Page 50 of Bride of Vengeance
Relief flashes across her face. She's been worried about this, I realize. Because this is also a test, to see if I would choose the safe option over the braver one.
"When do we go?"
"Tomorrow." I glance at the evidence spread across the table. "We need time to organize this information, prepare our case. And I need time to think what the hell I'm going to say to my niece."
"You'll figure it out. You saved my life. Multiple times. You've been protecting your family from the shadows for years. I’m confident that Mila will see that eventually."
"Eventually," I agree. "After she finishes being furious with me."
"Well, what you did is pretty rage-worthy."
Pretty rage-worthy.Leave it to Mariana to find dark humor in family trauma.
But she's right. What I did is unforgivable in many ways. I can explain the reasons, justify the choices, rationalize the decades of deception, but I can't undo the harm I've caused.
"Thank you," I say.
"For what?"
"For being here. For not letting me face this alone." I catch her hand, holding it against my shoulder.
I see something different cross her face this time, as if suddenly she's back to be the same woman from last night.
"You're not alone, Mikhail. Not anymore."
For some reason, that promise sounds different now, especially with my name attached. It makes me feel human; a feeling I'd almost forgotten until I met Mariana. And I realize I have a partner now. An equal. Someone who sees the killer and the man in me and chooses to stand beside both.
My phone buzzes with an encrypted alert. Boris, with news that makes my blood run cold.
Another federal witness murdered. Female, mid-twenties, disappeared from protective custody last night. Harrison's signature all over it.
I show Mariana the message, watching her face pale as she processes the implications.
"He's escalating," she says, her voice tight with suppressed fury. "Getting bolder because he has the advantage of continuing to blame us as long as we are alive, and because he knows we're building a case against him."
"Or getting desperate because he knows his network is about to be exposed." I stand, pulling up additional intelligence on my laptop. "Either way, this changes the timeline. We can't wait to organize evidence and prepare perfect presentations."
"We need to move fast."
"Tomorrow morning. We take everything we have to Mila and Alexei, lay out the case, and ask for their help." I look at her seriously. "This is it. The moment we stop running and start fighting back."
She nods, determination replacing the fear in her amber eyes. "Then let's finish collecting this evidence. When we walk into that meeting tomorrow, we need to be ready to prove everything we're claiming."
Tomorrow, I stop being Ghost and become Mikhail Kozlov again.But tonight, I have one more night as Ghost. One morenight to prepare for the most dangerous operation I've ever attempted, and facing the people I love.
One more night before everything changes.
I look at Mariana, seeing her bent over the evidence with fierce concentration, and realize everything already changed.
Now I'm just catching up to the truth I've been running from.
Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is stop hiding and let people see who you really are.
I have to say goodbye to Ghost. And that should terrify me but instead feels like relief.
Chapter eleven
Family Ties
