Page 99 of Her Silver Fox Mountain Men

“Who’s going to take the rap for everything that happened then?” I ask, somewhat confused. “Igor was the mastermind. I would imagine there’s going to be federal involvement eventually.”

Michael shakes his head, giving me a sheepish smile. “Lev made some calls. Friends of his who called friends of theirs, all the way up to the Department of Justice. Long story short—”

“Igor is fucked sideways and no longer a part of the Konstantinov family,” Lev declares as he joins us, holding twoflower bouquets. “Roses for my sweet rose, Kara, and lilies for my darling lily, Elise.”

“Thank you, Papa,” Kara swoons softly while I give him a subtle nod and a weak smile.

He sets them on a side table by the window, then comes over to stand between Kara and me, while Michael and James discreetly shift to the other side of my bed. The air seems thicker whenever Lev is present—this is a powerful man, one of the most powerful men in Chicago. His reach crosses state lines as does his influence.

Yet I see him as a wounded father, a lion still licking his wounds.

“How are you both feeling?” Lev asks, his warm gaze bouncing between us.

“She gets to go home today,” Kara says and rolls her eyes. “I get all the fried chicken and bacon fries I want, though, right?”

James chuckles softly. “Pretty sure the cafeteria here doesn’t serve that.”

“You obviously don’t know my sister,” I chuckle. “She’s pretty persuasive.”

Lev holds back a smile. “You two,” he starts, prompting Kara and I to go quiet and meek all of a sudden, “should trust your father a little bit more next time. I promise, I will do a better job of listening from now on.”

“We all let Elise down,” Michael cuts in. “I didn’t believe her either when she tried to tell me that Igor wasn’t the great man I thought he was.”

“You have to admit Igor played his part well,” I say. “I bought into it, too. Once I found the ledger, though…”

“Let us not rehash the past again. I will do my penance soon enough on the matter. As soon as we get back to Chicago, I will have my work cut out for me,” Lev replies. “Elise, I know you’re not even considering it right now, but I want you to know the door is always open. You can always return home. You have my name, legally speaking. Perhaps I should’ve just adopted you and Michael. It might’ve saved us all this trouble.”

“Actually, it might’ve made it worse,” Kara says. “I don’t think we would’ve picked up on what Igor was doing until it was too late. As terrible as this whole thing was, it got the rats out of the cupboards, didn’t it?”

Michael nods in agreement. “It hurts today but it’ll get better tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Lev,” I say with a trembling voice, “but I’ve built a new life in Rustic. I like it here. I’ve got good friends, good men by my side. Chicago holds too many bad memories for me, but it is nice to know I still have family there.”

“Complicated, walking on the wrong side of the law kind of family, but yeah,” James mutters, giving Lev an amused grin.

The old man mirrors his expression then looks at Michael. “Son, I guess it’s time I ask you, would you like to come live here with Elise? Or would you like to continue your own path in Chicago? Whatever you decide, I will respect and support your wishes. No strings attached.”

Now that Igor is forever out of our lives, the threat hanging over Mikey is gone. My brother is free to do whatever he wants, and I’m glad to see Lev being so flexible and kind. Then again,he was never ironclad, not with us, his kids, anyway. It feels as though the fates are finally catching up and putting all the pieces together, back in their places, away from the unnecessary bloodshed and suffering.

“Honestly, I’d like to spend some time with Elise here, if that’s okay,” Mike says, giving me a warm smile. “We have a lot of catching up to do obviously.”

“You’re welcome to stick around for as long as you’d like,” James says. “There’s plenty of room at my house for you as well.”

“I thought you had your own place,” Mike gives me a confused look.

I respond with an awkward smile. “Long story short, some really big cats kicked me out of my place, and I’ve been staying with James and his twin daughters along with his friends while my cabin is being renovated. You’ll love them. They’re super sweet and funny.”

“Wow, it looks like we’ve stumbled into some kind of rom com here,” Kara mutters, half-asleep in her chair from exhaustion and pain, the meds leaving her system. “Elise, you saucy minx.”

“Elise is family,” James says. “We love her deeply.”

Lev nods. “I’m glad to hear that. And I also saw it for myself, the way you and your friends mobilized to keep her safe. I have no doubt that she will be well looked after here.”

“I do want to come back after I spend some time with Elise,” Mike tells Lev. “I want to come back and finish school, then work for you and the family.”

“Are you sure?” I ask my little brother. It makes me feel a tad uneasy, knowing he’d be so deep within the Konstantinov nest.

“Yeah,” he says. “Igor has done so much damage to the family, the same family that has been so good to us. Lev is our dad, whether you want to admit it or not. I do. I see him as my father. I see Kara and Andrei as my siblings. I love them as much as I love you. And I want to help them. I belong there.”

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