Page 40 of Cruel Russian Pakhan
“And Artyom had to ask his uncle about it, so I'm assuming his father…our father is dead?” I choked out, and fresh tears fell from my eyes.
Lev pulled me back into him. “I'm so sorry you’ll never get to meet him.”
If my mother had told my father, my life would’ve been different. That one decision changed everything.
It would’ve been different…but would it have been better? After all, they’re the Russian mafia.
“They want to meet you,” he said gently. “In a few days. If you’re up to it.”
I clung tighter to him. I had siblings. And they wanted to meet me.
But…why?
Was it curiosity? Or retribution? Did they hate me for what my mother had done?
Without lifting my head, I whispered, “I’ve always wanted a family…and now that I have one, I’m scared they’ll hate me for her choices.”
Lev’s voice was tender. “It takes two to make a baby, Katya. And if it makes you feel better, I won't let you face them alone. I’ll go with you, whenever you’re ready. That’s if you ever want to meet them. I won’t let anyone hurt you. You don’t have to decide now. Just think about it.”
“What if I decide I don't want to meet them, will you let me go?”
“I will, but I'm sure Artyom and the others will find you, since you are family. And if I'm being honest, because you're now aligned with the Bratva, if others find out who you are, you will be a sitting target. So, it might be safer to meet with them and hear what they have to say, okay?”
I nodded, wincing as pain throbbed behind my eyes again.
Lev gently unwrapped me from his arms, crossed the room to turn off the lights, then came back to the bed. He kicked off his shoes, slid under the covers, and pulled me close once more until we were both lying flat on the bed.
“Rest,” he murmured. “We’ll talk more later.”
I wasn't sure how long I had slept, but when I woke up there was a tray with dinner on the nightstand, a basket of fresh fruits with chocolates, and a bottle of painkillers.
After taking a shower, I ate some of the dinner and took two pills. When I woke up again and checked the clock on the nightstand, it was seven thirty in the morning.
My headache was gone, and I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I lay in bed for another five minutes before going into the bathroom to start my morning routine. When I came out, Ninel was in my room with a tray of breakfast for two.
She was sitting on the sofa, and the tray was on the coffee table. She stood up with a smile and I rushed into her arms. She hugged me tightly and we both sank into the sofa as a few tears slipped from my eyes.
I sniffled and pulled away. “What are you doing here? Not that I'm angry, just surprised.”
“Lev told us everything, and he thought you could use some company today. Mariya wanted to come too, but she had a couple of meetings to attend.”
“Thank you for coming,” I said softly. “I didn’t know if you and Mariya still wanted to see me.”
“Katya, we like you. Just because you aren’t Vera doesn’t mean we’ll stop liking you.”
A thought suddenly crossed my mind.
“Lev was supposed to marry Vera, right?”
Ninel nodded.
“So, then what happens to me, if I decide to stay? Decide to meet them?” I bit my lip as sadness filled me.
“Because you’re a Rykov, you’ll be returned to them.”
“Makes me sound like a damn package,” I mumbled.
Ninel chuckled. “That's how it's done in our world. You'll be under the care and protection of your family. And Artyom will now have the power to choose a husband for you. You and Lev will get an annulment, since you didn’t sign the marriage certificate as Vera Rykov, who he had intended to marry. They’ll make it retroactive as soon as he gives the go-ahead.”
