Page 11 of Beloved Bride

“You think he’s defected to Alexei’s side?”

“I think he’s dead,” Levin says bluntly. “Or captured, which is worse. It’s not looking good, Viktor. Alexei has a good portion of your men. He’s building a case to become your rival, and it’s going to get bloody. He won’t stop at hurting your family, you know that–”

“I know,” I say curtly. “But it’s going to be him who hurts in the end. I’ll see to that. I can protect my family, especially with you at my side. But I need to know where Alexei is.”

“I’ll do all I can,” Levin promises. “You know that I will,pakhan.”

“I do. You’ve always been loyal to me, Levin. I trust you above anyone else.”

“I’m grateful.” He inclines his head. “I’ll let you know as soon as there’s any other news.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose as he walks away, feeling the heaviness that Caterina’s arrival had momentarily lifted return. The burden of responsibility feels weightier than ever, and I wish more than anything that she understood that. That she could see how I feel that there are no good choices for me, only the path that I was set on. No matter what I do, it will be wrong because of the choices made for me from the beginning.

This is the life I was given, the legacy I was handed. It seems impossible to me that I could walk away from it.

And yet, that’s exactly what she wants me to do.

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