Page 146 of The Umarova Crime Family

Just like that, the anxiety I had when Nazyr left comes rushing back. I don’t know what he does, but it can’t be good. He has to be doing something horrible, or at least his family is.

“Why don’t we cook? I’m starving, and so is this baby. We could make some chicken and something sweet too. Ooo, do you like chocolate? I’m sure Nazyr has the ingredients for brownies around here somewhere.”

“Yeah, that sounds great,” I reply with a forced smile, having some answers but even more questions than before.

Chapter Nine

Nazyr

“You seem to have taken a liking to the woman if you’re willing to risk all of this for her,” my eldest brother states, and I swallow hard. I know how this looks from the outside. It looks like I’ve fallen in love with Mona, but I barely know her, and I’ve only known her for a week. I’m not in love with her.

“I saw a woman who reminded me too much of Amelia. A woman who was caught in a horrible circumstance, and I felt like I could help her. I still feel that way.” The only reason I’ve brought up Amelia is that Ruslan could’ve easily left Amelia to deal with her own shit, but he didn’t. Instead, he paid the debts she incurred with the Steele family and saved her life in the process. None of us knew it at the time, but the debts weren’t Amelia’s whatsoever.

It’s a long story, but her ex-boyfriend had stolen Amelia’s identity. He was a greedy bastard and didn’t just stop there. He kept going with it. He was able to shut the cameras off at her place of employment and sneak in, stealing money out of a safe. The last person in the office was Amelia, which meant the blame was associated with her. Ruslan was helping the Steele brothers deal with her when he ended up believing every word she said, and thus their love story started. Now they’re married, and they have a little boy together, and Amelia just found out she was pregnant not too long ago.

“That’s what you expect me to believe, that you’re doing this out of the kindness of your heart?” Ruslan snickers, and I don’t blame him. He’s never known me to be a selfless man by any means.

“I don’t know. Truthfully, I don’t know why I’m doing this, but I know I’m trying to be a decent person here. I know I saw a woman in a fucked-up situation, and I had the power to do something, so I did it. I did the only thing I could think of doing—I helped her because I couldn’t just leave her there. If I did, she would’ve been killed, Ruslan.” I know my eyes are widening as I speak, but I’m speaking straight from the heart.

“You’ve never been the type of man who does something for no reason. You’re my brother, Nazyr. I have known you your entire life. I changed your diapers when you were a baby and fed you… I saw you grow into the man you are today, so I’m going to naturally assume there are some other factors at play here. What details are you leaving out about this entire scenario?”

I recall the one thing I told Emily, which I haven’t told Ruslan. “Duarte made it seem like he had people watching me. As if he knew the type of women that I liked.”

“What do you mean?”

“Exactly what I said. He made it seem like he knew the type of woman I was drawn to sexually. I think that giving Mona over to me was something done premeditatedly. I think he knew what I would be drawn to, and I really do believe he’s had people watching me. How long did he know he was meeting with me?”

I think that Duarte must’ve known for quite some time that I’d be the one he was meeting with. That would’ve given him enough time to watch my every move and see firsthand the types of women I’m attracted to. Then I think back to the night I went to the bar and saw Madina. I know all too well what her family does, killing whomever they need for the highest price. However, there have been rumors that her family funnels information to others for the same price. Could she have been Duarte’s contact? She did get close to me that night, and while I didn’t say anything overly forthcoming, she could’ve been on me for a while.

“He knew for about a week.”

I nod, knowing all too well that there’s a good chance he enlisted the help of Madina or someone else. Madina looks like the most likely option at this present time. However, that could change. “All right.”

“So, I think what you’re trying to tell me is that you care so much because this woman is your type?” Ruslan cocks a brow, trying to make sense of this.

I shrug. “I’m not sure, Ruslan. Trust me, I’m trying to figure this out. I’m trying to understand why I felt so compelled to take her with me, and the only thing I can come up with is that it was the right thing to do. I knew if I left her there, she was going to be killed, and I didn’t want an innocent woman’s blood on my hands.”

Ruslan licks his lips and then takes a sip of the water sitting in front of him. “I call bullshit. There might be a small semblance of you deep down that didn’t want her to get hurt, but now that I know she’s your type, it means she’s beautiful. I see what you’re trying to do by comparing her situation to Amelia’s, but these are two entirely different circumstances. You know, if you think she’s beautiful, attractive, or whatever, you can just tell me that. I didn’t have much reason for helping Amelia, and you don’t have much reason for helping this woman, either. I’m not sitting here ragging on you for it, either, so I hope you can see that.”

“I do see it. I know you have questions, and you just want them answered.”

“Yes, I do, and your situation with Mona is much messier than mine with Amelia. When it came to Amelia, I paid her debts and worked out something with her. But you saw how that ended up.” Ruslan laughs lowly, and I know he’s referring to the fact he fell in love with her. The arrangement they made prior to that didn’t matter anymore. Not after that happened. “Although, there’s a big difference here with Mona, Duarte, and her children. One, he’s their father, and even though he has been physically abusive toward Mona, he is still their father. Two, he’s now become a client of our family, and in doing so, he gave her to you as a cherry on top of the sundae. Three, you want to help get her children back without even considering the grave issues this will cause for our family.”

“Ruslan, I know it’s messy. Trust me, it’s the only thing I’ve been thinking about since this whole thing started. We can’t let them stay there… you know they’ll end up getting hurt just like their mother has.”

Ruslan and I stare at one another for a long minute before he ultimately nods. “Yes, it’s only a matter of time.”

“So,” I prod him, needing more of an answer. I need to know if he’s going to support me in this because I’m not sure if I can do this by myself. “What are you thinking? Duarte forced a miscarriage on Mona, brother. I know I’ve told you this already, but this is the type of man we’re dealing with. One who doesn’t see boundaries and doesn’t care if he crosses them.”

Ruslan clenches his fist on top of his desk and looks right at me. “You know I don’t stand for men hurting women and children. Duarte did both of those with one action,” Ruslan pauses, clenching his jaw in the process. “Answer me honestly, brother, because if we’re going to do this, I need to know what you think about this woman. What is she to you, so please don’t rush your answer.”

I take a deep breath through my nostrils and cross one leg over the other where I sit. I don’t know how to answer the question he’s asking me. I really, really don’t. Maybe I am doing this because I think she’s hot. Maybe I am doing this because I think I was her only choice. At the end of the day, I don’t think my feelings really matter too much, but they matter to my brother. “She’s my type, Ruslan, through and through. I don’t know if anything will ever happen between us, but I do find her beautiful, and I empathize with her situation.” I end it on that note, and Ruslan looks me up and down.

“You’re fucking lying to yourself. If you didn’t want anything with her, you wouldn’t even suggest our family get into an all-out war with the Portuguese mafia because that’s exactly what you’re doing. You could have easily left her there with Duarte, but you didn’t, and I think that says a lot about what you want with her. I know you, Nazyr, and I know you’d never subject your family to any sort of danger unless you felt some way. You don’t have to admit it now, that’s fine, but I think after a while, you’re going to, and I won’t be surprised when that happens. I do want to change the subject, and I hope you’re prepared for it because it won’t be an easy conversation.”

“All right, get along with it,” I speak up, already knowing this isn’t going to be a conversation I’ll enjoy.

“You’ve been acting out of character for weeks now, ever since you found out you’re full-blooded siblings with Lom and me. Eset’s taken the news well, but you haven’t. You’ve done the opposite. You’re lashing out, drinking more, and even avoiding the family sometimes. Talk to me about your struggles, brother, because you don’t have to do this alone.”

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