Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 56507 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 283(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56507 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 283(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
“How much?” Mikhail snaps after a pause. “Let’s get right down to it. You’ve taken an innocent girl from her home. You’ve dragged her across the damn country. You’ve almost caused a war between us and an East Coast Bratva. How much do you need, Aiden?”
“Money,” Aiden says. “You can’t seriously believe this is about that.”
“Do you expect us seriously to believe you did this out of the goodness of your heart? All so Ania could meet her mother? If that is her mother?”
“What do you mean?” I say, which are the first words I’ve spoken.
Dimitri and Aiden look at me like they’re shocked I’ve said anything, which is annoying. Only Aiden looks at me as though he’s ready to hear what I have to say.
“I can’t find anything that connects that woman to you, Ania.”
“My father wiped all of Molly’s records,” Aiden snaps. “She was terrified of your father coming after her—the man who beat a woman bloody and left her for dead. The man who stole a baby from her mother.”
“And we’re supposed to believe you?” Mikhail snaps. “Maybe you’re just some fucked-up folks who want to pick a fight. Maybe you’re twisting my sister’s head.”
“She’s my mom, Mikhail,” I tell him. “That’s not what we’re here to talk about.”
I try to keep my voice steady, but it feels almost sick that he’d say this about my mom.
“You’ve known this woman one day,” Mikhail replies. “I’m sorry, Ania, but there’s no way to know if they’re telling the truth.”
“You think I risked ruining my father’s business by associating with Bratva criminals so I could …” Aiden pauses. “… hire an actress to pretend to be Ania’s mother? Does that make any goddamn sense to either of you?”
“We’re just trying to get the facts,” Dimitri growls. “Watch your tone.”
“Hmm,” Aiden replies, staring coldly at Dimitri.
“Please don’t fight,” I plead.
“Nobody’s fighting,” Aiden tells me, giving me a supportive look that means more to me than he will ever know.
“Molly is my mother. If you saw her, you’d be able to see that. If you saw Henry, my little brother, you’d see it, too.”
Dimitri waves a hand. I try to tell myself they just want the best for me. They always have, but it’s feeling like they don’t even care what I have to say or my opinion.
“Well, she can visit you in Vegas,” Dimitri says. “Whatever’s happening here, let’s just be thankful it doesn’t have to come to war. The three idiots who burned down the lodge have been reprimanded. The Bratva has agreed to let it slide. No harm done.”
“He’s right,” Mikhail says. “Ania, you have no reason to stay with these … people. It’s not like they gave you a choice.”
“Now you’re not giving me a choice either,” I whisper, but nobody hears me.
Dimitri says, “If Molly wants to see Ania, she can fly west. Otherwise, there’s nothing else to discuss.”
“Hmm,” Aiden mutters.
“What sort of answer is that?” Mikhail growls.
“It seems we should ask Ania what she wants,” Aiden says calmly, almost like he’s trying to rile up Mikhail.
“Is this how you’re playing her, then?” Mikhail snaps. “You’re pretending to be her best friend? Ania, remember, he kidnapped you. Anything he does, even if it seems nice, even if he pretends it’s for your benefit, is automatically crap.”
“But …” I pause, then say, “What if I want to stay a little longer?”
Mikhail glares at Aiden. “What the fuck have you said to her? What have you done?”
“I’m not a kid!” I hiss. I’m so tired of everybody treating me like one. “I’ve been with them for one day. I haven’t got Stockholm syndrome. I’ve spent my whole life dreaming of having a mom and—” Suddenly, I’m on my feet. I want to be reasonable and measured, like the precise movements of a ballerina, but I yell. “You can’t just show up and take me away. Nobody’s hurt. Nobody’s in danger.”
“You’re in danger,” Mikhail says, softening his tone like he’s talking to a crazy lady, making it worse. “We can’t trust these strangers.”
“They’re not strangers. They’re family.”
Mikhail glares at Aiden. “You’ve really done a number on her, haven’t you?”
“Mikhail,” I snap. “Mila’s life was a lot like mine, right? But you two fell in …” Love. What am I even saying? “Did you do a number on her, then?”
“Is that what this is?” Dimitri snaps, staring at Aiden with murder in his eyes. “You bastard. Are you making her think you care, too?”
“I’m waiting to hear Ania’s decision,” Aiden says. “We’ll go from there.”
He turns to me, looking at me with no judgment. Mikhail and Dimitri obviously love me, but the difference between how they look at me and how Aiden does is massive. They still see me as their baby sister. Can I blame them? I don’t know. It annoys me.