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“Why do you have a bag packed like you’re leaving?”

She looks away from me and bites her lip.

“Anissa.”

“Don’t,” she whispers.

“Don’t what?”

“Don’t tell me to stay.”

I step in closer, crowding her space. I hold her chin and tilt her gaze to mine so she has to look up. My world is crumbling around me, and she’s the one certainty. “Why?”

She swallows hard, her eyes locked on mine. “Because I won’t be able to tell you no, Matvei. Because I’m weak. Because I?—”

I kiss her. I lean in and wrap my hand around the back of her neck, holding her to me. She whimpers, crying into my mouth. I swallow her moan. My tongue meets hers. She bites my lip, and I groan, our breaths mingled.

“Inside,” I growl into her ear. Rafail will want to talk to me, and my brothers will need to meet. We’ll need to ask questions, and I’ll have to give him answers. What I know about my parents. What we do next. How complicit were they in my brother’s betrayal? Why the broken, lifeless body of the man who hurt my woman is buried in a shallow grave. Why Anissa needs to pause all her work for my Bratva so she can erase his name from the face of the earth.

But right now, I want her.

I need her.

I grab her bag out of her hands and throw it into the open door of my house. It slams against the wall and slides to the floor.

I’ll chain her to my fucking bed before I let her run.

* * *

Chapter29

ANISSA

Matvei leans in,cups the back of my head, and whispers low and dangerous, “Unpack your fucking bag.”

Something inside me snaps. I don’t move right away, just stare at him. His chest is rising and falling, and it looks like he’s barely keeping himself in check. I’m the spark to his tinder; one false move, and he’ll ignite.

“Anissa.” My name sounds like a warning.

And god help me—just as before, I don’twantto run. Not from here. Not from his family. Not fromhim.

“Matvei.” My voice is choked from barely held emotion. What could have happened just now—whatdid.

He narrows his eyes at me.

“Go ahead. Run, little witch. I’ll give you a head start. Mount your broom and fly far, far away from here. I’ll drag you back by your hair, put you back in your cage, and throw away the key.”

“You don’t understand, Matvei.” My voice shakes. “Your mother was right. I’m not?—”

“Don’t.” His voice is deadly calm. “Don’t quote that fucking woman to me. She’s nothing. She’sdone.And what she said about you, about us, meansnothing.”

My lip trembles, but I won’t cry, not now.

“Look at you, being all brave,” he says with pride. “So brilliant. So perfect. A little ghost until I dragged you out of hiding.” He leans in, his voice brooking no argument, the wall to my dam. I’m shaking as he enunciates each syllable. “Un. Pack. Your. Bag.Now.”

I draw in a quick breath. Unpacking that bag will be a concession.

I glance up at him. He’s watching me as if he already knows I’m going to do exactly what he says.