Page 28

Chapter 28

The Line in the Sand

Vasiliyi

M orning light creeps in through the office windows, casting long shadows across the makeshift bed. Galina’s side is empty—blankets tossed back, the space cold. My eyes search the room until I find her curled up in my desk chair, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, gaze fixed on the street. She’s too still, too quiet. Whatever peace last night brought didn’t last.

My phone buzzes. Nikolai.

Of course.

I’ve been avoiding this conversation for as long as possible, but with Matvei still breathing and Vladimir circling like a vulture, I can’t afford to stall anymore.

“ Brat ,” I say, keeping my voice low so I don’t pull Galina out of whatever headspace she’s in. “It’s early.”

“Conference call,” Nikolai replies. “Igor’s already on. We need to talk strategy.”

I sit up with a groan, scrubbing a hand through my hair. “Let’s hear it.”

There’s a shuffle, and then Igor’s voice crackles to life. “Have you found Matvei yet?”

“No.” The word is a blade on my tongue. “He’s in hiding. Probably under Vladimir’s wing.”

“Then we need to smoke him out,” Nikolai says, and there’s a familiar edge in his voice I don’t like. Cold. Calculated. Ruthless.

I already know where this is heading.

“We all know what bait will work best.”

My grip tightens around the phone.

“Whatever you’re thinking?—”

“Use the girl,” Igor cuts in. “Vladimir wants her bad enough to get sloppy.”

“No.” The word growls out of me before I can rein it in. Galina turns from the window, her eyes locking with mine. Alert. Watching.

“Don’t be emotional,” Igor says. “We control the setup. Full security. If they come for her, we’ll be ready.”

“I said no.” I stand, pacing like a caged animal. “She’s pregnant with my child. I’m not putting either of them in the crosshairs.”

There’s a heavy pause.

Then Nikolai, quieter now, says, “I get it. I do. But this might be our best shot at ending this.”

“There are other ways,” I snap. “I’m not trading her safety for a shot in the dark.”

“You’re letting her cloud your judgment,” Nikolai bites. “This is the same woman who tried to kill our sister. Don’t act like she’s innocent.”

I stop cold. The heat in my blood spikes.

“Watch your mouth,” I say, low and lethal.

“Or what?” he sneers. “You’ll throw away your loyalty for her?”

“I’m choosing my child,” I snap, but the words don’t land clean. Because the truth is, I chose her long before there was a child. Somewhere between that night in Moscow and now, she stopped being a distraction and became my line in the sand. The one thing I won’t live without. “Find another way.”

“There might not be one,” Igor warns. “Yakov’s return complicates everything.”

I freeze.

“You think he’s involved?”

“The timing lines up too well to be a coincidence,” Igor says. “Vladimir’s men watching the club. Yakov buying up the buildings next door. Someone’s making a move.”

“They’re working together,” Nikolai adds grimly. “Vladimir wants the club. Yakov wants revenge. This isn’t about territory anymore; it’s about dismantling everything we’ve built.”

The weight of it lands hard. Yakov’s reappearance. Vladimir’s boldness. The sudden escalation of Rong’s investigation. None of this is random.

It’s a war.

And we’re already in it.

“If you’re right,” I say slowly, “then putting Galina in harm’s way is even more dangerous. Yakov’s not like Vladimir. He doesn’t have a family connection to her. If it comes to it, he won’t hesitate to kill her.”

“Which is exactly why we need to end this now,” Igor argues. “Before they get any stronger. Before they can really hurt us.”

“By sacrificing my child?” Rage burns through my veins. “My woman?”

“Your woman?” Igor’s laugh is ugly. “Listen to yourself. She’s an Olenko. And now you’re letting her manipulate you with this pregnancy?—”

“Enough.” The word cracks like a gunshot in the quiet office. Galina flinches at the sound, but her gaze remains steady on mine. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Then enlighten us, brother,” Nikolai says, his tone carefully neutral. “What exactly is she to you?”

Images flash through my mind: Galina dancing on that stage, fierce and beautiful. Her body curved protectively around our unborn child as she fought off Matvei. The way she looked at me last night in the bath, love shining in her eyes. Each memory fills me with a possessive heat that has nothing to do with control and everything to do with something deeper. Something I never thought I’d feel.

“She’s mine,” I say finally. “She carries my child. And I will burn this city to the ground before I let anyone hurt her.”

“Then you’re a fool,” Igor spits. “And when this blows up in your face, don’t come crying to us for help.”

“Careful, Sokolov.” I let a hint of darkness creep into my voice. “You’re forgetting your place. You might be our brother-in-law now, but I won’t spare you if you cross me. You don’t want to see what I’m capable of.”

“Neither do you,” Igor snarls. “But you’ll find out soon enough. Don’t say we didn’t warn you, Vasiliy. You shouldn’t allow that woman to weaken you.”

“She doesn’t make me weak.” I meet Galina’s eyes across the room. “She makes me want to be better.”

