Page 51 of Damaged Princess

"What?" I whisper, blowing out a breath and trying to settle my racing heart. I don't think he's taking the threat seriously. And also… "Why didn't you tell me that's where you were going?"

"I didn't want you to worry," Vik says, running his hands down my arms. "I had every intention of getting back within a week, or two at most. Unfortunately, I had to track down Deacon. That took some time."

"Devon?"

Vik nods. "From what I can tell, he's as much of a victim as you," Vik says, staring straight into my eyes. "A puppet for Byron Frasier."

"Right," I agree, looking at my lap. I may not hate Devon, but he sure reported back to my father and Byron with details about me. If he was under duress then I guess I can understand why, but it still doesn't make me like him.

"So none of you consider my father a threat?"

"He's a problem," Vik concedes. "But a problem that will be dealt with swiftly."

"What?" I snort.

"I'd really rather not get into the specifics," Vik says. "I will tell you if you truly believe that it'll make a difference, but I'd rather you have that plausible deniability."

My eyes fly to his, but Vik doesn't blink or blanch. He stares straight into my eyes like what he's saying is a sure thing. His chest slowly rises and falls as he studies my face.

I always feel safe when he holds me.My mind files through memories as I chew at my lip. I vaguely remember confessing my fears to Vik during one of the lulls during my last heat.

"Did he kill my mom?" The words pop out before I have a chance of holding them back. For a microsecond Vik cringes before smoothing out his features.

I guess that says it all.

Chapter Twelve

Viktor

I've never been one to hold back. What you see is what you get, but as I watch Anastasia fidget everything in me wants to lie to spare her feelings.

I'm also old enough to know nothing good can come from hiding the truth, even if you're trying to protect someone you love.

Anastasia isn't weak. She's dealt with more pain than most omegas have to face during their entire life—both physically and emotionally.

I know some have it worse, but a whole lot have it better. I fucking hate that she had to live through the shit she did.

Her eyes drop to her lap as she picks at her thumbnail.

I don't want to hurt her any more deeply than she's already been damaged by the events that took Katarina Androff's life.

Anastasia is goddamn lucky she survived. If Soren hadn't hunted down and murdered the bastards, then I would have.

However, they've been dead for three years.

It's hard to tell if Androff planned his wife and daughter's murders specifically to cover up his betrayal to the Ivanov Family, or if he always planned to murder them and it was a happy coincidence that it covered his true reason for defecting.

Honestly, I couldn't care less.

That part is Soren's problem. Similar to Keeley, Androff's new wife.

The poor thing is barely nineteen, but she'll be a widow before she's twenty. Before the week is out, otherwise I'll have to make another trip to New York.

I know Anastasia doesn't realize she has a new stepmother—a gift from the Barrett Family via Byron Frasier. I never spoke to the woman, but it's pretty clear that she wasn't there by choice.

Which is something Ivanov doesn't abide. Androff may have gotten away with his deception and crimes for the better part of four years, but retribution is coming.

"Vik?" Anastasia whispers. "He did, didn't he?"

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