy, who looks terrified. Something tugs at me. This is not a conversation he should be hearing. Yet, Zoya seems to have no trouble with putting him through this.
“I couldn’t tell you. You know that, surely?” Zoya stands and moves toward me. “It wasn’t safe.”
“You knew this world before we ever married. Your family is Bratva. You were groomed for this life. I never hid anything from you.”
“It’s true, you never did. And I should have appreciated you more.” She puts a hand on my arm. “I was wrong to put you through everything I did, milaya moya. I should have had faith that you can protect me.”
I pull my arm away. “You should have had faith years ago. It’s too late now.”
“Is it?” She’s trying to touch me again. I step back. “I don’t think it’s ever too late for a husband and wife to remember their vows. Especially when there is a child involved. Your son, Kirill.”
I take in a deep breath looking over at the boy again. “Stepan,” I say to him. He stares at me with unblinking dark eyes. Tousled dark hair. Angular features. Features similar to mine. I don’t see much of her in him, though. “None of this is your fault. Do you understand?”
He looks over at his mother, then back at me, and then nods. It’s not convincing. I feel another strange pang. Is this what fatherhood feels like? Am I feeling like I should be protecting him from all this? That I should be taking care of his mother too?
Blyad!
Having her back brings too many complications; I should have cut our ties completely, but I didn’t.
And now it’s too late to do that. The plans I’d made to start a family with Tiana – that’s where I’d expected my legacy to begin.
And yet, now there is this. I keep looking at the boy and every time I do, he looks a little more like me.
“Kirill,” Zoya is tugging at my attention once more, “I know you have your reservations. But we need to talk about this.”
Blyad!
I heave out a breath. She’s right. This conversation is unavoidable. But that doesn’t mean it has to happen now.
“Later.” I set my jaw. “This isn’t the time. There are matters I must deal with.”
“You mean like your little suka? ” Zoya scoffs. “The one who ran like a rabbit the minute you threw her out?”
“I never threw her out,” I snap. “I asked her to leave.”
Maybe she took it the wrong way. Damn women and their fucking sensitivities. I’ll deal with it later.
Trakhat’ zhenshchin!
“Of course you did, milaya .” Zoya’s lips curl. “To a woman like me, that is perfectly clear. But to someone like her?” She snorts. “She is still a child. Too sensitive for this life.”
“You mean the life you ran from?” I narrow my eyes on her. She’s still standing facing me, her back to her son. Our son. He’s watching us like an owl.
“And I told you that I was wrong, Kirill! Can you ever forgive me?” Her lower lip quivers.
“There is no need for forgiveness. I made my peace with it a long time ago.”
It’s true. Except now, there will be no peace. Not while I have both women in the same household. And I know what’s happening here – I can’t just throw Zoya out. It would be like tossing her and the boy to the wolves. Their existence has been exposed.
Chert voz’mi!
I run a hand through my hair, which feels like it’s standing on end. All that shit with Theo Avants, the Petrovs hijacking my cargo, and now this bullshit.
“I know that this must be hard for you, my love. Perhaps you had thought you could entertain yourself with that… little girl. But you don’t have to do that anymore. I’m here for you now. And your son too. You have family.”
A family.
The very thing I’ve been wanting. A wife and a heir. Now, here it is, laid out for me. Just not the way I had imagined. I look at the boy again.
Zoya turns slightly and puts her hand on his shoulder. “Come, moy syn . Stand tall so your papa can see what a fine man you are.”
Stepan rises slowly, finally looking me in the eye. He’s a tall boy and well-built for his age. Strong. Healthy. He would make a good heir.
That is if he’s yours, mudak.
“How old are you, boy?” I try not to scowl at him.
He looks hesitantly at Zoya, who replies for him. “He’s six.”
“He can’t speak for himself?”
“He’s being shy, Kirill. You’re scaring him.”
I look back at the child, who’s staring at me fearfully. He has dark eyes, just like me. I suppose his fear is natural. This must be overwhelming for someone so young.
Six.
Blyad.
She’s kept this from me for six fucking years. Six years of missing raising him. I keep my expression carefully schooled when I turn my focus back to my wife.
“You kept him from me all this time.”
“It was for the best. You must know this. Remember how things were before I left? The war with the Petrovs was at its peak. I was afraid, Kirill. I swear to you, I never would have done what I did…” She trails off, the tip of her tongue flicking over her full lower lip.
“It was for the best.” Her voice has grown husky.
As if she feels true remorse over it all.
But then again, Zoya was always a skilled manipulator.
Is that what she’s doing now?
Probably. But that doesn’t mean she’s lying.
If this is true…
Blyad!
I need to find Tiana. I’d be a fool to think that this hasn’t upset her. I have to speak to her and then sort out this shit with Zoya.
What are you going to say to her, dolboyob?
“You will stay with Dima,” I say to Zoya now. “He will see you to your room with the boy… Stepan.” I aim a tight smile at the child.
“Thank you, Kirill,” she gushes out the words. “You won’t be sorry. We’re going to make this work. You’ll see.”
I ignore what she’s saying and turn my attention to Dima. He’s been standing awkwardly by the doorway all this time. “Don’t let her out of your sight. Is that clear?” He nods. “Not a foot off the property. Or even out of this house.”
“But, Kirill, I-” she begins.
“I said not a foot, Zoya!” I stiffen my bearing. “We will talk when I am ready. Until then, you will watch your step.”
“Understood, milaya .” She gives a smile. “I will take the time to reacquaint myself with our home once again. There will be plenty to keep me and your son busy.”
“That’s not what I mean. You keep your nose clean. Stay out of trouble. And you do not cause shit with Tiana, do you hear me?” When she gives a shrug, I step closer and lower my head to her ear. “If you do not obey me, it will not be the Petrovs you have to fear.”
She sucks in a breath but doesn’t cower. Nor does she flinch when I straighten abruptly and turn from her. In fact, she reaches for my arm yet again, her fingers closing over my bicep.
“Watch yourself!” I turn back and lock eyes with her.
Her eyes narrow. “Husband, I will do as you tell me. It is my duty, after all. But hear this: don’t fool yourself into believing that you could ever breed yourself an heir with a…
trembling mouse. She would not be able to handle this life,” There is so much conviction in her voice, I almost believe it. “You know this as well as I do.”
“I don’t need you to tell me how to manage my affairs,” I huff.
“She will become a target, if she hasn’t already. Or worse, she will turn you into a target, Kirill,” she hisses. “Mark my words. That girl will be the weak link in your chain. You know exactly what I am talking about.”
With a low growl, I yank my arm away from her and put distance between us, stalking toward the door. She has no idea. She doesn’t know what Tiana is capable of. No idea of the woman’s strength. If Zoya thinks that she’s a fragile little girl, she’s dead wrong.
I have to set this right.