The silence that follows is heavy with judgment. Finally, Nikolai sighs. “Just...be careful, Vasiliy. Yakov’s hatred runs deep. He blames Igor and I for what happened to his sister. If he’s really working with Vladimir?—”

“I know the risks.” I move to stand behind my desk, beside Galina’s chair. She reaches for my hand, intertwining our fingers. “But I won’t sacrifice my family no matter what.”

“Then you better have a backup plan,” Igor says. “Because Yakov won’t stop until he’s destroyed everything we care about. Including your precious Galina.”

The threat in his voice makes my blood run cold. “Is that a warning or a promise?”

“Take it however you want.” The line goes dead, leaving us in heavy silence.

I grip the edge of my desk and force myself to breathe through the frenzy. I want nothing more than to find and destroy our enemies right now. I’m itching to get to them before they can get to what’s mine. But that kind of thinking is what got us into this mess. Savagery only breeds more of the same. And anger breeds revenge. I have to find a better way to get what I want for my child, for Galina. I must break this cycle.

“They’re right about one thing,” Galina says softly, rising from the chair. “We need to end this. And I should be the one to draw them out.”

“No.”

“We can control the situation.” She rests a hand on my shoulder, her warmth grounding me. “I’m tired of looking over my shoulder, wondering when they’ll strike next. We can have guards hidden?—”

“You don’t understand.” I spin to face her, cutting her off. “I can’t lose either one of you.”

“You won’t.” Galina’s voice is steel, her expression hard with determination. “Because we’re going to fight, and we’re going to win. How long do you think we can keep living like this? Hiding in your office, jumping at shadows?”

My control slips. “You seem to be forgetting something, lisichka .” I back her against the desk, looming over her. “You belong to me. I’ll use you however I see fit, and right now, that means keeping you safe.”

As soon as I say it, I realize it was the wrong thing. Her face flashes with pain, but then it turns white-hot with anger.

“Use me?” She shoves against my chest. “Is that all I am to you? Something to use? To own?” Her voice trembles with rage and something deeper—disappointment. After everything we’ve been through, every moment of tenderness and understanding, I’ve fallen back into the same old patterns.

“That’s not?—”

“No,” she snaps, pushing past me. “You can’t change what you are, Vasiliy. No matter how hard you try. None of it changes the fact that you think women are meant to be fucked and broken.”

The accusation hits like a physical blow. “This isn’t about control. This is about protecting our child.”

“Our child deserves better! I deserve better!” She gestures around the office. “Better than existing in a world of violence and fear and desperation. Better than watching our backs every moment, wondering which enemy will strike next.”

“There’s no other choice.” The weight of the gun lying on the desk is a cold reminder of our circumstances. “They’ll tear us apart before we even have a chance to figure out how to get out of this.”

“There’s always a choice,” she counters. “And if the only other option is to remain trapped in this endless cycle of violence, then I choose not to live at all.”

Something about the way she looks at me hurts my chest. The fierce love that burns in my heart is the same thing that makes her angry. We both want to give our child a better life than we had.

“I can’t lose you,” I whisper, the words raw. “Either of you.”

“Then trust me.” She steps closer, resting her palm against my chest. “Trust that I can do this. That we can do this together.” Her eyes harden with determination. “I’ve spent my whole life being controlled by men who claimed they were protecting me. My father, my uncle, and now you’re doing the same thing. I need to know if you truly see me as your equal, or if I’m just another possession.”

The accusation stings because there’s truth in it. I’ve been treating her the same way the others did, convinced I knew what was best. I catch her hand, pressing it harder against my heart. “If anything happened to you...” My voice breaks. “But you’re right. I can’t keep you locked away. You’re stronger than that. We’re stronger than that.”

She stands up on her toes and brushes my lips. At first, the kiss is soft, but it quickly turns angry and desperate. As she gets closer, her body molds to mine. My hands get tangled in her hair. We pour all our fear, anger, and love into the kiss. It’s so strong that it takes our breath away.

When we finally break apart, I rest my forehead against hers. “If we do this—if we use you as bait—you follow my lead. No improvising. No heroics.” I cup her face, forcing her to meet my eyes. “Promise me.”

A small smile curves her lips. “I promise.”

“And you’ll wear a vest.”

“Vasiliy—”

“Nonnegotiable.” I kiss her again, gentler this time. “I’m trusting you. Trust me back.”

She sighs against my mouth. “Fine. But we do this soon. Before I get too big to move properly.”

The reminder of her pregnancy sends a fresh wave of protectiveness through me. But she’s right, this has to stop. For the sake of our child. And for our own good.

“We’ll need a plan,” I say, already thinking through logistics. “A real one, not whatever half-baked scheme Igor and Nikolai cook up.”

“I might have some ideas.” She traces patterns on my chest, her touch both soothing and inflaming. “But first, let’s go back to bed.”

I can’t think straight anymore because her hands slide lower. Now there’s only this—her body against mine, our shared breath, and our shared future. No matter what comes next or the risks we face. No matter what happens, I’ll be by her side. I’ll protect her. I’ll love her.

I lift her in my arms and carry her to the makeshift bed. A possessive growl escapes my throat. This isn’t just her dance; this is her entire life. I won’t let her burn.

We’ll face our enemies soon enough. But this moment belongs to us alone.