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“He didn’t?—”

“You weregone!” he barks, his voice shaky, his eyes haunted. “You were gone forthree fucking days! I have been tearing this goddamn cityapartlooking for you! Whatever he did to you, my girl…” He shakes his head. “You don’t need to fear him anymore. You can tell me. But donottell me that nothing happened, because I know you, and there’s no version of you that would willingly disappear without a trace for three days, knowing what it would do to me!”

My heart breaks. Because he’s right, there’s no chance in hell I’d ever do that.

It’s also so more complicated than that.

“It’s…” I take his hands again, bloody or not. “Papa, it’s complicated. A lot of it was a huge misunderstanding?—”

“Amisunderstanding?!” he roars. “Yes or no, Milena: did you disappear for three dayswillingly.”

I wince, shaking my head. “No, Papa.”

His jaw sets. “And is the party responsible for that disappearance Nero De Luca?”

My lip trembles as I breathe in and out slowly through my nose.

“That settles it,” he growls quietly. “It’s not that complicated after all.” He squeezes my hand. “It might be best if you go up to your room,” he murmurs.

He starts to turn away, but I grab his hand again, fiercely.

“Where is he?” I snap.

“That’s nothing you need to concern yourself with, Milena. You’ve been gone for days. I don’t know what that motherfucker did to you, but you areclearlynot yourself. I understand there can be psychological confusion in situations like?—”

“Do you think I haveStockholm Syndrome?!” I choke. “Isthatwhat you think is going on?!”

“Iknowthat’s what’s going on,solnyshka,” he retorts. “Milena, I love you more than life itself, but this is clearlynota conversation we can have rationally right?—”

“Ilove him!!” I scream.

Instantly, the whole world goes quiet. The kitchen stills, the only sound a soft drip of the tap into a pan soaking in the sink.

Papa stares at me like I’ve stabbed him.

“Milena…”

“I love him,” I say again. “And that’s nothing new, Papa,” I whisper. “I’ve loved him for a long time. A lot longer than you know. Than evenIknew.”

His brow furrows in confusion and hurt, his head slowly shaking side to side.

“You—”

“Love him,yes,” I hiss fiercely, seething. “And if you think for one goddamn second that I’m going togo up to my roomwhile you charge down to the basement and hurt him, you’re out of your fucking mind.”

“Milena, my love, I know this is hard, but it’s really best if you?—”

“I’m not a little girl, Papa!”

“You’reMY LITTLE GIRL!!!” he roars back.

His face breaks, all the fire in his eyes shattering as he yanks me into a tight embrace. “You willalwaysbe my little girl. Do you haveanyidea what it felt like the last few days, thinking that someone I loved more than anything might slip through my fingers forever?”

Tears stream down my cheeks as I hug him back.

“Da, Papa,” I choke. “It’s how I feel right now with Nero in that basement.”

He breathes quietly, still hugging me. Then he slowly pulls back, his eyes tight as they search mine.