Page 55 of Immaculate Corruption (Romanoff Bratva)

I don’t like the idea of having a paper trail with my name on them, but soon enough, Arya George won’t be my name anymore.

As soon as I pick up the documents from Arnie at the pier, I’ll be someone else. Lukas will be, too. And Ernestine. And June. We’ll all be able to leave our messy pasts behind.

How long have I wished I could be someone else? Live another life?

After I left Jorik, I desperately wanted to start over. To be normal for once. Someone with two normal, alive, non-addicted parents. Someone with a support system. With a normal asshole ex-boyfriend, not a wanted criminal and mass murderer.

Then, for a brief minute there, I liked being me.

I had a beautiful son and a man who, while not perfect, was kind. To me. To Lukas.

Dima is still kind—deep down. But there’s darkness in him that he can’t shake. I don’t know how to deal with all of that.

So I’m leaving it behind and wiping the slate clean. I have no other choice.

I grab the keys, get in the car, and start the drive to Atlantic City. So close to the finish line. So close to a new beginning.

* * *

My new phone buzzes in the center console of the rental when I’m almost there. I pick up instantly. Only Dima and Ernestine have the number.

“Did you make it to New York okay?”

I pull the phone away from my ear and stare at the screen as if there might be caller ID. There isn’t.

“I’m sorry, who is this?”

A tinkling laugh on the other end of the phone. “Sorry. It’s Vera. Ilyasov left everyone’s number in case I needed anything.”

“Oh, okay. Sorry. Do you, uh… do you need anything?”

“Company,” she says at once in a faux-pouty voice. “I’m bored here all alone. And I liked having a woman around I could talk to. I wish you could have stayed longer.”

“Oh. Right. Me, too,” I lie.

“Also, I have to admit something,” Vera says. “Ilyasov just called and told me things with you and Dima are on the rocks.”

“Did Dima tell him that?” I can’t imagine Dima opening up about his feelings with anyone, let alone his brother, but what do I know.

“Ilyasov is perceptive. And I’m nosy,” she says with a laugh. “I just wanted to ask what happened overnight to change things. I like the two of you together.”

I don’t owe this stranger any explanation, but at the same time, I can’t deny that it is nice to have another woman to talk to.

I used to have Brigitte, but she betrayed me, and we all know how that ended. All things considered, that put a serious damper on my female friendships.

But Vera understands what I’m going through better than anyone. She knows what it’s like to love a violent man.

“Nothing changed. Old problems just resurfaced,” I admit. “It’s the same fight we’ve been having for a while.”

“Oh no. I’m sorry. Are you okay?”

“I will be,” I say with as much confidence as I can muster.

Truthfully, I feel broken over my decision. I tried to put on my best face and be strong, but I’m not entirely sure I’m doing the right thing.

“How did you know Ilyasov was worth the risk?” I blurt, the words tumbling out before I can stop them. “You said that he is worth the risk, but I just wonder how you knew?”

“Oh, well...” She clicks her tongue as she thinks. “I don’t really know. I just… knew. I love Ilyasov. I knew I loved him from the second I met him, and with how much awfulness there is in the world, it seemed stupid to give that up.”

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