Page 98 of Unleashed

Zoya nods, her eyes wide and fearful. “I can promise you, he’s telling you the truth. Hedidn’tknow; he truly thought Polina was Anissa.”

“The woman who betrayed us,” Rodion clarifies with cold decision. “She jilted him at the altar after she was promised to him. When we found An—Polina, we truly thought she was someone else.”

“Gleb wanted us to think that,” Semyon says, shaking his head. “And when we found out she had amnesia, we thought…”

“No,” Rafail cuts in. “WhenIfound out she had amnesia. I won’t let anyone else take responsibility for my decisions.” He turns to me. “When I saw you that day, and you ran from me, I thought you were running from a man you knew. I had no idea I was a stranger to you.” He curses under his breath, shaking his head.

My voice feels small but carries with confidence across the room. “When I woke up, and I was restrained, you thought I would try to get away… again.” I face Mikhail. “I know this much is true because he told me bits of Anissa’s story. That my father had given me to him in payment for a debt. That I ran from him. Anissadidrun from him. And so did I.”

I look at Rafail. As the veil of deceit falls the more we discuss what happened, the more vulnerable the two of us become.

“Forgive me, Polina,” Rafail says, his voice hoarse. “Outside the safe house, I said I wouldn’t let you go without a fight.” His gaze locks onto mine. “But I won’t hurt your family. I can’t do that. This is me, fighting.” He stands, all corded muscle and alpha-male power, bridled but pulsing with life and promise. He turnsto Mikhail. “I love your sister. I love her with all of my heart. Though I lied to her and take responsibility for my part in this… when I called her my wife… I meant it. I treated her the way I’d treat my wife. I took her into this family with the promise to love and protect her, and I promised I would do that to my dying day. I won’t stop fighting for her.” He holds my gaze. “I love you, Polina.”

My heart beats so fast I feel nearly faint.

He loves me.

And somehow, I already knew it, but hearing him confirm what I already knew is the reassurance I needed. I wipe at my eyes again.

He loves me.

Mikhail stares at him, unblinking. Rafail continues. “I would give her anything she wanted. Even her freedom, if that’s what she asked for. And all I ask from you, Polina,” he says as he faces me again. “Is your forgiveness.”

Yana sniffs and wipes at her eyes. She won’t look at me. Zoya sits beside her, consoling her. My heart feels wrenched as I see the people I love most in the world distraught and bereft.

I wish I could wave a magic wand and make everything right, but we have to wrestle through it. We can slay the dragons in our midst, but we still have to tend to the wounded… like me.

Mikhail clears his throat. “Thank you both for telling the truth. It took courage.” He sighs. “It seems we’ve all been deceived in one way or another, and it’s refreshing to see the truth come to light.”

I take another sip of tea to prevent myself from losing my shit.

Forgiveness.

Can I forgive him?How?

I may have thought it impossible one time, that I’d never be able to look at him without seeing lies. But now I realize love is so much more complicated and imperfect.

He loves me, there’s no question, but he… he loved me thinking I was someone else. He loved me, believing we were destined to be married. He loved me because he was loyal to his family and determined to make me pay.

“May I speak?” I don’t even know who I’m asking, but Rafail and Mikhail both nod.

I think, mulling over my words before I say them, deliberating over what needs to be said. My thoughts swirl like a tempest, and it’s hard to get them under control. I finally decide just to dive in and speak my heart.

“The time I’ve spent here has been challenging for me, and not because I wasn’t welcomed by the Kopolov family. I want to make that clear, that the code here is as similar to our family’s as could be.”

Mikhail nods. Everyone waits for me.

But I’m also aware of little Zoya and Yana, looking to me as the big sister they never had. Of Rodion and Semyon, two men who’ve become like brothers to me in such a short time. My mother, who thought she lost me and sacrificed so much—who begged for a daughter and has always treated me like a gift she’d been granted. My brothers, who thought I was gone, who’ve scoured the city looking for me and were ready to do anything and everything to keep me safe.

But most of all… Rafail. The man I thought was my husband.

The man I’ve come to love.

I’m keenly aware of Rafail watching me, the heat of his gaze burning into me.

“What will happen, Rafail? Mikhail? If the two of our families did marry? Would it be wrong to assume it would be a mutually beneficial situation?”

Mikhail shakes his head. “Not at all.”

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