Page 160 of Gilded Cage (Kovalyov Bratva 1)

No, those aremymen. My father’s men.

How fucking dare he take what’s mine?

“Any motherfucker who supports this coup will pay with his life,” I snarl.

“Yes, they will,” Cillian says with a nod. “But there are many who are still loyal to you. They’re targets too now, which means they’ve gone into hiding. We need to rally, find our allies and then—when we have a plan, when we’re stronger—then we can attack.”

He’s right about everything, but the idea of running doesn’t sit well with me.

I wasn’t made to run.

I was made to stand up and fuckingfight.

“Artem,” Cillian’s voice cuts through my conflicted thoughts. “I know you better than anyone. We’ve grown up together, we’ve been through dark times together. I know what you’re thinking… you want revenge.”

“He opened fire at my father’s fucking funeral!” I yell, but Cillian doesn’t so much as flinch back. “He’s trying to kill me. He’s trying to kill you. He’s betrayed the Bratva and he’s been planning this for a long fucking time.”

“I’m not arguing his crimes,” Cillian says in his most measured voice—although I notice that the angry vein in his forehead is throbbing. “But I am advocating for our lives. If we stay and fight now, wewilllose. To have any hope of taking back control of the Bratva, you need to get out of this fucking city. We have to play the long game here. Not just for yourself. For everyone in your care. You’re the don, Artem. You have people to protect.”

I hate this plan. But it’s the only real option.

Cillian is right—I owe my loyalty all the men who have gone into hiding rather than betray me.

They’ve chosen their true don over their own sense of self-preservation.

They’ve chosen me over my uncle.

And I have a duty to prove to them that they had made the right choice.

I have someone else to protect, too.

I swallow the metallic fury in my throat and croak, “Fine. We’ll leave. But first, I need to go and get Esme.”

“Let me get her,” Cillian says. “You need to leave now.”

“Not without my wife,” I growl.

“I will get her out—”

“No!” I bark, my tone harsh. “This is one thing I have to do myself.”

Cillian’s eyes go wide as he realizes how deadly serious I am. He can see that I’m not going to budge on this so he drops it immediately.

“Fine then. You can use the—”

My phone rings. I glance down at the screen. It’s the clinic, weirdly enough. They must’ve thought I’d already left the building.

I pick up immediately. “Yes?”

“Sir? Mr. Kovalyov? I’m Nurse Louisa…”

“Is she okay?” I ask, already impatient with her nervous energy. “Did my wife wake up yet?”

There is a long, pained pause on the other line. It takes my full effort not to bellow.

“Tell me,” I say through gritted teeth.

“Sir… she’s gone.”

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