Page 57 of Cruel Redemption

She stepped off the stool and rounded the island, pulling me into a hug. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I’m sorry it took this long.” The truth was I should have intervened the minute I knew the baby was Enzo’s. His murder had etched a scar on my soul. I would spend my life trying to right this wrong for Katya.

She drew in a long breath. “I’m staying here today.”

I kissed her on the forehead. “Amara said you can stay as long as you want. We’ll talk about it when I get back.”

By the time I pulled into the Petrovs’s driveway I had worked up a plan on how I would purchase my sister’s independence. It was thrown together more hastily than I would have liked, but the match had been lit.

The housekeeper showed me into Vasha’s office. I waited for the old man.

He appeared a few minutes later.

“Luka, this is an early morning visit,” he remarked.

“Yes, Vasha.” We shook hands quickly. “Sorry to interrupt your morning schedule.”

“No. You’re family.” He took a seat behind his desk. Louis had large animal heads scattered on the walls. There was an award hanging over the mantle that the steakhouse received in 2016.

“Since we’re family, I thought I could come to you with this family matter.”

“Of course, you can come to me with anything. Without your father, I’m sure you’re looking for a mentor. A man to help you with the Novikov organization. I’m always here for you, morning or night, son.”

I put my hand up. “I’m going to have to stop you right there. This is about Katya. Not about a mentorship.” I would let the insult pass, but only because I was about to shame him in one of the most embarrassing ways.

He huffed. “I know all about her little fit. She and Andrey had a thing. She’s pregnant. Overemotional. It will blow over.”

“No, Vasha. It’s not going to blow over. It wasn’t a little fit. I’m here to offer you whatever you want to start the divorce.”

He leaned back in his seat. “Son, there’s not going to be a divorce. There’s a baby on the way. My grandchild. A Petrov.”

I leaned closer. “Listen to me. My sister is not stepping foot in this house again.” I pressed my finger into the wood grain of the desk. “You either accept my offer to buy you out of the contract my father signed, or she will leave, and you will have nothing.”

“You can’t do that. She’s carrying a Petrov heir.”

“I can. She hates it here. She hates Andrey. She hates this house. The way you’ve treated her. The way you look right through her. So I can fucking take my sister out of here if it’s what’s best for her. My father wasn’t a strong enough man to break with tradition, but I am. You will soon learn, Vasha that you don’t want to go up against me.”

I stood tall in front of him, adjusting my cufflinks in the process.

“When the other families hear about this…”

“They will,” I promised him. “By the end of today, they’ll know that things are changing in New Orleans. For the better.”

He laughed. “You’re going up against her, then?”

“By her, are you referring to Amara Amato?”

“Who else?”

I grinned. “I think I have that handled. Thank you, Vasha. My offer has been withdrawn. Tell your son to sign the divorce papers without contest.”

“He’ll never give up custody of that baby. Your sister won’t be raising the child.”

I grinned, happier than I should have been to deliver the blow. “Turns out, the baby isn’t his, Vasha. There’s not an ounce of Petrov blood running through its veins. Andrey doesn’t have a claim to custody.”

I began to walk out of the office when Inna sashayed in with a cup of coffee. “Good morning, Luka. I didn’t know you were here.” She reached up to kiss me on the cheek.

“I was just leaving, Inna.”

---