Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 80207 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80207 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
“Tiana, you look after your mama while we’re gone,” Papa instructs.
“Yes, Papa,” she replies.
Tiana was the first to call him Papa, where it took Misha a couple of years. He still alternates between Mr. Ashlanhov and Papa. It was easier for both to switch from Mrs. Ashlanhov to Mama, though.
Just to please Mama, we all eat twice as much. It feels like I’m going to burst by the time I stand up from the table. I press a kiss to Mama’s cheek before giving her a tight hug, then move to Tiana to hug her quickly.
“Be careful,” Mama says to Papa. “And look after our babies.”
“Babies, my ass,” Papa grumbles. “They’re fully grown men.”
Mama gives him a look of warning. “They’ll always be my babies.”
It takes another ten minutes before we’re able to leave the house, and only once we’ve all piled into the armored SUV does Papa say, “We’re taking Ivanov’s daughter tonight.”
What?
My eyes widen, and shock trickles through my body. Misha and I just started with our bratva training. We’ve been assigned to a junior boss and follow him around like lost fucking puppies. So far, I’ve only beaten a couple of fuckers who owe the bratva money. I’ve only killed once.
Kidnapping? That’s a whole different level. Especially if the girl has half a fucking army guarding her.
My eyes flick to Misha, and we stare at each other for a moment.
“Alek, you’ll grab the girl while Vincent has your back. Misha and I, along with my soldiers, will take care of her guards.”
Christ.
I nod because there’s no arguing allowed. You do as you’re told in the bratva. I have to kidnap the girl. I’d much rather help take care of the guards.
Letting out a slow breath, I turn my attention to the snow-covered scenery passing us by as we speed toward the heart of Moscow.
Against my better judgment, I ask, “What happens to the girl after we take her?”
Papa’s eyes remain on the road as he mutters, “She’ll be our hostage until Ivanov either withdraws out of our territory or agrees to an alliance.”
Fuck. That can take years.
Pushing my luck, I ask another question, “Will she be kept in one of the safe houses?”
“No.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask yet another question, but I know it will anger my father.
“She’ll stay with us,” he mutters.
What the fuck? Mama is going to lose her shit.
Papa once came home with a little boy they kidnapped, and Mama didn’t speak to Papa for a whole two months.
“It won’t be for long,” Papa adds.
The little boy only stayed two days. Hopefully, things will run as smoothly this time around.
Or things are going to be tense at home for a long while.
“You’ll make me proud,” Papa demands. “Do as you’re told and get the job done.”
“Yes, Papa,” we all answer in unison.
Chapter 2
Everleigh
(Eighteen years old...)
Glancing around me, it’s still hard to believe I’m in Moscow.
I was supposed to take this trip with my parents, but they died in a car accident on New Year's Eve.
Next month will be a year since they passed away. The grief still comes in waves, especially when I see one of the sights Mom always talked about.
We planned this trip for over a year, and it was meant to be my graduation gift. With them gone, I decided to honor their memory by going ahead with the vacation. Russia, Scotland, and Hawaii. We each chose a destination, and right now, I’m on the first leg of the trip.
Sometimes I’m struck by a wave of panic. Honestly, it’s a little terrifying exploring a foreign country alone.
It’s terrifying being alone in this big world.
The only family I have left are Dad’s cousins, who live in Canada, but I barely have contact with them. There is Gillian, Mom’s best friend, and she’s offered that I move in with her, but she has four kids of her own, and I don’t want to intrude.
I inherited enough to live comfortably for the next ten years or so. Money is the least of my worries. It’s the fact that I don’t have my parents anymore that’s scaring the hell out of me.
I was going to study literature and played with the idea of becoming an editor, but that flew out the window when I lost my parents.
Actually, I lost more than just my parents. I lost my friends as well. They tried to be patient with me, but I was too consumed with unbearable grief, and one by one, they stopped interacting with me.
By the grace of god, I managed to complete my final year of school, and now, as I’m traveling through Russia, I have no idea what I’ll do once the vacation is over.
Do I study further? My parents are supposed to be here to help me make this decision.