Page 165 of Bratva and Betrayal: Kirill

“I also found out what happened with his car accident,” I say, worried this will snap Lourdes’s support of my relationship.

“I already assumed Yuri had something to do with it,” she says, sounding convinced.

“Not Yuri.” I clear my throat. “Kirill questioned Dad. Roughly. And⁠—”

“Sandrine, I’m married to the head of the Greek Mafia. I know how interrogations work.” She takes a breath. “Did Kirill kill Dad?”

“No,” I say right away. “But he admitted that he shouldn’t have let Dad get into his car. Our father never admitted where I was. Kirill had nothing to gain by killing the only man who knew where to find me.”

“Oh,” Lourdes says, sounding a little relieved. Relieved she won’t have to explain any of this to her Greek Mafia boss husband. “My earlier statement stands. Dad was wrong. He was messing with the Bratva. He may not have stolen their money. He stole their queen!”

I give a small smile at being referred to as a queen.

I look at the time. “I just wanted you to know. I need to pick up Violet and take her to a playdate.”

There’s silence for a moment. Then she asks, “How are things with Kirill?”

“We’re good, Lourdes. Really good.”

After a beat of silence, and something whispered in the background, she says, “Ares’s offer still stands. He will come get you and your daughter if⁠—”

“No,” I say quickly.

“Are you sure? He has three Irish families at his disposal.”

“This is where I belong. This is where I wanted to be. My memory breakthrough confirmed it. You said I looked like I was in love in the video. I was. I…am. And Kirill is a wonderful father.”

“I trust you.” She clears her throat. “When will I see you? I have a baby shower to plan. I’d love to meet my little niece.”

“Tell your husband to bring you to New York for the summit next month,” Ares calls out from the background.

“Kirill didn’t mention the summit,” I say. “But I’ll tell him that I want to join him.”

Will he let me?

“Elodie said she’ll fly in for the shower,” Lourdes says with caution in her voice.

“Elodie,” I repeat her name. “You spoke to her?”

“I did. She says she’s fine.” My sister clears her throat. “We’ll talk to her next month and get the whole story about that man Ares and Kirill found her with.”

Mafia…

“And she called me a sex kitten,” I say, feeling a laugh come on.

“I love you, Sandrine,” my sister says softly.

“I love you, too, Lourdes. Mrs. Greek Goddess of War,” I say with a small giggle at how two middle-class girls from Forest Glen are now wives of the two most powerful men in the mafia. And our cousin…

I hang up, then gather my purse and coat to pick up Violet. When I step outside, I feel that the weather has turned. I survived another Chicago winter.

* * *

Violet erupts from the school as she does every day.

“Mommy!” she calls to me, and runs toward me.

“Hi, sweetie!” I call out and open my arms.