Page 14 of Dirty Crown
Ivan’s eyes opened wider and despite his gaunt appearance, pride flared across his face.
They shuffled to me, just the two of them, and when they reached me I was hit with a horrible smell. They’d obviously been kept in horrible conditions and were suffering for it.
“Are you okay?” I asked them both without taking my eyes off Ilya.
“I think so,” Amara said. “I don’t feel anything out of place.”
“How about you?” I asked Ivan.
“Better than I’ve been for a while,” he replied and laughed. “Of course you’re my daughter, look at you. Who else would have Ilya Kostin eating out of their hand like a tame little pet?”
“She is your offspring,” Amara smiled. “She was a little asshole when I told her no, we weren’t going to search for you.”
I laughed and turned to Kingston. “I guess let them go,” I said, indicating Maksim and Avery.
He shoved them forward and Maksim stumbled into his father’s arms. Ilya motioned for his guards to help Maksim up, seeming almost disgusted with his own son.
“We don’t want her,” Ilya said, motioning toward Avery. “She’s not our problem.”
“She’s not ours,” Ivan said, frowning. “Why would we keep her here?”
“She’s your daughter,” Ilya said. “She’s your problem.”
“She’s not my daughter, what are you talking about?” Ivan exclaimed. “Is this what you think? There’s no way I’m her father!”
“Well, that changes a few things,” I said, a relief bolted through me as I thought about the things Maksim had made us do.
CHAPTER6
“You madeher when you fucked my sister,” Ilya said in a low warning tone. “You and she laid together, and my sister came up pregnant. That’s the way it works, or have you forgotten how children are made?”
He looked back at his men and laughed. They joined in, but their laughter was forced and nervous.
“I barely knew your sister,” Ivan replied. He took a moment as if in deep thought and said, “I don’t think I ever spent a moment alone with her.”
Avery stood nearby and tears streamed down her cheeks. Again, I was led into sympathy for her. I felt horrible that she was being argued about like a pile of trash. Nobody wanted her. That kind of rejection would be soul shattering.
I couldn’t help myself. I walked to her side and put my hand on her shoulder.
“They’re all idiots on Ilya’s side,” I said. “Even if we’re not sisters, I feel bad for you.”
“Get fucked,” she snapped, then her shoulders hunched forward as she began to sob silently. She rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet and made a keening noise, like an animal.
“Thank you,” she finally whispered. “This is beyond humiliating. I know who my mother is, but nobody seems to know who my father is. You probably don’t know what that’s like. You’ve had Ivan on your side for a long time.”
“I haven’t, though,” I replied. “I grew up without knowing him. I had to live like that my entire life, having a step dad and a half sister by him. Everybody knew about it. They used to mock me constantly.”
“But at least you had a dad,” she said miserably.
“He raped me,” I said matter-of-factly. “I don’t mean to be so blunt, but face it, we’re not exactly polite with each other, are we?”
She had the decency to look embarrassed. As ashamed as I felt every time I thought about it.
“No, I guess not,” she said. “I guess we’re way past that now.”
“Are you two going to start kissing or are we finished here?” Ilya sneered. Two of his guards were helping Maksim back to the helicopter, and he was glaring at me with such venom I’m surprised he didn’t manage to light me on fire right then and there.
“No, we’re not done,” I replied with disgust. “You’ve had Avery in your family for years now. Regardless of who her father is, she’s your niece and Maksim’s cousin. Take her with you. It’s the only life she’s ever known.”
