Page 76 of Brutal Vows

“Bombs. To American soil. Or elsewhere. I’m not sure, but it would be to start a proxy war. You know? Bomb something this side, start a war somewhere else—China, the Middle East, you pick. Then they sit back and watch the money flow in. And wherever it is, once destabilized, they can also infiltrate, if not outright waltz in and take.”

“Fuck,” Luca groans and rubs at his forehead. “Fuck our lives. Terrorism. Wash, rinse, repeat.”

“What else? I’m not sure. It’s just my gut feeling. But if Chertnikov finds me, he’ll use me—torture me—to bend Ivan to his will. Ivan would protect Irisha and Katya with his life, but I’m a grown woman. I don’t ever want him to be forced to make a choice between protecting me or protecting his girls.” I cup my face with my hands, which are cold now. “Chertnikov wouldn’t hesitate to use me or Annushka, even though she’s his grandchild, to get to Ivan. He’ll hold us hostage, cut us to pieces, force Ivan to make impossible choi⁠—”

“Okay,” he cuts in, raising a hand and shaking his head. “I get it. He’s a total psycho. I know the type. Fucking Bratva is just as bad as the Mafia. Though we don’t bomb shit to start international wars; cut us a bit of slack there.”

The coffee machine has stopped spluttering, and he pushes the fresh brew my way and follows it with cream.

It’s quiet as I pour and take a tentative sip.

When I meet his gaze again, he sighs. “I’ve worked through our options.”

“And?” I’m too eager, but he is holding my whole future in his hands.

“Let’s leave Chertnikov’s bigger agenda out of the picture for now. You need to keep Annushka hidden in some way, preferably forever, but at least until we’ve eliminated Chertnikov.”

“Yes.”

Luca leans his elbows on the counter and stares right into my eyes. “Even from your brother.”

“That would hurt like hell,” I choke out. “He loves his girls so much; I know he will love her too. And Irisha and Katya…they could have been close, cousins, our family⁠—”

He reaches for me and runs his fingertips over my knuckles where I’m clenching the mug.

“You can have all of that, princess, if we pretend she’s mine and not yours.”

Mine and not yours.

My mind stops. “What do you mean?”

He straightens with a tired sigh. “You’re safe here, Milana. After what happened with Gabi, Dominic is going to be all over our security like a bad rash. Trust me, nobody will breach our walls again. I promise you Annushka will be safe here too. In America. As my child.”

“Yours?” I echo, stunned at the idea. “How?”

He waves at my body. “Nobody here knows or would believe you’ve had a baby. You pulled that off perfectly. Me? Having a baby appear out of nowhere with some random woman from out of town? Fuck, I hate to admit it, but it’s an easy sell.”

I sit back, staring at him, his words slowly sinking in. “Okay, but I don’t understand. You’d do that? For me? For Annushka?”

“Milana,” he starts then looks down, seeming to battle with himself. “I’d do anything for you.” He looks up, holds my gaze, and there’s something in his eyes that whispers to my soul. “I’ve made vows. I honor them.”

This man… I don’t deserve him. He doesn’t deserve me either, the fucked-up mess I am with all my problems or the weight that comes with my heritage. “Luca, I—I…”

“You’ll have to act as if she isn’t yours at first,” he continues, “but only when we’re around the others, like my brothers and their wives. Over time, it would seem natural for you to grow close.”

The image he sketches moves me so much, I grasp at straws to keep my emotions in check. “I haven’t even met them!” I blurt out. “I’ve only been stuck here, in this tower.”

“My sweet Rapunzel,” he teases. “Because nobody knew what the hell was chasing you. Now I know, and well, when it’s all settled, you’ll have no reason to be running off to Russia again, right? Not when Annushka is here.”

“No. God, if I could put that place behind me tomorrow, it wouldn’t be soon enough.”

“Good. See? I’ve had a child with another woman, she’s out of the picture somehow, and now I’m stuck with the baby, just like you’re stuck with me and now, ultimately, with her. We can pull this off.”

We stare at each other, his reasoning seeming to bring everything back into balance. This could work. It’s a feasible plan.

“How long is it going to take?” I ask, the burning need to be with my baby flaring up.

“Did you register her birth in Russia?”