Page 161 of Fall into Savagery

My men foundme still on the balcony an hour later, long after my call with my dad ended and my tears dried.

Nikolay came out first, and he pulled me into his lap.

I clung to him as Damien and Mikhail took the two surrounding seats, sitting close to me.

Nikolay frowned when he caught sight of my swollen eyes. “Are you okay, princess?”

I smiled. “I called my dad.”

For a moment, no one said anything.

“What happened?” Damien asked.

“I talked to him.”

Mikhail seemed the most surprised by my answer.

Nikolay pulled me in closer. “No shit?”

I laughed. “No shit.”

Damien cracked a small smile. “And how do you feel?”

I took in each of my men. “Free,” I answered honestly.

For the first time in my life, I felt completely free.

“Good,” Mikhail said, holding out his hand. I clutched it tightly in mine and brought it up to my chest, along with Damien’s hand, and we stayed out on the balcony for a long while, taking in the cool summer night air.

I closed my eyes and rested my head on Nikolay’s chest, listening to the steady strum of his heartbeat.

In the arms of my captors, I was completely, absolutely, unreservedly, and unconditionally …

Free.

31

MIKHAIL

We waitedfor Catalina to wake up.

Damien had his back leaned against the wall, Nikolay sitting on the recliner just off to the side of the bed, a shit-eating grin on his face while I took a seat on the edge of the bed.

It was still early.

Early enough that the boys were still sleeping so we wouldn’t be interrupted, but we had locked the door to Damien’s room just in case.

She didn’t know that when she talked with the boys yesterday, I had been standing in the corner and heard everything.

I supposed this was the only logical next step, and fuck, but I found myself … excited over the prospect.

And I knew my brothers felt the same way.

We left last night, not on a business trip, but a shopping one. A very important one, in my opinion.

For the first time since we got Damien back, he looked light.

It was as if what we were about to do cemented in the fact that the four of us—thesixof us now—were meant to be a family, and that was the way it would always be.

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