Page 147 of Mafia and Scars

Matvey and Nikolai look on, a tense expression on their faces. Matvey had to hack into goodness knows how many systems to track down Dr. Rivers’ personal cell phone number.

It’s a full-scale operation. For one small, sick cat. A stray cat at that. But not one of them questions it. None of them object. Because they can see how important this is to Viktor—and they’d do anything for the man they call a brother.

“Queenie might not have that long.Please,” Viktor pleads.

“I’m a nine-hour flight away from you,” Dr. Rivers objects.

“I’ll send our private jet!”

“It’s not possible, I’m afraid?—”

“And I’ll pay all your fees and expenses and an extra 20K on top of that. To compensate for your ruined vacation.”

He paces the length of the office while Matvey clicks away on his laptop, securing the funds for whatever this will cost. Nikolai is already coordinating with the pilot for a route and safe pick-up for the vet.

Dr. Rivers clears his throat. “I’m sorry but?—”

“100K! Payment upfront. And our private jet to bring you here and then take you back to Costa Rica. I don’t care what it costs—10k, 100K, or a million dollars—just please make sure my cat doesn’t die!”

Dr. Rivers is silent for a few long moments. “I can see how much your cat means to you. So, okay…”

And I hear the collective sigh of relief that we all release at once. Queenie isn’t just some cat Viktor brought home. She’s family, just as much as these men are family to each other. Family isn’t about blood ties—it’s about love and an unbreakable bond.

Grigory strides into the office at that moment—he rushed off as soon as Viktor told him that Queenie is critically ill. Grigory is holding a bag from the toy store, and he thrusts it at Viktor.

Viktor takes it with a frown. Slowly, he opens the bag and pulls out a toy cat. It’s similar to the one he bought for Sofia. “What’s this, Grigory?” Suddenly, Viktor’s expression becomes scary. “If you’re fucking saying I can replace Queenie with another cat, I’m going to goddamn stab?—”

“No! That’s not what this is,” Grigory interjects. He drags a hand through his hair. “I was worried that Queenie might be feeling…lonely at the clinic without any of her family around her. I thought maybe you could take this toy cat into her, so she has someone soft to snuggle with…because, uh, we all know how much she likes her snuggles.” He shifts from foot to foot. “And I thought that it might help reassure Sofia a little too if she knows that Queenie isn’t by herself…”

Viktor’s eyebrows shoot up. “You went to that fucking zoo called a toy store?”

Grigory nods.

“For Queenie?” Viktor croaks.

“Um, yeah. But alsofor you, dumbass.” Grigory blinks slowly. “I want you to know that we’re here for you, Vik.”

“I can’t believe you actually went to the toy store,” Viktor murmurs.

“Yeah, and like you said, it was hell on earth. Full of sugared-up kids and their stressed-out parents,” Grigory replies.

“I don’t know what to say…” Viktor’s voice trails off, but I can tell from the look in his eyes that he’s touched deeply.

Sofia sleeps for most of the rest of the morning, worn out from crying. Even Leon doesn’t seem his usual bubbly self as we spend time on the floor with a few of the toy trucks and his blocks.

But Viktor is right there for them both, making sure Sofia has the weighted blanket and the stuffed cat he bought her and letting Leon lie on his chest.

“I have an update,” he says softly as Sofia lifts her head from the sofa where she’s now watching her comfort movie,The Lion King, on her tablet. “The vet is on our jet now and on his way. He’ll do everything he can to help make Queenie better.”

Sofia’s bottom lip trembles. “Really?”

“Really.”

The movie is forgotten as she hugs him again without hesitation—and he holds her just as tightly in return.

Watching them together—these two people who find touch so difficult at times, one a huge man and the other a tiny girl—makessomething in me break. I sit down beside them and press my head to his shoulder. And for a while, we simply stay like that with Leon asleep on his mat beside Viktor.

And it feels like…home.