“Trust… Demitri.” His breaths grow more labored. “Only… Alexei… and… Demitri. No… one… else.”

“Dad?” She moves even closer to me and takes hold of my arm as if she’s scared I’ll rip the phone away from her.

“I’m… sorry,” he gasps.

There’s silence, and then Lucian’s voice comes over the line. “Sergei’s unconscious again.”

I turn off the speaker, and pulling Ariana’s hand away from my arm, I put the device to my ear. “How are things there?”

“Fucking tense. Everyone’s waiting for Sergei to die. I’m leaving Russia today. I’m not sticking around for the aftermath.”

“I understand.” Ariana watches me closely. “Thank you for doing this for us.”

I end the call, and then my eyes lock with Ariana’s. When she says nothing, I lift an eyebrow at her.

She quickly crosses her arms over her chest. “I’m not apologizing just because you were telling the truth. How was I supposed to know you’re not some deranged man kidnapping me for a ransom?”

The corner of my mouth begins to lift.

“And my dad telling me I can trust you doesn’t make you any less of a jerk.”

She’s probably throwing up her defenses because she hasn’t processed the fact that she can trust me.

“Hmm,” the sound comes from deep in my throat. “Whatever you have to tell yourself to sleep at night, Malyshka. Fact is, I saved your life.”

Ariana lets out a huff and begins to walk to the doorway, then she suddenly pauses, and without looking at me, she mutters, “I guess I owe you a thank you… so… ah… thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” Letting out a chuckle, I pick up the phone again and dial Alexei’s number.

He answers immediately, “Did you hear from Sergei?”

“Yes. We have to protect Ariana no matter what it takes.”

“Okay.” Alexei lets out a sigh. “I’ll talk to Yuri, but he won’t back down.”

“Lucian says things are tense there.”

“I have a couple of things to wrap up this side, then I’ll join you on the island so we can put a plan in place.”

“Okay. Watch your back.”

Ending the call, I lock eyes with Ariana where she’s watching me from the doorway. “Alexei’s coming.”

ARIANA

Staring at Demitri, it takes all my strength to keep calm. Knowing it’s only a matter of time before my dad dies is more than I can handle after everything that’s happened the past week.

That’s probably the last time I got to talk to my dad.

At least I still have Yuri, but it doesn’t lessen my heartache. I’m not ready to lose my father.

The thought makes me realize how I’ve been living in denial, hoping he’ll get better.

“Ariana,” Demitri says as he walks toward me.

I blink a couple of times. “Uh-huh?”

“I said Alexei will be joining us soon.”

I nod to show him that I heard and then turn and walk back to the kitchen.