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What does he mean?
Isaak breathes out sharply, the tension in his body unmistakable as his eyes narrow in Papa’s direction. There’s something cold about the way he watches Papa, his eyes sharp, and his jaw tight.
Like this, he looks so much like his sons.
Like Nikolai.
Like Mikhail.
I can’t help myself but look over at them both again, feeling my chest become a little lighter as my eyes remain locked with theirs.
Without saying anything, Isaak steps forward, his presence commanding full attention.
But before things can escalate, Alessandro moves swiftly, positioning himself in the space between Isaak, and Papa. His calm demeanour is a stark contrast against the storm that’s brewing in this room, but it’s clear that he won’t allow this to go any further.
At least, not yet.
“Enough.” The Don says to both men. “We can’t resolve this through violence. Let’s keep some space between us all.”
The tension crackles in the air, and I can’t help but tremble.
This is not what I wanted.
Closing my eyes for a brief moment, I try to steady my breathing, to make sense of everything that’s happening around me.
It’s no use.
Nobody is ready to listen to Alessandro.
His words fall on deaf ears as Isaak takes another step forward, his eyes locked on my Papa’s with a dangerous calm.
My heart hammers away in my chest as I tighten my grip on Papa, not wanting him to move any closer towards Isaak, and not wanting him to make this any more worse than it already is.
But Papa has already shrugged me off, leaving me standing alone as he too storms forward, his fury impossible to contain.
Even from here, I can feel the anger radiating from him, and I’m scared to see him like this—so lost in the role of the underboss he once was—and so scared to see what he might do next.
Dario crosses the room to stand beside me, almost protecting me from even more chaos that’s about to unfold before us. He’s just as angry as Papa, his eyes locked on the Russian men, his fists clenched at his sides. Though my brother’s presence is comforting, it doesn’t stop the fear that’s threatening to swallow me whole.
Opposite us, Nikolai and Mikhail watch my brother and I. Their eyes are on me, both their bodies tense, and their expressions are unreadable. Together, they both move in to be closer to Isaak.
Their silent warning is clear; they’re ready to defend their father no matter what.
And then, Papa shouts.
His voice is so raw, and his anger so intense, that I find myself flinching.
“Was it not enough for you monsters to take my wife, that you had to take my daughter too?!” Papa yells, his voice booming around the room. His words hit me like a punch to the gut, and I feel all the air leave my body. “She has suffered long enough without her mother! Are you trying to break my daughter completely?!”
The room seems to freeze for a moment, Papa’s words so sharp and accusatory.
I want to say something—I want to tell him that I’m fine, I’m safe now, and I’m okay—but the lump in my throat makes it impossible to speak.
The tension isunbearable.
Papa looks at Isaak with pure disgust, and Dario is staring at Nikolai and Mikhail with such intensity in his eyes, like he’s ready to pounce at the slightest provocation.
All I can do is hold my breath, hoping that somehow, nothing else will escalate.