Anastasia
A single shot rings out, and Luigi collapses to the ground. My blood runs cold as I see the pool of blood forming underneath him. I crouch over him, looking around.
I see Mateo Catalan walking up the path with a gun in his hand. He has a shit-eating smile on his face, and it makes my blood boil. Our families are on their way. We just need to survive long enough for them to get to us.
I look up fearfully, watching Mateo come closer and closer. He is taking his time because he knows he has it. I glance around, but I don’t see any of his men. I cover Luigi’s body with my own. “You don’t want to come closer.”
“You know, I watched you on that ride.” He says casually with a shrug, “The day I killed your mother. I considered shooting you, but then your parents could make more children. Children are replaceable. A parent, on the other hand. The woman you love.”
His laugh gives me shivers. “All these years, your father thought I missed him and shot Mila instead. I let that story go around. I didn’t mind keeping the truth to myself. But since we’re parting now, I’ll let you in on the secret. I shot your mother on purpose. I knew it would break your father. I knew he would suffer every day because of it. Well, up until he found his new whore.”
I look down, slowly searching, moving Luigi’s arm and searching his jacket. I sniff, letting out a small whine.
“Just like your family. Weak and pathetic.” Mateo laughs. “I will enjoy killing you. Then I will kill your baby brother, and then I will kill your father. I will eradicate the world of this weak family with its weak little princess.” There are shouts behind him, and I glance up to see Mateo with his gun aimed at me, but his head looking over his shoulder.
Alessandro, Ivan, and their men are running up the path, shouting for Mateo to stop.
My hand closes around Luigi’s gun, and I stand up, turning around to point the weapon at Mateo. He looks at me as I say, “I’m not fucking weak.”
I pull the trigger and shoot him in the chest. I pull it again and hit him in the stomach. I raise the gun and pull the trigger, putting a bullet in his head. He falls back with a surprised look on his face.
I stand there, dropping my arm to my side but holding the gun. I move out of the way as Alessandro and his men rush to help Luigi.
My father comes to me and takes the gun from me before hugging me tightly. “Dorogoy, I am so pleased you’re okay.”
His sweetheart. I’ve been anything but. He moves me to an arm’s length away and looks me up and down. “You’ve changed.”
“I haven’t,” I say quietly. “You’re just seeing me for who I really am.”
I see Luigi being carried by two burly Italians and try to step toward him. “Luigi… Is he…”
“We’re going to rush him to the hospital. We’ll keep you posted.” Alessandro nods at us and leaves.
I want to go with them, but I know my father won’t let me. The sounds of sirens are approaching the park. We hurry to leave, and my father murmurs, “We paid some of our cops to give the wrong entrance for the shooting, so we have little time.”
We exit through the east entrance and hurry to a car, which immediately whisks us away.
I feel the exhaustion in my body as I look at my father. “I killed
Killian, the politician. He tried to rape me.”
“You overpowered him?” my father asks, but there’s sadness in his eyes. “Ana, I didn’t want this life for you. I’ve fought so hard to keep you from becoming a killer.”
“I’m a Bratva princess,” I say proudly, lifting my chin. “I did what any good leader would do. I protected our family from outside forces that wanted to hurt it.”
My father smiles and nods. “That’s the first rule. You will have a lot to learn, and I expect you to stop partying and shopping all the time and learn.”
My mouth involuntarily drops open in surprise before I say, “You mean you’ll teach me?”
“You start elsewhere,” he fixes his tie. “You will begin with learning how a business is run. You cannot build an empire without knowing the ins and outs of business. It’s like playing…”
“Chess,” I smile brightly. “We’re playing a game of chess, not football. It’s about the long-term plan, the bigger picture. Not what we can satisfy ourselves with now.” The look on his face shifts from one of sadness to one of pride.
“You are correct. First, though, we’re going to have a shower, breakfast, and you’re going to sleep. That is your pakhan’s orders.”
I nod. “I really would like some rest.”
He smiles and is quiet for the rest of the drive home. When we reach our destination, the car has barely stopped when I see Tori marching out of the house. A nanny follows, holding Roman.
Ivan steps out of the car. “She’s fine.”
I climb out after him, and Tori grabs my arm and pulls me into a hug. “I thought we’d lost you. I felt so bad.”
“I’m fine, really. In fact, more than fine. We have sent a message that we, as a family, are not to be messed with.” I hug her tightly but then feel a pang of immense guilt. “Luigi…”
Tori nods, looking worried. “I’m leaving now. He’s in emergency surgery at an actual hospital, so I know Alessandro thinks the shot is bad, but that boy is probably the most stubborn of us.”
“Impossible,” my father mutters as he leaves to take Roman from the nanny.
I squeeze Tori’s hands. “He got shot because of me. He was protecting me.”
She shakes her head. “There is no blame in what we do. There are actions and consequences, but if you let everything get to you personally and allow it to take root in your heart, then instead of spending a lifetime ruling an empire, you’ll spend a few years bitterly getting revenge before someone gets to you first.”
