Page 61 of Crown of Hate

I hand the cup to Alya and she takes it. My heart races as I watch her wrap her trembling fingers around the cup, seeming to draw comfort from its warmth. She takes a careful sip, and thewarmth spreads through her, bringing a hint of calm and color back to her pale face.

It's nice to see her visibly relax, but my own comfort won’t come until I find out who dared to take her—and make them pay.

“What happened?” I ask again, more insistent this time.

Her big brown eyes grow wide. “Nothing happened. I just needed some time alone.”

“You’re good at many things, malyshka, but lying isn’t one of them.” I see the truth in her eyes—something happened, and she’s either too afraid to say it, or… Fuck. I swipe a hand over my face, frustration mounting. What the hell is she hiding? Why won’t she trust me? “Something definitely happened. I can see it in your eyes.”

“Nothing happened,” she insists, standing abruptly and placing the cup of hot chocolate on her vanity table. “I need a shower now.”

I open my mouth to argue, but then she presses a finger on her lips, signaling for me to shut up. What the fuck? When she raises her hand, I see something that looks like a listening device, and my blood runs cold.

She sets it gently on the bed and motions for me to follow her into the bathroom. I do so without question.

Once we’re in the bathroom, I whisper, leaning close, “Where did you get that?”

Her throat bobs. “Akim was at the shelter today. He gave me that to bug your office. I agreed, but I can’t bring myself to go through with it.”

A tang of emotion surges through me—relief that she’s telling me, fury at Akim, fear for what this means. “Why?”

“Because he threatened to hurt my mama, and because I can’t betray you.” She reaches for my hand and squeezes it desperately. “Help me, please. Akim will hurt my mama, and Idon’t think I can survive losing her. My mama is all I’ve got. You and her are all I have now.”

I don’t trust easily, but I believe her. The sincerity in her eyes is not something anyone can fake. Especially not Alya. This is Alya—my Alya. Scared, but still fighting.

Gently, I run my finger over her tear-stained cheek, wiping away her pain. “I’ll make sure your mama is safe, and deal with Akim. He won’t get near you again. That’s a promise.”

“Thank you,” she croaks out, relief flooding her face.

I pull her into a tight hug and hold her close. We stand there for a heartbeat before I break our embrace, though every instinct screams to keep her in my arms.

“Why did he bring you to that rundown house?” I ask before moving on, remembering where I found her.

Her eyes drop to the floor. “That bastard… after I took the listening device, I thought he’d let me go. Instead, he said something about how we needed to make it all seem real, like I was kidnapped against my will, so that you wouldn’t suspect I was working with him. So he locked me in his car and drove me to that awful place. He knew you’d find me eventually, but he said if I told you the truth, he’d-he’d…”

“It’s okay. I understand,” I soothe. “Now get in the shower. Wash his stink off you. I’ll meet with the guys and come right back up. Alright?”

She nods, sniffing away tears. “Alright.”

“That’s my girl.”

She walks into the shower, and I linger outside, watching through the glass.

The instant the water starts, I force myself out of the bathroom and dash down the hall to my office where Semyon and Alexei are already waiting. I skip the formalities and dive straight into orders. “Alexei, locate Alya’s mother and send some of our best men to guard her until her treatment is done.Tell them they’re dead if she gets so much as a paper cut. Understood?”

“On it, chief.” Alexei nods, already pulling out his phone.

“Semyon,” I say, pacing to my desk and leaning against it, fingers gripping the edge hard enough to turn my knuckles white, “get one of our best hackers. Akim gave Alya a listening device. It must be connected to his phone. We need to hack into it, track his location at all times. And we need a Plan B.”

They both narrow their eyes on me. “Plan B? What was Plan A?” Semyon asks, brow furrowed.

“Using the truth against Akim.” My stomach churns with bitterness at how disgusting my plan makes me feel.

“What truth?”

“… Akim is Alya’s biological father.”

“Shit.”

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