Page 90 of Unbreakable Vow

His jaw tightens. “He’s not going to like that answer.”

I lock eyes with him in the mirror. “That’s not really my problem anymore, Maxim.”

I hope he doesn’t like it.

I hope he hates it.

If I can’t feel his love, fine, I’ll take his hate.

At least it’s something other than this emptiness inside of me.

“You’re sure about this,Mr. Petrov?” my lawyer says over the phone. If he wasn’t safely tucked away in his office on the other side of town, he’d probably have less nerve to question me.

“I am. Make it happen.” I slam the phone down and throw back my drink. It doesn’t burn enough.

Yanking open my desk drawer, I pull out the envelope I’ve kept in this drawer since my mother’s passing.

Her last attempt to reconcile with her family when she became ill. Grandmother never opened it. The letter was returned still sealed,Return to Senderscribbled on the top.

My phone dances on my desk with a message from Maxim. He’s been in charge of taking Cora wherever she wants to go and keeping her safe.

I flip the phone over to read the message.

She’s on a job interview.Receptionist at doctor’s office.

I fist the phone,wanting to hurl the fucking thing across the room. I’ve given her too much space. Too much time.

She’s getting a job?

Yesterday, he took her to register for classes. She starts next week.

If she wants to finish her degree, she can’t be wasting her time answering phones. She should be focusing on her studies.

“Hey. You’re here. Good.” Andrei saunters into my office, Viktor trails behind him.

“Where else would I be?” I argue, shoving from my chair. “Did you get him?”

“He’s downstairs.” Viktor nods, sliding his hands into his pockets. “Are you sure you want to do this here? I mean, it can get messy.”

I pour another drink down my throat.

“It won’t get messy. Not that kind of meeting.” I pour one more, still chasing the burn. If I can get it to hurt enough, maybe I can forget the pain and agony in Cora’s eyes. Maybe I can make the memories of her hurt blur enough to tolerate the distance she’s put between us.

No. The distance I’ve allowed her to put between us.

Letting her move into the guest wing after her mother’s things were removed seemed like the compassionate thing at the time. But it was the wrong move.

“Let’s go.” I lead my cousins through the house down to the basement where they’ve stashed Oleg.

I wave away Dimitri standing guard at the door where Oleg’s no doubt panicking. Being locked in a small room, even one as nice as the game room, can’t feel comforting.

Oleg jumps to his feet from the couch when he sees me enter through the door. His eyes, wild with fear, chase my movements as I walk further into the room, allowing Andrei and Viktor to follow me.

“You have been a hard man to find.” I grab a folding chair that’s leaning against a card table. “Sit down.” I wave at the couch.

His eyes never leave me as I set up the chair and plunk down into it, close enough to him that I can break his nose if the need arises. Or the desire.

“Sit the fuck down. If I wanted you dead, you’d be dead.” I jerk my hand at the couch.

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