Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 80942 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80942 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
The fact remains, I trust my men. Not only did we go through my father’s tyranny together, but also our military training. A bond formed between us after we saw each other at our worst, and that can’t be bought with material things.
“Who was it?” I ask with apathetic calm. “Who helped her?”
“We traced the signal to the Pakhan’s house before she headed to the forest,” Kolya says. “So she could’ve met anyone there.”
I tap my forefinger against my thigh. “Not Sergei since he dislikes her. If Vladimir was there, he wouldn’t have cared enough about her. That only leaves Rai.”
“What are you going to do about it?” Kolya asks. “If you attack her openly, everyone else might know about Mrs. Volkov’s accident.”
“I’ll find a way.”
“That’s not what’s important right now,” Yan snaps. “Lia almost died.”
My head tilts to the side to meet his harsh glare. “Watch your fucking tone if you don’t want your tongue cut out, and she’s Mrs. Volkov to you.”
“I don’t care if you cut my tongue or my limbs, but someone obviously needs to tell you this, Boss.”
“Yan,” Kolya warns.
“Shut the fuck up, Kolya. You should’ve told him this a long time ago, but you chose not to and blindly took his side.” Yan breathes harshly through his nostrils, his anger still directed at me. “She was suffering and you knew it, but you chose to believe she cheated on you and let her bear your ruthless wrath. When the fuck could she even cheat on you when we shadowed her every step? She lost her previous life and was adapting to yours. She never tried to escape after that one time, because deep down, she wanted to be with you and Jeremy, but you had to suffocate her.”
I release a long breath, choosing to ignore Yan’s insolence for now. “Are you done?”
“No.” He swallows, his voice losing some of the anger. “I don’t know why the fuck she said she cheated on you, but I’m guessing it was because she figured out you were using her for being Lazlo’s illegitimate daughter.”
I narrow my eyes. “She said that?”
“She didn’t have to. I could feel it.”
“So now you share a telepathic connection with her?”
“No…?” he asks, unsure. It’s the right choice of words. If he had said he did have that connection, I would’ve killed him.
I already hate that she shares an easy friendship with Yan. That she smiles at him more than she does at me lately. And while I’ve wanted to snuff it out since the beginning, even I realize how much she’s needed a friend. Kolya also said that it would be smarter to let her be friends with her guard rather than seeing him as a threat.
“Just talk to her without being closed off.” Yan sighs. “Then you can kill me.”
“I also don’t see why she shouldn’t know her place in the great scheme of things,” Kolya says.
“What?” I ask.
“She’s been your wife for six years and if she learns about everything, it will prepare her in case something happens.”
Yan holds him by the shoulder. “Fucking finally! That’s what I’ve been saying all along.”
I stare back at Lia. They think I’m doing this to keep her in the dark, when everything I’ve done was to protect her.
Her childhood wasn’t the best and I know how she feels about my world, so I’ve been trying my fucking hardest to keep her as far away from it as I can.
That, and I didn’t want her to meet my mother’s fate if her true identity is discovered.
I halt tapping my finger. “How about the other one?”
“The other one?” Yan frowns.
“The fake Lia.” I give him a glare. But on the bright side, even he couldn’t tell her apart from my Lenochka.
“Her name is Winter Cavanaugh, twenty-seven, American,” Kolya starts. “She’s been homeless for a few months after having a stillborn. The child’s father is unknown. She has an alcohol addiction and she comes from a lower-class background.”
“Is there more information about her parents?”
“Not really, but I’ll look further into it.”
“How about her medical condition?”
“She’s in a coma.”
“Keep her in the guest house until I figure out what to do with her. I don’t want Lia’s lookalike roaming the streets.”
“Yes, Boss.”
Lia’s fingers twitch in my hand and her eyes move beneath her lids before she slowly opens them.
“Call Dr. Putin,” I order, then lean forward as Kolya gets out of the room.
My wife blinks a few times, and as I witness life slowly creeping back into her, I make a vow to get her back, to make things right.
Somehow.
“Hey.” I stroke her chin and cheek. “How are you feeling, Lenochka?”
She stares at the ceiling, blinking slowly, but shows no signs of hearing me.
“Lia. I know you’re mad at me, but look at me.”
She doesn’t.
Instead, she’s limp, her numb expression making her blue eyes muted, almost like a haze has covered them.