Page 214 of Cashmere Ruin

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“You kidnapped my woman and child and almost cost them their lives. You trusted the wrong person because you couldn’t bring yourself to trust me. Hell, you didn’t even trust Petra with the truth.”

“I’m so sorry,” he croaks. “I understand if you don’t want anything to do with me after this. I’ll accept any punishment. I’ll?—”

“I’m not done.”

Yuri falls silent. Everyone in the room has their gazes fixed on me, even May.

“You lied, kidnapped, deceived. You did that to the people closest to you.”

“Motya…”

“And then you saved them.”

He blinks. “What?”

“You saved them,” I repeat. “You looked after them. You protected them from Carmine’s overreach, made sure their safety was part of the deal. And then you ate a bullet for them.” I finally let my expression thaw. “You chose wrong at first. But when you had to choose again, you chose them. You choseus.”

“But is that really okay?” Yuri protests. “Shouldn’t I pay for what I’ve done?”

“Of course,” I reply. “Effective immediately, you are no longer part of the Groza Bratva.”

He nods, like he’d been expecting this. “Thevoryvoted?”

“On the phone. Like you said, I can’t keep stiffing them. Their voices matter, whether I like it or not.”

“But I didn’t just betray the Bratva. I betrayedyou.I betrayed everyone.”

“Yes. Blood betrayals are paid in blood.” I tap my finger on the bandages, just shy of the bullet wound. “And it seems to me, you’ve already done that. So we’re good.”

“B-But…” Yuri stammers in disbelief. “But I’m not blood.”

“Actually…”

I lift up my sleeve and show off a piece of gauze. It still itches like hell, but April’s right: if I keep scratching it, it will just keep bleeding. “They didn’t have enough blood bags for your type. They asked for a donor. Turns out we’re a match.”

“You… you gave your blood for me?” Yuri whispers. “Even after all I’ve done?”

“Yes. And now, we’re blood again. In a way.” I shake my head. “Not that it matters.”

“What does that mean?”

Here we are. The million-dollar question:What does “blood” mean to me?I’ve had a lot of time to think about the answer. Before this all started, I’d already reached a new one. I just didn’t know it yet.

“I won’t pretend blood isn’t important,” I start. “It is. But it’s not the only way to make a family. Being there for each other, protecting each other—that’s what family truly is. Someone very special showed me that.”

I turn to April. Her eyes are glistening, a watery smile on her lips. “Took you long enough,” she mumbles.

Yeah. Too long.“I’ve had a very patient teacher.”

Then I take her hand in mine.

“Any other questions, brother?”

“You really mean it?” he asks, voice unsteady. “You’ll take me back?”

“If everyone else agrees.”

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