Page 5 of Unleashed

Jesus. I wrap an arm around my chest and squeeze my shoulder absently.

“I'm supposed to start my classes tomorrow.”

"Who cares about your classes?" Mikhail snaps. "This is what, the tenth time you’ve picked up a different study anyway?"

Tears burn at the back of my eyes, but I blink them away. It’s unlike him to be harsh with me like this. I know he’s afraid, but he doesn’t have to be a dick.

"You heard me," he says. "We have a bunker in Manhattan."

"A bunker?" I stare, and my mouth falls open. "Are you serious right now?"

I close my mouth because my mother is giving me thatlook. It’s very rare for her to put her foot down, but I can tell by the narrowness of her eyes and the tightness of her lips that she's on the cusp of it.

And right then, I hate my life. I hate it so hard. Yes, I have a family that loves me. Brothers, sisters-in-law, nieces, and nephews. I live in a beautiful, luxurious home. I belong here; I’m one of them, and still… I can’t… be myself. I can’t benormal.

I’d give anything to escape my brothers’ overbearing protection and the strict control of my family. I dream of finding freedom and love on my own terms, without being passed around and forced into something I don’t want. I want independence, a life where I can make my own choices. And yes, they might tease me for studying one thing after another, but I amso tiredof being treated like a fragile object and kept in this gilded cage. I want to break free from the oppression so badly it hurts.

"No, Mikhail," my mother says quietly. She and Mikhail share a look. She never contradicts him. Nobody does. "She’ll be safer in Moscow. You know she will. I have contacts there. We both do.”

I expect him to refuse her, but instead, he runs a hand through his hair. Moscow is better than abunker.

"How long do we have?" she asks.

"An hour," Mikhail says. "He’s already on his way."

I stare, my belly churning. I close my eyes and kiss my hopes and dreams goodbye. I’m not going to school tomorrow, that’s for sure.

"Polina Romanova, did you hear me?" Mikhail snaps at me.

Oh, forfuck’ssake. "You’re not my father!" I yell at him.

My mother gasps. "Polina…"

"No," I say, holding my ground. "He doesn’t get to talk to me that way."

"This is not the time for you to pull this bullshit," Mikhail growls, his golden skin turning a faint shade of red. He’s barely holding onto his anger.

God, I love my brothers, but you can absolutely hate and love somebody at the same time.

I clench my teeth. "Don’ttalkto me that way."

He throws his hands up in the air. "I'm going to secure the border. I'm going to make sure that we're safe. Talk some damn sense into her," he snaps at my mother before he storms away.

Harper stares at me, her eyes wide. "What will Soloto do if he gets you?" she says in a small voice. She was married to my brother in an arranged marriage, sight unseen. And that worked out… well. Eventually. Maybe this man…

"We won't talk about that," Aleksandr says quietly. "He has no interest in marrying her, Harper.” His voice lowers. “He has no interest in doing anything that we would ever allow anybody to do to her."

The chilling sound of his voice sobers me. I have to escape, whether I want to or not. Today is not the day I will break free from my brothers' domineering ways.

"Mikhail told me to get you ready," my mother says quietly as she lays a hand on my arm. "I already had a bag packed in casesomething like this happened." She knew. My mother knew. "On the floor of my closet is an ivory bag. There's a silver luggage tag on it. That's yours.” She draws in a breath. “The one next to it is mine. Go get both of them.”

"You are going with me?" I ask, my heart pounding. "Yes," she says softly. "But I have some phone calls I need to make. Go, Polina. Get the bags. We're going to Moscow."

Chapter 3

RAFAIL

"Is she alone?"

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