“Vodka. It will help you calm down,” Alexei says.

Through watering eyes, I watch as Alexei crouches down in front of me. There’s a deadly look on his face when he says, “Take a day or two to process everything. As much as I want to leave you here, I can’t. You won’t be safe. You’re coming with us, and I understand it won’t be easy but try to prepare yourself.”

“For what?” I breathe, apprehension slithering through me.

“War.” It almost looks like there’s pity for me in Alexei’s eyes. “You’re going to see people die.”

God, how do I prepare myself for something like that?

Demitri places his arm around my shoulders, then says, “That’s enough.”

Alexei nods, and rising to his feet, he takes a deep breath as he stares down at me. “You’ll be okay, little one.” He walks to the kitchen, and as if my life didn’t just implode, says, “Are you going to make breakfast before I drop dead from hunger?”

Demitri gets up, and taking hold of my hand, he helps me to my feet. When he tugs me toward the kitchen, I pull my hand free. “I… I’m going to my room.”

He turns to look at me, and after a second, he nods. Leaning in, he presses a kiss on my forehead. “I’ll check on you once breakfast is ready.”

“Okay.” Heading to the stairs, my mind is blank, and a deadly stillness has settled over my heart.

I go into my room and close the door behind me, then make my way to the bathroom. Stopping by the shower, I place my hand on the glass door and stare blankly at the tub.

Yuri wants me dead.

There’s no explosion of emotions, and my tears have dried up.

My happy past seems like an impossibly distant dream, and in its place, an unrecognizable future where nothing is familiar.

Chapter 17

DEMITRI

When night settles over the island, I make a fire in the living room fireplace, then stand back and watch as the flames grow stronger.

Alexei nudges my arm, and when I glance at him, he holds a tumbler out to me.

I take the drink and swallow a sip of vodka down.

“Is there anything you want to tell me?” he asks.

I shake my head.

“You sure?”

Letting out a sigh, I meet my friend’s eyes. “I’m sure. I’ll talk when I’m ready.”

“Okay.” Alexei downs half his drink. “Is it going to be a problem?”

In other words, will Ariana affect my ability to protect Alexei? I shake my head. “I can protect both of you.”

“That’s not what I’m asking.”

A frown forms on my forehead which has Alexei explaining, “What will you do when Ariana wants to return to her life once all the shit’s been taken care of?”

The fucker is trying to corner me.

Giving him a look of indifference, I mutter, “Then I’ll let her return to her life. She’s not our prisoner.”