Page 43 of Deceitful Promises

“You’ve known this woman one day,” Mikhail replies. “I’m sorry, Ania, but there’s no way to know if they’re telling the truth.”

“You think I risked ruining my father’s business by associating with Bratva criminals so I could …” Aiden pauses. “… hire an actress to pretend to be Ania’s mother? Does that make any goddamn sense to either of you?”

“We’re just trying to get the facts,” Dimitri growls. “Watch your tone.”

“Hmm,” Aiden replies, staring coldly at Dimitri.

“Please don’t fight,” I plead.

“Nobody’s fighting,” Aiden tells me, giving me a supportive look that means more to me than he will ever know.

“Molly is my mother. If you saw her, you’d be able to see that. If you saw Henry, my little brother, you’d see it, too.”

Dimitri waves a hand. I try to tell myself they just want the best for me. They always have, but it’s feeling like they don’t even care what I have to say or my opinion.

“Well, she can visit you in Vegas,” Dimitri says. “Whatever’s happening here, let’s just be thankful it doesn’t have to come to war. The three idiots who burned down the lodge have been reprimanded. The Bratva has agreed to let it slide. No harm done.”

“He’s right,” Mikhail says. “Ania, you have no reason to stay with these … people. It’s not like they gave you a choice.”

“Now you’re not giving me a choice either,” I whisper, but nobody hears me.

Dimitri says, “If Molly wants to see Ania, she can fly west. Otherwise, there’s nothing else to discuss.”

“Hmm,” Aiden mutters.

“What sort of answer is that?” Mikhail growls.

“It seems we should ask Ania what she wants,” Aiden says calmly, almost like he’s trying to rile up Mikhail.

“Is this how you’re playing her, then?” Mikhail snaps. “You’re pretending to be her best friend? Ania, remember, hekidnappedyou. Anything he does, even if it seems nice, even if he pretends it’s for your benefit, is automatically crap.”

“But …” I pause, then say, “What if I want to stay a little longer?”

Mikhail glares at Aiden. “What the fuck have you said to her? What have you done?”

“I’m not akid!” I hiss. I’m so tired of everybody treating me like one. “I’ve been with them for one day. I haven’t got Stockholm syndrome. I’ve spent my whole life dreaming of having a mom and—” Suddenly, I’m on my feet. I want to be reasonable and measured, like the precise movements of a ballerina, but I yell. “You can’t just show up and take me away. Nobody’s hurt. Nobody’s in danger.”

“You’re in danger,” Mikhail says, softening his tone like he’s talking to a crazy lady, making it worse. “We can’t trust these strangers.”

“They’re not strangers. They’re family.”

Mikhail glares at Aiden. “You’ve really done a number on her, haven’t you?”

“Mikhail,” I snap. “Mila’s life was a lot like mine, right? But you two fell in …”Love. What am I even saying? “Did youdo a numberon her, then?”

“Is that what this is?” Dimitri snaps, staring at Aiden with murder in his eyes. “You bastard. Are you making her thinkyoucare, too?”

“I’m waiting to hear Ania’s decision,” Aiden says. “We’ll go from there.”

He turns to me, looking at me with no judgment. Mikhail and Dimitri obviously love me, but the difference between how they look at me and how Aiden does is massive. They still see me as their baby sister. Can I blame them? I don’t know. It annoys me.

“I want to …” I take a breath. I’m going to sound nuts. “… stay for a while. With my mom. With Henry.”With Aiden.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Mikhail snaps.

Dimitri glances at him. “Easy.”

“Hetook herfrom ourhome,” Mikhail grunts.

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