“And her mother?”
“She died of a mysterious illness earlier this year.”
I nod, rubbing a hand over my mouth. “So she’s in need of protection from an entirely different threat.”
Viktor nods. “Max, we’ve talked about this time and again. Dealing with your threat should be simple enough–Golubev is a man with some connections, but not enough to make him too difficult, and he’s on his own mission without backing. I can make short work of him, with any luck. But Sasha–” He shakes his head. “This is more complicated. She has my protection, but I have to tread carefully. Obelensky is below me in terms of influence here, but in Russia, he is my equivalent. Luca will stand behind her as well, but she needs friendsthere, Max. She needs powerful friends on more than just this continent. And that’s where you come in.”
I know what he’s going to say before he even finishes the sentence. “You want me to pick up the Agosti mantle, and use that influence to make sure that Sasha is surrounded on all sides.”
“Exactly.” Viktor nods. “Obelensky will be made aware that if he touches her, he will be cut off from business with the Andreyev, Romano, and McGregor names. But that’s not enough to deter him altogether, and we can’t start a war over this.Ican’t. She can’t come back here until the threat is handled, Max. I need you to understand that. And where she is now–she needs to be surrounded by protection. Without the influence you can wield, without the other Families to stand behind you, you’re all but useless to her.”
“We all know how you feel about her,” Luca cuts in. “Max–no one knows better than I do what it means to do something that you don’t wish to in order to protect someone else. I am grateful for Sofia and everything that she’s given me beyond words. Still, there was a time when I felt nothing but anger that I was forced to marry her to keep her alive and my father’s promise. Whether you’ve chosen to act on your feelings for Sasha or not, we all know that you love her. This, now, is the greatest service you could do for her.”
“You were born to this name, to this family,” Viktor says firmly. “You have lived a life of service to it, Max, whether you wanted to or not. You say that your brother doesn’t deserve the family legacy because he chose to walk away from it. Ifyouwalk away from it now, it will be Sasha that you don’t deserve.”
“I’ve never deserved her, and I never will,” I say quietly. “But I take your point, Viktor.”
“I’ve given you my protection. I know you want to do the same for her.” Viktor folds his hands together, looking at me intently through the screen. “Do what you have to in order to keep her safe, Max.Whateverthat is. I will do the same, and hope that it can make up a little bit more for what I did to her in the past.”
When the call is ended, I sit there, feeling half-stunned.
What do I do?
The answer is there in front of me. I know what it is, but after a lifetime of trying to leave it behind me, it’s not easy to accept.
But if I mean everything I’ve ever said to Sasha, I know I have to.
Slowly, I pry myself up from the chair, heading upstairs to her room. I pause in front of the door and then knock softly, feeling my heart clench in my chest.
When she opens the door, I can see that she’s been crying. Her eyes are red-rimmed, her face paler than usual, with splotches of red on her cheekbones. She looks at me, swallowing hard, and I let out a long breath.
“Can I come in, Sasha?”
She nods, and I step inside.
I think of what Viktor told me, that it might be better if she doesn’t know. I look at her sweet face as I step into the room, looking at me with the same trust she’s always given me, even as I’ve broken her heart again and again, no matter how I try otherwise.
I can’t hide something like this from her.
If I’m going to take up the position that everyone seems to want me to, it means that it will be time for me to start making decisions for myself. To start trusting my own judgment.
So that begins tonight.
“I need to tell you something,” I say quietly, reaching for her hand. I lead her over to the chair by the window, sitting down on the edge of the bed facing her, and I see Sasha’s face go very still.
“Is this about what happened outside–”
“No.” I shake my head. “Viktor called me. He gave me some information, and he thought it would be better if you didn’t know, but I–I disagree. I think you deserve to know.”
“I–what?” Sasha looks at me in utter confusion, and slowly, I begin to explain.
I hadn’t thought it was possible for her to grow paler, but as I tell her what Viktor told me, I see the rest of the blood drain from her face.
“My–you’re telling me my father is alive? That he’s–that he–he wants me dead? And my mother–”
“She passed away earlier this year,” I confirm. “There’s no concrete proof, but Viktor suspects it’s related. These are cruel men, cruel families, and they won’t care about one girl. If you threaten his power structure somehow by existing–and you must–then he won’t hesitate to eliminate you. And he’s trying already.”
“So what–what am I supposed to do?” Sasha’s voice cracks with fear, and I get up instantly, crossing to her and kneeling next to her chair, taking her hand in mine.