Page 154 of Fortress of the Heart

“You’re the Father I never had,” I whisper, as his eyes come to mine. A tear falls, and his eyes watch it trail down my face. He reaches up once more to wipe it away. “I wish you were my Otetz. I’ve always wished for it.”

The corners of his mouth turn up at hearing me say that in Russian, and his eyes blink several times before he regains control. Something crosses his face for just a second.

“You do not have to marry Vlad. I will see to it. And as for the rest, mysladkiy rebenok, you do not have to worry. I know what is in your heart, and I would never make you do something you don’t want to do.”

“And you will spare Marco?” I plead.

He closes his eyes momentarily. “You cannot ask me this.”

“But Ican, and Idid.He didn’t do anything wrong…”

“Katiya!”

“He’s never hurt me. When he carried me out of that awful place, I was a hell cat. I was horrible to him, I kicked and punched and screamed, and he took it. He never once lashed out at me. He’s a good man.”

“Stop trying to sell him to me. I am not giving you over to this man, Katiya. I will always be grateful that you’re safe and came back to me unharmed. As I said before, that debt will be repaid, but you are not going to be with him. That I cannot allow.”

Pick your battles, Katiya.I tell myself.You’ve come this far.

I nod. “Alright.”

He frowns. “You’re not going to fight me on this?”

I shake my head.Not at the moment.“I don’t want a war. I’ve caused enough damage as it is.”

There’s a knock on the study door, and Dimitri appears in the doorway.

He looks at me briefly, and I can tell he’s still pissed at me, but at least he’s still here, breathing, and not at the bottom of the Charles. I wonder where Maxim is.

“Aleksi, we have a situation.”

My uncle lets go of my hands and runs a hand through his hair. “What now?” he grunts.

“Maxim and Konstantin have a lead on the hacker. It is a matter of urgency.”

Hacker? What hacker?

“Very well,” he sighs.

“Oh, and Marco Medici was at the gate for most of the morning. He just left.”

My heart soars. What?He came for me?

Dimitri spares me a‘you’re welcome’glare before disappearing.

My uncle turns to me. “Fucking persistent asshole, isn’t he?”

I want to grin and hug myself, but I find the will to stay contrite and say nothing.

It is best to try and at least make it seem like I’ll keep my promise to never see Marco again, even if I have no intention of keeping that promise.

He goes to stand.

“Thank you, Uncle,” I whisper as he turns to look down at me.

“What for?”

“For continuing to show me that not all men are the same.”

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