Page 67 of Perfect Stalker

“What happened then?” asks Jenny with concern even though she knows this story is from long ago.

“The caretaker found us. We both got in trouble, but after that, Nikolai left the younger kids alone, and he started looking out for me, in his own way, until I was transferred to ‘St. Sergius’s the next year.”

The room falls silent for a moment, the faint shadows from my past hanging in the air. Then Luca giggles, reaching for the ornament dangling from the lowest branch of our Christmas tree, and the melancholy fades.

“No, no,moy mal’chik,” I say gently, catching his hand. “Those aren’t for playing.”

Jenny smiles at us, her eyes soft with love. “I think it’s time for someone’s bedtime,” she says, standing up and taking Luca from my arms.

As she leaves the room, Mabel turns to me. “Ivan, I hope you know how grateful we are for everything you’ve done for Jenny and Luca. You’ve given them a wonderful life.”

I swallow hard, emotion threatening to overwhelm me. “They’ve given me far more than I could ever give them,” I say quietly.

Jacob nods. “Family has a way of doing that.”

When Jenny returns, she settles back onto the couch beside me, curling into my side. I wrap my arm around her, marveling at how perfectly she fits against me.

“So, what did I miss?” she asks, looking around at our gathered family and friends. Andre and Daniil stand somewhat stiffly near the fireplace, observing quietly. They seem to feel out of place, but Jenny insisted on inviting them, and I had no reason to deny her.

“We were just telling Ivan how happy we are that he’s part of our family,” says Mabel warmly.

“I was just getting some more of Mabel’s maple cream fudge,” says Marcus, reappearing from the kitchen and licking his fingers.

Jenny looks up at me, leaning up to press a soft kiss to my cheek.

As the conversation flows around us, I reflect on the journey that brought us here. The danger, the fear, the uncertainty—it all seems like a distant memory now. Yet I know without those trials, we might never have found our way to this moment.

“Ivan?” Jenny’s voice pulls me from my thoughts. “Are you okay?”

I look down at her, taking in the concern in her eyes, and the love that radiates from her very being. “I’m perfect,” I assure her, tightening my arm around her shoulders.

The evening wears on, filled with more stories, laughter, and the comfortable silences that only come with true belonging. When the others are occupied, Marcus subtly gestures me toward where he stands with Andre and Daniil.

He’s spent the last several months helping me with my mission to get out of theBratva, so I expect this to be something about that. I want to tell him now isn’t the time, but his words stop me cold.

“I finally identified the mole,” he says softly.

I freeze and look around before lowering my voice. We’ve been searching for two years, convinced someone sold us out to Alexei, but they’ve proven elusive.

Marcus leans closer, his voice dropping to ensure our conversation remains private. “The mole was Anton Petrov’s kid. The mechanic’s son.”

I straighten, processing this information. Anton has worked on our vehicles for over a decade. His son, Anton Jr., is seventeen—smart, tech-savvy, and desperate to attend university.

“How?” I ask, keeping my expression neutral as Jenny laughs at something her father said across the room.

“Alexei approached the kid at his part-time job. Offered him fifty grand for college if he’d hack his dad’s phone and upload spyware. The program infected all our phones through the shop’s network when we brought vehicles in for maintenance.”

The pieces click into place—the information leaks, and the way Alexei always seemed one step ahead. “That explains how he knew our movements.”

“What do you want me to do with the kid?” he asks.

I study Jenny as she bounces Luca on her knee, her face glowing with happiness. Two years ago, I would have demanded harsh punishment for such a betrayal. Now, looking at my family, I see things differently. “That’s your decision now, Marcus. You’re the one in charge.”

He nods slowly. “Since it’s Christmas...maybe have him work off his debt. Few years of shit jobs at minimum wage while having to wait to go to college. Better than the alternative.”

“I agree.” The boy made a terrible choice, but he’s young. There’s still time for him to learn.

“I’ll handle it,” says Marcus.

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