“I don’t want to, but Mikhail isn’t giving me a choice.”
“Why are you telling me this?” I ask. If I show up to the party, I’ll destroy everything that I’ve worked to achieve. The peace between the Russians and Italians will be severed.
She pauses for a breath. I almost think it’s because she loves me, but I’m not a fool to believe that she’ll want to be with me after one night and forcing her to live under my roof.
“Because you’re the father of my children, and I won’t be in New York after I get married. He’s shipping me off to Russia.”
My stomach drops at the mention of her leaving the country. I’ll never see my children again if she goes to Russia. “No, he can’t do that.”
She puts her boot down on the ground. She’s out of time. Any minute, the guard watching her will be coming out of the vehicle if she wastes any more time with me. “I have to go. The party is in two weeks at the compound. It’s at seven o’clock. Please, I need your help.”
“How am I supposed to get in?” I ask.
Every Russian will recognize me.
“I’ll suggest to my fiancé that we make it a costume party,” Aleksandra says. “Mikhail will listen to him.” She hurries to the preschool entrance and presses the buzzer, waiting to be allowed inside to pick up the twins.
The bench is cold. The air outside is even chillier, but I sit and wait. I want to see Liam and Sophia, even from a distance.
Snow continues to fall, thicker and faster.
Several minutes pass before Aleksandra steps outside into the snow. On each side of her, are the twins, clutching her hands as she walks with them down the sidewalk and then waits for traffic to clear before crossing the street.
Sophia and Liam don’t seem to notice me. It’s probably for the best. It’s not like either one of them can keep a secret, and I don’t want Mikhail or his men to suspect that I’m coming for my family.