Page 104 of Unbroken

I look back at him, my gaze sharp. “What are you talking about?”

He purses his lips, thinking over his words before he responds. “Women need to know that you’re all in, Vadka. You loved her sister first, and that’s got to be something that’s in the back of her mind. She doesn’t want to be Mariah’s replacement.”

My voice is vehement, my temper rising. “Fuck, Rafail, sheisn’t.”

He swivels his gaze to mine. Challenging. Hard. “Doessheknow that?”

Does she?

I never knew I could love someone again. But now, she’severything.Fuckingeverything.

Rafail stands. “Look, brother. It’s my job to make sure my men are stable and secure, that they don’t make decisions with a woman that could impact their loyalty to the Bratva.”

We don’t date casually and never have. It’s all in with us, and for good reason.

“And it’s my job to make sure that if youareall in, that you make it official. You know she has greater protection inside our family if you make her yours officially.”

I nod. I do know it. I’ve thought about it. I don’t give afuck about what others might say, but I don’t want to push Ruthie.

He taps his beer bottle to mine. “Tomorrow, I’m separating you two. We need a trial run to defend ourselves in the event of an attack. I need to see you in action, make sure your judgment isn’t affected by your concern for Ruthie.” His eyes grow distant, his lips turning down into a scowl that strikes fear in the hearts of anyone who crosses him.

“Rafail, for fuck’s sake, you know?—”

“I don’t,” he finishes, his tone hard. “I don’t, but I need to.”

I take another angry gulp of my drink, blood burning in my veins.

“An attack is coming,” he says, his voice laced with warning. “Matvei says it’s imminent.”

Imminent.

I’ve known it, of course, but hearing the words out loud makes it seem so much more possible.

I lean back in my chair, my shoulders tense. My beer is still half full, untouched. Cold condensation drips to the floor.

Rafail watches me, hard and calculating. Loyal to the bone. He’s watching to see if my judgment’s clouded by grief.

“You’re questioning me. Because, again, I’ve got something to lose.”

A beat passes. He gulps the rest of his beer and looks out beyond. “That’s exactly why I’m questioning it. Tomorrow, we have a trial. You’ll take sector east. Ruthie goes with Semyon.”

“Rafail—”

“No.” His word is law. “Tomorrow, I separate you two. This is war, Vadka. They say she knows her way around a gun.”

She does. Her sister taught her, and I agreed. In our world, it helps to be prepared.

Rafail continues. “You have to depend on your brothers to protect everyone. AndIneed to know your loyalty to the Bratva hasn’t been diluted.”

“You know I?—”

He stands, his gaze sharp. “Words are cheap, brother,” he says. His hand falls on my shoulder. “Fucking show me.”

But we don’t geta chance to execute. We suit up for it, we separate, and I do exactly what Rafail fucking tells me to do, but it’s too late. The time has come. There are no more practice sessions.

The first scream doesn’t come from the street.

It comes through the earpiece.