Page 46 of Deceitful Promises

“Why?” Dad says.

“Because then I can do any damn thing I want to the pricks, and I don’t have to feel bad about it.”

CHAPTER 20

ANIA

The doctor gives me some medication and sleeping pills. At first, I think I’m going to be too filled with adrenaline for the pills to work, but then it’s like the sheets are swallowing me. I fall into a studio of light with ballet shoes fitting snugly, dancing around as a little girl laughs. I try to turn toward the laughter, but no matter how much I spin, I can’t see the girl. I can only hear her.

As soon as I whisper, “Hello,” I wake, covered in sweat, my heart pounding hard.

A surprisingly soft voice comes from beside me. “It’s okay.”

I turn slowly, feeling sluggish. Aiden sits on a chair next to the bed, a glass of water in his hand.

“Here …” He leans forward, bringing the glass to my lips and tipping it softly. “Slowly.”

I slowly sip, letting the cool water filter down my throat. He places the glass down.

“When you’re ready, you can shower and have something light to eat. How are you feeling?”

I force myself to sit up. “Tired, but not hurt. My ears have stopped ringing.”

“That’s a good sign.”

“Do you know anything yet?” I ask.

Aiden shakes his head. “You don’t need to worry about—” Then he stops, perhaps reading my expression. “No, you deserve to know. The Kozlovs are a relatively small Bratva on the East Coast. They’re the ones your brothers liaised with to rescue you. It was a mistake. Apparently, the Kozlovs see this as a chance to make a name for themselves.”

“So now what?” I ask as the sleepiness and the dream slowly leave me.

“Now, we make them regret their mistake,” he snarls. “Now, we teach them a lesson.”

“Wait, who’swe?”

“Well …” A smirk touches his lips, but then he gets rid of it as though he’s guilty. “Your brothers aren’t exactly happy about what happened, either.”

That pierces the haze I’ve fallen into. I lean forward slightly, letting a smile touch my lips. I swear this is the most magical part about whatever’s happening here if anythingishappening. It’s the fact that, no matter what, we can smile. Somehow. “You’re working with my brothers?”

“Is this the part where you sayI told you so?” he mutters.

“Well, do you still think they’re bad people?”

“I don’t know enough about them,” he replies. “When I met them earlier, my instincts told me they were two men who cared about their little sister. Since then, their actions have proven that. They’ve moved more of their men into the city. They’re ready to go to war for you.”

“I don’t want that,” I murmur. “They both recently got married. What about Mila? What about Lia?”

“Their wives are currently on flights out of the country,” Aiden tells me. “Until this is sorted, the Sokolovs want to keep them far away. I’ve been digging deeper into their operations. It turns out, behind the scenes, your brothers have stopped a lot of bad stuff from happening.”

“Hmm,” I mutter, then glance across the room. A row of wooden ballerinas sits on the display unit, all in different poses. “How long have you been waiting here?”

He shrugs. “A couple of hours.”

“Have you slept? What time is it?”

“It’s late—almost ten. No, I haven’t. I can’t sleep at the best of times.”

“Why?”

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