Page 62 of Defiant Devotion

“Benson and O’Malley,” Oleg said, pointing at Lev and Ben. “You two handle them.” Then addressing Vik and Rurik, he said, “And you two gather the men to annihilate the Ilyins once and for all.”

Looking at me, then Irina, and lastly, Kelly, Oleg smiled calmly. “It is already time to prepare for the next generation of Baranovs to come. And I want them to have the security and safety they deserve.”

24

BEN

“You’re pregnant too?” Sonya asked Irina. Then she looked at Kelly. “And you?”

Both women nodded.

“We’ll fill you in about all that,” Eva said, quickly getting over her hesitation about her sister returning. She had been so standoffish at first, but while we all talked in this lounge, I watched her. She couldn’t stop looking at Sonya, as though she doubted her eyes. The slow and tenuous smile on her face proved she was giving up on any grudges she might have held against her sister. With Sonya’s explanation of how she had been taken, Eva had no grounds to be rude or think something false about her. I hadn’t gotten to know Eva that well, but she seemed like an understanding person. I was happy there wouldn’t be any issues between the sisters when Sonya had been so eager to return to Eva and was so worried about her needing protection.

“This matter of the Ilyins is most important to deal with, and now.” Oleg firmed his lips in a stern line. Looking again at me and Lev, he added, “It shouldn’t take two hitmen long to kill a couple of corrupt politicians.”

“Well, I can’t speak for him,” I said teasingly, “but?—”

“Oh, shut up.” Lev scoffed. “You said you had a hit for Yusef Ilyin too. And who was the one who actually killed him? Me, that’s right.”

I rolled my eyes. “But?—”

“Enough,” Oleg ordered. “I have yet to speak with you privately, Mr. Warner. But should I officially welcome you to this family, you will abide by my rules. The first of which includes not annoying me with bickering among your brothers.”

Brothers.It had been a very long time since I could use that word about myself. I used to have brothers in the Bratva that rejected me and my brother. I used to have brothers in the military as well.

All this time, I thought being solo and independent suited me best. With the easygoing teasing that Lev and I seemed to enjoy in a game of one-upping each other, I felt like I was really finding my place in the world. I grew more confident that the Baranovs were the ones I should stand with. And I’d be damned proud to contribute to and protect their legacy.

“Understood,” I replied, meaning it.

“At least we’ve already done a thorough background check on him to know he’s not an enemy,” Rurik quipped dryly.

“Thanks,” I retorted.

Oleg pointed at me. “You and I will speak later.”

I nodded, not having any intention to screw up my “welcome” here. I’d dealt with Lev and the others so far, not Oleg, but hewasn’t scaring me off yet. Even if the Baranov Boss didn’t want me included in this inner circle, I would never leave Sonya’s side.

“You and Lev can handle Benson and O’Malley,” he repeated, “and then you can join Vik and Rurik with the men to end the Ilyins once and for all.” Shaking his head, he sighed then rubbed his brow.

“Are you all?—”

Sonya and Eva started to ask the same question in unison, then laughed.

“Are you okay?” Kelly asked instead.

He nodded. “It’s just a damn shame it had to come to this. Geoff’s cousin, Nicholas, was supposed to marry Amelia.”

Eva gasped and Sonya furrowed her brow. “My mother?” Eva asked.

Oleg nodded. “They were arranged to be engaged, I think in part because my father wanted to have me marry someone else for an alliance. I saw through that plan and I knew that alliance wouldn’t last. And it didn’t help that Amelia and I fell in love.” He sighed, a heavy sound full of regret. “I tried to do my best to keep her away from the Ilyins, not wanting that fate for her. I was suspicious then that the Ilyins were scheming to take us down, and my father was too ignorant or blind to notice it.

“Amelia also didn’t want to end up with Nicholas. I was already promised to another, but I suggested that she try to become a Baranov anyway, for the sake of her safety. And so… she met Boris.”

“And never loved him,” Sonya guessed.

Oleg shook his head. “She never wanted to marry him, but she wanted our friendship to last. She wanted to be in the Baranov family, no other. That was the beginning of the Ilyins’ big upset with us. They believed we’d taken ‘their bride’.”

“Then they took Sonya as payback?” Eva guessed.

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