“The situation is a bit complicated.”
“Out with it, Viktor. Don’t just stand there staring like an idiot.”
“You’re probably not going to like this.”
“In that case, spare me the details.” I pause. “Where’s Sasha?”
“Lipovsky is involved in the situation you’re probably not going to like.”
I narrow my eyes. “What’s he done now?”
“You better see it for yourself. It’s all happening in the clinic where Mr. Konstantin is resting—”
Before he’s finished his sentence, I’m already storming outside. I’m going to break Konstantin’s neck and lock Sasha the fuck up. It’s not enough that she pulled the whole stunt about saving him yesterday, but she also had the nerve to run away from me to go to him first thing this morning.
When I arrive at the clinic, one of the nurses bows her head in greeting. “Mr. Konstantin is in the second room on the left.”
I give a curt nod, and she smiles as she continues on her way. She must think I’m here to visit my useless brother, which is far from being the case.
I’m ready to send him to the grave he escaped from last night—
My thoughts come to a halt when I reach the door to his room. Konstantin sits in bed with a hideous-looking face that has more blue and purple than normal skin, but he’s grinning from ear to ear.
None other than Karina helps feed him some soup while smiling. She doesn’t do that, or she stopped for years, and I almost forgot she has deep dimples in her cheeks.
The fact that my recluse sister actually went out of the house and walked the length of the garden is a feat in and of its own. Not only that, but she’s also visiting Konstantin. I always got the impression she didn’t like him, despite his attempts to take her under his wing.
Another surprising fact is the absence of Yulia from his bedside. In the past, if he so much as fell and scraped his knee, she’d fawn over her golden son for days, always blaming me for not taking care of ‘my brother.’
The funny thing about Yulia is that Konstantin becomes my brother when it suits her. When it doesn’t, I’m just the devil who took ‘her’ son’s rightful place.
Sasha stands by Karina’s side, smiling softly, and the whole picture starts to become clear. She must’ve convinced my sister to visit Konstantin and accompanied her on the journey from the house to here.
Judging by Karina’s long-sleeved dress and boots, she was mentally prepared to go outside.
“She wanted to come last night,” Sasha tells my brother. “But she was wary of your mother’s presence.”
“I see,” he says. “It was good that you texted me. I told Mother I needed another doctor, and she went to personally make sure she gets the best.”
Did he just mention texting? As in, Sasha istextinghim?
I’m seriously contemplating why I didn’t let Viktor shoot him last night in that fucking duffel bag.
Sasha nods. “I really wanted to bring Karina here when your mother wasn’t around, hoping to make it easier for her.”
“Good call,” says Konstantin.
“Thanks, Sasha.” Karina takes her hand and offers her a dimpled smile. “I couldn’t have done this without you.”
“Well, isn’t this lovely?” I stride inside. “A family reunion that’s only missing cake and champagne.”
“Kirill!” Karina says excitedly and jumps up, nearly spilling the contents of the bowl. “Look, I’m outside! I came through the garden and only had one panic attack and…”
She trails off, realizing that she’s talking to me when she swore she’d hate me for eternity. Then she flops back to Konstantin’s side, hugging the bowl.
“Am I dreaming, or are you here to visit?” my brother asks with a hint of annoying gloating.
“Definitely dreaming. I’m here to inspect the situation, not visit.” My attention slides to Sasha, who seems to find the top of Karina’s head interesting.