Page 55 of Brutal Reign

I hang up and press my back against the wall, trying to calm my racing heart. Warm tears slip down my cheeks, and I give myself a few minutes to break down, because honestly, how much more can a girl take?

When I finally pull myself together, I brush away the tears and splash cold water on my face. I have to stay strong for Kin.

I take one last look at the phone, then wrap it in a towel and smash it hard against the edge of the sink until the screen shatters and the device is dead. I stomp on it for good measure,muffling the noise under layers of terrycloth, all evidence of my last phone call destroyed.

Stepping out of the bathroom, I crouch in front of Kin. He’s perched on the edge of the bed, swinging his legs and talking to his stuffed dinosaur. I place my hand over his and wait until his big eyes turn to mine.

“I didn’t marry Simon today. I married someone else. His name is Pavel. He’s… an old friend of mine.”

Kin doesn’t blink. He just nods up at me.

“We’re going to go back to his country with him and live there for a while.” I say it like it’s a good thing, like we’re going on an adventure, but it’s definitely not the kind I was looking for.

Kin tilts his head. “Is he nice?”

Nice is the last word I’d use to describe Pavel, but I hope he’s at least decent. What if he sees Kin as a threat? What if he has a cruel streak? Anything is possible, and that scares me so damn much.

“Sure, he’s nice.” I force a smile.

He seems to accept this, nodding slowly. “Can Mei come?”

Mei stands by the closet, folding the blanket she used for the fort. We lock eyes, and I give a slight shake of my head. I don’t want to drag her into this.

“No, sweetheart. Mei lives in Hong Kong, and we’re going to a city called Moscow. It’s very far away. But I’m sure she can visit us one day.”

“Okay, Mama.”

After a quick goodbye to Mei and instructions to leave with the priest, I lift our bag with one hand, grasp Kin’s with the other, and open the door to find Pavel waiting across the hall.

He’s leaning against the wall, one foot braced behind him, phone pressed to his ear as he speaks in Russian—his words are quiet but intense. His eyes lift when he sees me, and fora second, they drag over me, assessing everything—my clothes, the tension in my face, the hand I’m holding.

Then they drop to Kin.

He doesn’t say anything right away, but his body straightens and his gaze softens.

I study Pavel, my heart thudding hard, waiting for something to register. But there’s no flash of realization. Nothing but a flicker of curiosity.

Pavel mutters a final word into the phone and slips it into his pocket. “You ready?”

I nod, but his eyes stay glued to Kin.

“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your son?”

I crouch beside Kin. “This is Pavel,” I say gently. “The man I married today.”

Kin blinks up at him with curious, wide eyes. “Whoa. You’re huge.”

Pavel’s lips twitch. “So I’ve been told.”

“I’m going to be strong too. ’Cause my dad was. That’s what Mama said.”

My heart jerks when Pavel’s eyes dart to me. I hold my breath, wondering if he’s reading into what Kin said, but if he is, he doesn’t show it.

He nods down at Kin. “I don’t doubt that you will be. I can tell just by looking at you.”

Something in my chest loosens when Kin grins back at him. “Are we going to your house now?”

“We are,” Pavel says. “Are you ready to go?”