I look at her, surprised, and she laughs. “I don’t just do the legal things for this family. I do rule beside your father. And one day, it will be yours, and I know you will do an excellent job.”
I beam at her. “You may not replace my mother, but you are my best friend.”
Luigi
Everything fucking hurts.
I groan out loud. My mouth tastes like a rat’s ass. It’s dry and funky, and I just want to wet my lips. I blink a few times, and thankfully, the lights in the room I’m in are dimmer than expected. I groan again and hear someone whisper, “He’s awake. Get the nurse.”
“Luigi? Luigi, it’s Kira. Tori is here as well. Can you speak?”
“Water,” I gasp out. I feel something near my lips, and Tori says,
“It’s a straw, you damsel-saving moron, sip. Sip, not too fast.”
I sip the water, and I open my eyes. They watch me as I slowly come to and look around. “Where the fuck am I?”
“Watch your language, Mr. Sorvino,” A stern-looking nurse says as she steps next to my bed. “This isn’t the backwater clinic house you normally go to. You’re at the hospital, and you’re going to mind your manners. Right?”
“Yes, sister,” I say, confused.
When she leaves, Tori and Kira both burst out laughing. Kira smiles and says, “That’s what you get for nearly dying on us, you jerk.”
She squeezes my hand. The name-calling was something we did when Mama died. It was a way we dealt with the pain. Masking it with teasing.
“You’re the chop,” I say quietly. “Where’s the nice hospital food?
Why are you letting me starve?”
Kira rolls her eyes. “How can you wake up, and the first thing you think about is food?”
“Actually, the first thing I thought about was Ana…” I look at Tori.
“Is she…”
“She’s fine. She killed both Killian and Mateo and is fine. She worries about you and is constantly calling for updates.”
Kira snorts, “Food and women, this man is a Sorvino.”
“Hey, don’t treat it like an insult. We know what we want,” Dominic says from the doorway. He wanders in and stands at the foot of my bed with Frankie. Arianna stands beside Tori, and Kira moves so Alessandro can stand to my right.
“Glad you didn’t die, moron,” Arianna says, leaning down to kiss my head. “Although the older generation nearly did.”
I look guiltily at Alessandro. “I had to save her.”
“There will be consequences for defying me,” he says coolly. “But that will be for when you’re out of hospital.”
I smile. “I know, but she’s worth it.”
All of my relatives laugh and shake their heads. Alessandro smiles at me. “Definitely a Sorvino.”
I’m in the hospital for a few more days, but by Saturday, I’m released and can go home. I’m staying with Alessandro until I’m fully healed, so I can serve out my punishment, which is to work in his garden for three months-every day once I’ve fully recovered.
I don’t mind, though. I’m happy to see everyone, and when Sunday starts, I’m glad to get dressed in my suit and head to church. Our priest offers an extra blessing to me for quick healing. I appreciate it, then linger on the lawn outside the church and talk to other family members who didn’t see me during the week before Alessandro walks over. “Come on, garden boy. We’re throwing a party to welcome you back.”
“Who’s coming?” I ask, and I’m sure he knows what I mean.
“Both families. I don’t know if she’ll be there.” He leads me to the car.
The bistro is closed to other customers, and we all settle around one massive seating arrangement made by pushing several tables together. As the family enters, Russian and Italian, they stop to wish me good health and to commend me on defending Ana and the family.
This whole week, up until this moment, I’ve been fine. Up until Ivan walks in and locks eyes with me.
He walks over stiffly, and I stand, bowing my head slightly in respect. He pauses a moment until my sister walks up next to him, elbowing him.
“Luigi,” Ivan says, and I slowly look up at him. He holds his hand out. “Thank you for going after Ana and protecting her even if it meant you had to die. It is a kindness I won’t forget easily.”
I shake his hand, slightly stumped when Tori says, “You did good, brother.”
I give her a small smile and then glance behind them. “Is Ana okay?
Is she coming to the party?”
“Unfortunately not.” Ivan looks uncomfortable and waits for Tori to step away before he says, “Ana has shifted her focus, and you probably won’t see her as much or hear from her as often. She is learning how to run the Volkov family with the intention of taking my place when it is time.”
“I know she really wanted that,” I say quietly, smiling. I know that she’s avoiding seeing me, because everyone attends family dinners regardless of who they are. Ivan and Alessandro never miss them. Family is everything. “It makes me happy that she’s happy. She just wanted to prove to you that she was capable and could handle it.”
“She proved to me that she has a fighting spirit and a loyal heart,” he comments before glancing up the table at Alessandro. “I should go speak to your cousin about business. If there’s ever something I can do for you, within reason, let me know.”
I watch him walk up to the table and to Alessandro. Alessandro has Miska on his lap. The toddler is getting big and is playing with his father’s cell phone. If Ana and I had children, they’d be drop-dead gorgeous.
But she has chosen her path, and I guess… I guess that I need to move on with mine.
I sit down and start chatting to my family.
And planning to see Ana one last time.