Page 29 of Fall into Savagery

To get back at me for not following in my father’s footsteps? For denying her the life she believed she deserved?

So unlike Catalina.

My princess would probably do just about anything not to be a part of this world, while Alina felt it was her right.

We got in the car.

Gabriel came with me.

“We’re going to New York?” he asked, keeping his eyes on the boys. I wondered if he was thinking about his own messed-up childhood. Thinking about his own relationship with his brother.

I knew they had been close until greed turned Luis ugly.

I would never let that happen with my boys.

I put on their seatbelts. They moved in closer to me instantly, and I was still trying to grasp that I finally had them back by my side.

Now just to get Damien back.

And I would do whatever it took to make it so.

8

CATALINA

Mikhail scoopedup the warm water and gently let it run down my bare shoulders. I was sitting inside the ginormous tub alone, the water filled up near the brim, while Mikhail knelt next to it, bathing me.

I kept my gaze straight ahead, focusing on the patterns of the white wall in my line of sight. I thought I saw a smiling face in one of the patterns. I couldn’t be sure.

I blinked, and it was gone.

More water rained down on me. I was grateful he was here to help with things like this, considering I had found myself without energy since we stepped foot in California.

We had resorted to sleeping pills when Mikhail had woken up two nights ago at three in the morning and found me still wide awake, staring up at the ceiling.

I supposed they helped, but they always made me feel out of it in the morning.

“Luca got in contact with your father,” he said, his fingers gliding gently across the healing wound on my arms. His jaw clenched as he took in the angry, red skin. I knew if he could, he would have erased every single scar, every single mark on my body.

But this one would just be another one to add.

I covered it slightly with my other hand and looked up to meet his eyes. Tortured eyes.

I kept waiting for something to go wrong, for our plans not to work, for news that they found—air got lodged in my throat and I struggled to breathe—Damien’s body somewhere.

But we finally got in contact with Luca.

If I had the energy, I could cry in relief.

I smiled a little, even if smiling was the last thing I felt like doing right now, as Mikhail tugged a strand of my wet brown hair behind my ear. “We’re going to head back to New York tomorrow morning, and your father will take a later flight during the day so as not to draw suspicion. We’re going to get him back,kotyonok.”

I could only nod.

We were finally going back to New York. Getting closer to Damien, as I was sure that was where they were keeping him. They wouldn’t risk transferring him somewhere and getting caught.

At least, I hoped not.

And as soon as the little weasel Luca gave up the location, Nikolay and Mikhail would be ready. This time, I wouldn’t be helpless.

---