Page 126 of Mafia and Scars

She flinches, not because I’ve raised my voice, but from the rawness that scrapes my throat. I’ve killed men for less than scaring someone I care about.

“He’s a dead man if he comes around you or Sofia again.”

“Viktor—”

I shake my head. Gently, I tilt her head up off my chest, searching her eyes. “If he comes near you again, he’s goddamn dead. He comes near Sofia or Leon, I’ll put him in the fucking ground myself.”

Her body trembles, but she leans into my touch, finding comfort in it. And that settles me more than I’ll ever admit.

“I’m scared,” she whispers. “For Sofia. For Leon. And for myself. You don’t know what it’s like, Viktor. The things they did.” A violent shiver rolls through her. “The way they trained us…The way they broke us.”

I wrap my arm around her tighter, feeling the wetness of her tears through my shirt.

“Tell me. I want to know.”

She shakes her head. “I can’t.”

The nightmare from a few weeks ago makes perfect sense now. Whatever happened between Avelina and this man left a lasting scar. Maybe not physically, but emotionally.

“It’s okay,” I murmur. She relaxes into my arms, letting me hold her tightly.

And because that’s the comfort she needs, I give it willingly.

In the morning, I stand across from Grigory in the office.

I haven’t told him everything. But I told him just enough that he’s agreed to let me bulk up our security and defenses. Someone is after Avelina, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let Gennady or anyone else threaten her.

Grigory’s gaze is fixed on me. He doesn’t press me for more details. No questions. No explanations. Because he understands how important this is to me—and how important Avelina is to me.

“Say the word, Viktor, and we’ll start bulking up.”

“Then we’ll do it immediately,” I grit out. “I need to find every possible way to eliminate this threat to my girl.”

I freeze.

Did I really…?

I shake my head. She’s mine for as long as she’ll have me, whether she knows it or not.

Then I force my mind to return to the issue of security because I haven’t got a second to lose. I start to run through every possible way to keep this place safe.

But the math doesn’t change.

The threat will never go away.

And Avelina and the children will never be totally safe.

Which means one thing, and one thing only.

That Gennady has to die.

Ten days. It’s been ten days since Avelina’s gone back to the rink.

I don’t say anything. I don’t press.

But I know she’s scared. Even after I told her I’d go with her. That I’d protect her.

I watch her carefully as she wistfully sighs at the ice-skating showcase on TV. She misses it. I can see that in the way she stares at the screen in the rec room. The color has leached slightly from her cheeks. And the light has faded from her laugh.