Page 57 of Unveiled

I don’t raise my voice with Eduard or anyone, but I let my eyes sweep around the room, making sure every gaze is locked on me.

No onewill ever make my wife feel like less than again.

No one.

“I don’t care who Anya was affiliated with before we took our vows. I don’t care who you care about, where your allegiances lie, who you question, or what you think is going on here. But I want to make something very, very clear.” I narrow my eyes, my voice cold and sharp as steel.

“Anya is my wife.My wife. And you will treat her with the same respect you owe anyone in this family—no, even more so because she has given up more to be my wife than any of you have for your roles. She wasn’t born into this world, and you know it.”

Anya watches me, her eyes wide and soft. Something in me aches.

Irma’s eyes flare with indignation, her lips pressing together in a tight, bloodless line, but she’s smart enough not to push me. Not now.

Eduard fumes but doesn’t speak. I continue.

“I’ll take her back to her home and comb through everything her brother left behind.”

Rafail nods, his gaze sweeping across the room. “One week. During that time, we go about life as if everything is normal. But no one—fuckingno one—goes anywhere without a guard. No unnecessary risks. Everyone will be under observation in case we need to track anyone, and all of us will report back here every night for dinner.”

I blink at him in surprise. The last thing I want to do is to haul Stefan and Anya back here for dinner every single night. But before I can voice my protest, Rafail holds up a hand.

“Stress like this will tear our family apart, Semyon.” Rafail fixes his sharp gaze on Rodion next. “You know this as well as I do. And our family has been through too much to risk breaking apart now.”

Rodion smirks. “You gonna check our homework too? So you’re making us report to family dinner like a dad?”

“Watch it, Rodion, or that’s exactly what I’ll do,” Rafail snaps.

Rodion, despite being one of the most ruthless men in our group, falls silent, though there’s a glint of humor in his eyes.

“And make sure Vadka is included,” Rafail adds. Vadka, Rafail’s best friend, is loyal to the Kopolov Bratva to the bone but has more pressing needs when it comes to family. Not related by blood, Vadka’s married with a child and no longer spends as much time with us as he did before. He’s always the first to go home.

Though his situation has changed, his loyalty to us hasnot.

But Eduard and Irma, who remain quiet, are another story. Their younger son Gleb betrayed us and paid the ultimate price, and while Matvei stands firm with us, I don’t trust his parents for a second.

“Excellent,” Grandfather says with a dry chuckle, his eyes gleaming as they move to Anya. He’s learned the art of not allowing the intensity and stress of the ups and downs of Bratva life to steal the light from his eyes.

“I look forward to coming back together like this.” He turns to my wife. “Anya, love, if we’re to have dinner together every night, like in the old days, will you bring some of those delicious rolls your mother used to make? Do you still make them?”

His eyes gleam with an almost childlike excitement.

Anya can’t hide the weight of everything we’ve discussed pressing on her, but she smiles benevolently at my grandfather. “I makeeverythingmy mother taught me,” she says warmly. “I’ll bring whatever you want.”

Rafail’s stoic mask cracks slightly, a faint smile tugging at his lips. He runs a hand along the beard on his jaw. “Anything?”

“Anything,” Anya confirms with a nod. “Do you have a favorite, Rafail?”

"He has a special place in his heart formedovik,” Polina says.

“Ooh, yes, my mother’s honey cake is famous. We brought a sampling home yesterday but can bring more soon. Semyon seemed to enjoy them.” I smile.

Rafail’s brows dart up. “You mean to tell me Semyon ate…pastry?”

Rodion whistles. I drag my finger across my throat to tell them to shut the fuck up, but they predictably ignore me.

Anya looks at me with a blank expression on her face. “No?”

"A pastry. For breakfast." Rafail shakes his head as if she just announced we bought a pet unicorn with a purple mane.

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