Page 19 of All the Dangerous Things

But they didn’t say anything. They didn’t call for me. Didn’t tell me to hurry up. They waited patiently, as if they were predators hiding in the brush, anticipating the thrill of pouncing on their prey.

When I couldn’t stall anymore, I took a deep breath and headed into the living room. It was when I rounded the corner that I saw Nikolai sitting on the couch, his appearance seemingly relaxed as he leaned back and had one booted foot propped up on my coffee table.

Dmitry leaned against the wall as he stared out the window overlooking the city. I was twisting my hands together, knowing my nervousness was undeniable. I wondered if it was like a neon sign above my head.

He’d been in prison for the last five years, serving time for being connected to an underground fight ring—amongst other things. He’d recently gotten out, and although it was a joyous reunion to have my eldest brother back, things had gone back to “normal” instantly.

And by normal, I meant Dmitry and Nikolairunning the Desolation Bratva with iron fists, cold hearts, and vicious weapons.

Well, things were normal aside from a stark difference in Dmitry, one I couldn’t place, and one I knew didn’t have anything to do with him being in prison. I just didn’t know what it was, but it… changed him in some way.

As if hearing or reading my thoughts, Dmitry looked over his shoulder at me and gave me a once-over. His expression remained stoic. I knew I didn’t have to say one word for him to know everything I was thinking and feeling.

A muscle in his jaw ticked as his gaze landed on my throat and then again as he dragged his focus up to my eyes. Everything felt so swollen and achy, like someone had repeatedly punched me in the face.

Nikolai had yet to look up at me, but I could hear him playing a game on his phone. I knew he wasn’t really interested in it but did it as a distraction so he wouldn’t go out to destroy shit.

I could read my brothers as well as they could read me. I guess it was our Petrov blood.

I opened my mouth but didn’t say a thing. I couldn’t find the words to speak. It was then I heard theclick-clackof nails coming toward us out of the kitchen. I watched as Dmitry’s Doberman, Sasha,trotted over to me. She sat beside my feet, and I instantly crouched, wrapping an arm around her back and pulling her in close.

I instantly felt calm as she nuzzled against me, sensing my unease.

“?????? ?????…”First off…Dmitry’s voice was dangerously low and his words even. “?? ????????? ? ???, ??? ?? ???? ??? ????.”We’re going to talk about where you were all night.

I stayed crouched as I stared at my big brother. It was then I felt a prickling wave settle over me and knew Nikolai had also turned his full attention on me. I dragged my gaze from Dmitry to stare at him, the man whom I’d heard through the rumor mill once took sadistic pleasure in tearing the finger and toenails off a man for cutting him off in traffic.

There was menace radiating off Nikolai to the point that Sasha growled and moved her body to position it in front of me.

“???, ???? ??????, ?????? ??? ? ????? ???????? ?????, ?????”Who the hell did that to your fucking face, Tati?He stood and tossed his phone onto the coffee table with a loudclangagainst the glass.

He moved a step forward, and Sasha took athreatening stance. I watched as she lowered her head and growled more aggressively.

“I don’t want to talk about this right now.” My voice was harsh, scratchy, and fuck did it hurt to speak. Keeping my eyes on Sasha, I didn’t look at my brothers to see their reaction. I knew they would be livid.

The big, black-and-brown beast growled again, and I finally glanced at my siblings.

Nikolai’s jaw clenched as he stared at the Doberman. “???????, ??????????? ????, ????? ?? ?? ???? ???? ???????????.”Dmitry, get Sasha under control, so we can figure this shit out.

While shehadstayed at his house while our brother was in jail, Sasha was actually attached to Amara, not Nikolai. I’d laughed many times in the past five years, as I watched the protective dog take this same stance in front of my sister-in-law when her husband got too bossy or hotheaded.

“????, ?????.”Sasha, come.Dmitry’s voice was firm.

I felt Sasha’s muscular body tense, as if she wanted to go to her owner but also wanted to stay next to me and protect me from the “threat” she deemed immediate.

“???? ??????, ????.”For fuck’s sake, Sasha,Nikolai snapped. “??? ??? ??????. ? ?? ????????? ????????? ?? ????.”She’s my sister. I’m not going to hurt her.

Sasha moved toward Dmitry then, as if she understood what Nikolai said. But I could see how contracted her muscles were under her sleek, dark coat as she sat beside one man but kept a laser-focused eye on the other.

No one spoke for long seconds, and then Dmitry exhaled and ran a hand over his short hair.

Nikolai stared at Sasha for a second, his jaw clenched tightly as he ground his molars. Finally, he huffed out a curse and walked toward me.

I noticed Dmitry petting Sasha, probably to keep her in line so she didn’t lunge toward us. I pulled back my shoulders and stood to look my brother in the eye, albeit about a foot higher than my own, wanting him to see that although my appearance was no doubt shocking, I wasn’t weak. I wouldn’t—not even in the face of my brothers’ protective wrath—be intimidated.

“I’m tired,” I whispered, but I still didn’t sound like myself. It hurt to even breathe, let alone force words out of my mouth.

Maybe it was the look in my eyes or the hard set of my face as I glanced between my brothers, but Isaw this… almost resignation cover Dmitry’s face, as if he knew I wouldn’t budge on this.

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