Page 94 of Unleashed

“Go,” he says with a nod. “Polina comes with us.”

Polina’s jaw drops open, and she stares, half-torn between allegiance to her family and mine, when little Zoya speaks up, her timid voice clear as day. “Only if I go with her.”

“Zoya—”

She holds up a hand to me. “No, Rafail. I’m going with her.” Bright blue eyes meet mine. “I have to.”

One of the Popov men stares in open admiration. Zoya notices and flushes as bright as an apple. I narrow my eyes at him, and he looks away.

Jesus. She isn’t a kid anymore. When did that happen? I want to lift her in my arms and squeeze her tight, my brave little sister.I want to shake her and give her a stern talking-to for putting herself in danger.

“Agreed,” Polina says, holding her chin up high.

Christ.

“And me,” Yana says, pushing herself to stand. She shakes her head. “Not sure any of you have noticed, but there’s a severe shortage of women in these families.” With a sound of disgust, she rolls her eyes. “And we need to stick together.”

Popov has the nerve to chuckle on the phone. “Go. Get your family out of there.”

“We’ll talk about reparations and what I owe you.”

Popov clears his throat. “Oh, we will.”

Polina’s brother Nikko smirks as a car pulls up to the curb.

“This is ours, sir,” one of Popov’s men explains. “This way, please.”

“Semyon, Rodion, you come with me to evacuate the others.” I turn to Mikhail Romanov. “Is your mother here in Moscow?”

“Yes. I’ll have her brought to your home.”

“You know where it is?”

Mikhail’s lips hint at smiling. “Kopolov, within the past twenty-four hours, you’ve become my most intimate acquaintance.”

Jesus. Of course. I’d expect nothing less.

The evacuation is seamless. Irma bitches and moans and, thankfully, doesn’t know about her son’s betrayal and the brutalpunishment that awaits him. I take Matvei aside. I feel for the man. “I’m sorry,” I tell him. “But you know what has to happen.”

Matvei’s eyes blaze into mine. “My allegiance is with you. His betrayal cuts deeper than death. All I ask is that it not be me who carries out the execution.”

I nod. “Keep your mother under control, and I’ll grant you that.”

I fill Grandfather in briefly. When I’m done, he puts a heavy hand on my shoulder. “You’ve done well, son. Keep forging forward. You know what has to happen.” His voice doesn’t waver. “You know what you want. Call Vadka and bring him in.”

Grandfather knows that while I’ve held the weight of responsibility on my shoulders, my best friend has been my rock. I swallow and nod. I’m ready for all of this to be over.

I text Vadka.

Need you back at the house. I’ll fill you in before you get there.

His response comes swiftly

See you soon, brother.

When my family’s been evacuated, everyone on the way back to the house, I get into the car Popov provides, Semyon and Rodion with me.

Rodion fumes and rages the entire way. I let him. It’s almost cathartic.

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