AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It’s all already been done,” he informs me.
“Jesus, Konstantin.” The anger hits me once again out of nowhere. “This is why I was leaving Father in the first place. I’m fucking sick to death of having people dictate my life to me.”
“I’m not.” He watches me. “Izzy-B, you’re still in danger, and until we’ve figured out why and the rest of the shit that needs figuring out, I have to look after you. I know that doesn’t sit well with you, but please, let me do this for you. For eighteen years, I’ve not been able to look out for you, but now I can.”
My heart lurches as I see the love and regret shining in his eyes, and my anger dissolves. It is pretty nice to have a big brother looking out for me, and I’d often wondered what my life would’ve been like if Konstantin and my mother had been in it.
“Fine!” I grumble. “I guess I also have the babies to look after.”
“Exactly, and they are just as important as you are, little sister.” He reaches over the table and squeezes my hand as the sound of helicopter rotor blades is heard. “Ah, our transport has arrived.”
“A helicopter?”
He nods and smiles.
“But what about my dogs?” I glare at him. “Did you lie to me about having to get rid of them?”
“No.” He shakes his head. “They’ll ride with Davey and the men. They have to double back and ditch the cars and then go separate ways before joining us in Canada.”
“Just to ensure no one follows us!” I guess.
“Yup.” Konstantin stands. “Are you finished eating?”
“I am.” I nod. “I hope you’ve got barf bags in that thing?”
“Already thought of everything,” Konstantin assures me. “I’ll go call Lev and Stacy.”
“Do I have time to say goodbye to my dogs?”
“Twenty minutes.” Konstantin turns and walks off.
“Well, that was another enlightening conversation with my older brother!”
Turning, I walk through the kitchen and out the back door. I’m surprised to see the men loading up the horses.
“Why are you taking the horses?” I ask Boris, another of my brother’s top soldiers.
“They belong to Konstantin,” Boris tells me.
“Aren’t horses a problem if you have to leave in a hurry?” My brow creases curiously.
“All our horses are exceptionally well trained,” Boris explains. “In such a case, the men who are solely for the horses will escape on them and then meet up at the designated rendezvous points.”
“That’s all well thought out!”
“Konstantin will never go anywhere without having scoped it out and have numerous plans of escape,“ Boris tells me. “Especially if we are what he likes to call safe housing people.”
“Does he do that a lot?”
“More than you’d think.” Boris smiles. “Your brother’s not all bloodshed and mayhem kind of guy. He honors your mother’s wishes and dreams for helping people in need to balance out what we do.”
“My mother’s wishes and dreams?” I sigh. “It seems everyone knows what they were except for me.”
“Your mother wanted to protect you, Isabella.” Something flashes in Borises eyes. “My mother knew your mother. She was your mother’s assistant. We called them ladies maids, but your mother would never use that title. She called my mother her friend and assistant.”
“Really?” My eyes widen, and I know I’m looking at him like a kid on Christmas morning.
This is the first time anyone has told me anything about her other than that she loved me and would’ve been so proud or flipped through photos of her telling me stories of the day they were taken. Boris just gave me some insight into the person Karina Moretti was.
