Page 74 of Twisted Princess

“Fuck,” I growl, crouching next to them.

They both appear to have bled out—Denka from his throat, which was slit from ear to ear. Lev from his side. Based on the angle of his stab wound, I would say the man who killed him snuck up from behind.

Neither was killed right here. There’s not enough blood to account for it.

“Mne ochen zhal, moi brat’ya,” I rasp, guilt plaguing me as I reach forward to gently close their eyes.

They didn’t deserve to die like this. To be discarded so remorselessly. They were good men—my best—as good as brothers to me. Honestly, they were more important to me than most of my biological brothers. And now they’re dead because of me.

Clenching my teeth, I consider my next move. I’ll need to give them a proper burial. But right now, unfortunately, I have more pressing matters. Mel’s in danger, and I have to find somewhere safe for Gabby so I can go get her mother.

Though it feels somehow sacrilegious, I dig into Lev’s pocket for his car keys. I know he wouldn’t mind since I need to take Gabby somewhere safe, and I can’t do that with my Triumph Daytona. I have no safe way of carrying her on my sports bike.

Still, it feels like I’m looting his body.

Pushing the dark thought from my mind, I sprint back up the stairs to my condo.

Then I head to Gabby’s room to gently rouse her. Padding softly into her dark room, I sink onto the edge of the bed beside her.

“Hey, rybka,” I murmur, rubbing her back with my palm.

Blinking up at me sleepily, Gabby slowly rolls over.

“We have to go,” I whisper, trying to keep my voice as calm and reassuring as I can despite the agitation thrumming through my veins.

“Go where?” she asks, sitting up and rubbing her eyes with her fists. She gives a big yawn, her lips forming a tiny o. “Where’s Mama?”

“She’s not here right now. But your mama asked me to look after you. So we’re going to see Silvia and Pyotr. Do you remember them?” I hope so. She’s only met them two times, but both were recent.

Gabby nods, and she reaches out for me, silently granting me permission to take her. Hooking my hands under her armpits, I lift her from the bed. She wraps her tiny arms around my neck as I cradle her to my chest, her legs framing my ribs.

“Good girl,” I murmur, my heart aching as I think about the contents of Mel’s letter.

The possibility that Gabby could actually be my daughter fills me with a deep sense of purpose—an instinct to protect her that is suddenly exponentially more powerful than before. Not because I could possibly care for the little girl more than I already did.

But if Gabby is, in fact, mine, then it wouldn’t just be a privilege to care for her.

It would be my responsibility.

My moral obligation.

I carry her from the condo, grabbing my leather biker’s jacket on the way to make sure she won’t get cold. Then, we ride the elevator down to the basement garage.

I click the button on Lev’s car keys, and his silver Tacoma flashes its headlights across the open space. Being careful to keep my men’s lifeless bodies out of Gabby’s sight, I carry her to the truck.

Wishing I had something more secure, I strap her into the back seat, then cover her legs with my jacket. She pulls it close against her chest, hugging it like a security blanket. And I take the time to run my hand over her hair to comfort her.

“Sit tight, rybka,” I murmur and press a kiss to the crown of her head.

The drive is thankfully quick without posing any dangers to Gabby’s precarious seating arrangement. And by the time I’m climbing the steps to Pyotr’s brownstone house, Mel’s little girl is already soundly asleep in my arms.

“Gleb,” Silvia gasps as Lukyan opens the front door for me. “What’s going on?”

She rises from the finely upholstered couch she’s curled up on, leaving Pyotr alone in the drawing room, where she was snuggled up next to him a moment before.

Pyotr stands, following her into the entry. His eyebrows press into a deep frown as he assesses the little girl snoozing quietly against my shoulder.

“I didn’t know where else to go,” I confess apologetically, glancing down at Gabby. “Mel’s gone.”

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