Page 3 of Unleashed

I made a vow that day that I would be buried alongside my parents before I would allow anyone to break our family apart.

And now Anissa has done that very thing. What would cause her to run from me, knowing my wrath was inevitable?

My knuckles whiten where I clench my fist, aching for the chance at retribution. I blow the breath out through my nose when footsteps approach me, and a heavy hand comes to my shoulder.

"We’ll find her, Rafail."

I know it’s my uncle based on the smell of his cologne before I even turn to see. His wife loves to doll him up like he’s her personal plaything. Fuck, maybe he is. “We will. No one can hide from us in this city."

I turn and face the priest, pinning him to the spot, determined to maintain civility and control. "Tell me what I owe you for this farce, Father.”

"No, no," he says magnanimously. "No charge, Mr. Kopolov. I didn’t perform the duty that you hired me for."

I shake my head. "I appreciate that, Father, but it is exceptionally bad luck not to pay for services rendered by the Church. Even debts to God have to be paid, or we know the repercussions."

When he begins to protest, I hold my hand up, palm facing him, and his words die on his lips. "And you don’t have to give me thatwhole thing about not performing any services yet. I won’t bring down superstition on my house." I give him a humorless smile, reach into my pocket, and take out my wallet. I peel off a thick stack of bills and hand them to him. "I’ll be making a donation to the food pantry as well."

Good luck comes from donations to the Church. I don’t tempt fate.

"Thank you, Mr. Kopolov," the priest says, his voice trembling. The bastard probably expected the roof to cave in—or maybe expected me to hit him. He doesn’t have to worry about that. I don’t touch a man of the cloth unless he proves himself to deserve it.

"Thank you, thank you. And when you find your bride," he says, unnecessarily cheerful, "let me know right away, and I will perform the ceremony you came here for. I promise," he adds with a smile.

I nod and turn abruptly.

"Everyone back to the house," I unbutton my cufflinks and rolling up my sleeves.

It’s time to get to work.

My enemies circle like predators, sniffing for blood. And as soon as word gets out that I was jilted at the altar, they’ll close in.

Our plan was to go back to my home and have dinner in the dining room. Now, instead of a celebratory dinner, we’ll plan our next move. Not an attack but a strategy.

"We'll go back to my house. The food is ready. We'll discuss our options, scan through footage, and call in our allies. I want everyone to assemble within the hour."

My uncle bows his head to me. "Wise move. I would do the same," he says as if that should somehow console me. Right.

I snap my fingers, and my brothers rise, their movements swift, ready for war.

“Let’s move.”

Chapter 2

POLINA

"Polina,"my mother says softly. Even though her soft gray eyes twinkle at me, she can’t hide the fear that lies beneath layers of concern. She reaches across the table and holds my hand in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze before she lets it go. "You remember I told you as a child you could be anything, right?”

I groan. I know exactly what she's talking about and where she's going with this.

"I didn’t mean that you shouldactually tryeverything before you settle down," she finishes, her voice with barely contained laughter.

"I know," I say with a sigh. I should laugh along with her. I remind myself that she loves me and wants what’s best, but it stings being the butt of my family’s jokes. Sucks being the only daughter in a family of men. I mean, knowing that no one, literallyno one,will ever harm a hair on my head without bringing down the wrath of the entire Romanov brotherhood is…kind ofnice, but…

But I know my mother’s real fear. If my father were still alive, he’d be hard at work planning my arranged marriage. My eldest brother Mikhail, the head of our family, hasn’t taken those steps…yet.But changing plans to a fourth college major isn’t helping my case.

"I just don’t know… what I want to do next. None of it has feltrightyet. I feel like I’m trying beds like Goldilocks, and none of them fit yet. Do you know what I mean?"

My mother’s eyes are soft but sad when she nods. With a sigh, she tucks a wisp of my platinum-blonde hair behind my ear. “I do know. But I also know that we don’t have all the time in the world, my love. You know that too.”

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