Page 5 of Royal Bargain

It’s not like I had anyone else I could rely on anymore. It seems as though everyone around me thinks I’m guilty, even my sisters. The only person who even reached out to help was…

Just then, the phone rings, and I glance to down to see his name on the screen.

Aleksey.

My adoptive brother.

Relief washes over me in waves.

Laying Lily down in her bassinet, I hurry back to the living room to take the call.

“I’m here,” I say, voice cracking a little. “Sorry. Lily’s been crying nonstop all day.”

“Shit. I’m sorry I can’t help more,” Aleksey says, his voice low. “I know things are shit. I hope you’re taking care of yourself,sestrichka.”

Aleksey may not be my biological brother, but he’s my brother in all the ways that count. Lily’s cries echo in the background and I wince, guilt eating at me for leaving her alone, even though I know she’ll be fine for a couple of minutes.

“If you can’t handle it, maybe you should think about coming back and throwing yourself on Anatoly’s mercy,” he suggests, as though it were as easy as strolling back into Papa’s office.

Frustration boils up. “I can do this,” I snap. “You know I didn’t steal those files. You know I didn’t have anything to do with Anatoly’s arrest.”

Aleksey is silent for a moment before sighing. “Yeah, I know,” he says, and I can practically see him run his fingers through his thick, wavy, black hair. “That’s why I’ve been helping you. But we’re running out of time here.”

Anxiety overtakes the frustration, my stomach rolling as I think about what could happen to Lily if they found us. Would she be safe? I once thought my father wouldn’t have been the kind of man to kill an innocent child, but that was before he sent Dariy after Clary and her unborn baby.

Now I’m not so sure that he wouldn’t do something to hurt Lily just to get back at me. Which is exactly why I have to stay in hiding right now.

“What do we do?” I ask him. My stomach is in knots trying to come up with alternatives to my current situation.

“You need a new place to hide. We can’t keep you in that safehouse forever.”

“We have nowhere to go,bratan,” I protest, gritting my teeth as I try to ignore the pounding headache from Lily’s incessant cries.

“Dariy has told us to start searching every single one of our safehouses in the city.” Aleksey drops the news on me like a bucket of cold water. “Once they start looking, it isn’t going to be long before you’re found,sestrichka.”

Fuck. I thought I had more time. I thought they wouldn’t bother checking the safehouses. They’d assume I was too smart to hide out in a known location, but I suppose they’re getting desperate now.

“You need to find another way.” Aleksey’s voice is gentle, but I can hear the tension in his words. “I’ve been willing to help you so far because I think this entire thing is ridiculous, that obviously, you’re innocent. But we both know Papa is not a patient man. Even I won’t be able to protect you if they catch you first.”

I bite my lip, breath catching in my throat. Anatoly has never been capable of patience, not when it comes to something he wants.

“Dariy wants all of us looking,” Aleksey adds. “Starting tonight. Every lieutenant in the Bratva is going to be trying to find you. I can only keep you safe for so long,Annichka.But I don’t want Anatoly thinking that both you and I conspired to betray him.”

I press the heel of my hand against my forehead, trying to think. I’m running out of options at this point, and I’m running out of time. It’s not fair of me to put this all on Aleksey, but I have no idea what I’m going to do.

“Give me twenty-four hours,” I plead, finally finding my voice. “I’ll figure something out, even if Lily and I have to disappear.”

“I’ll do the best I can,” Aleksey promises. “Take care. Give Lily a kiss from her uncle.”

We hang up, and I rush back to the bedroom, picking Lily up as I cradle her to my chest. I feel like I’m about to crack in half from the weight of all the pressure on me. Tears gather in my eyes as I try to shush her fruitlessly, once again. I hold her closer, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head, breathing in her soft baby scent like it’s the only thing tethering me to reality. She’s all that matters now.

I don’t have time to second-guess myself anymore. If Liam won’t help me, I’ll find another way. But I will keep my daughter safe. No matter what it takes.

3

LIAM

As I stare at the text, conflicting emotions tumble around inside me. My jaw hangs slack, and I run a hand through my hair, trying to piece together my thoughts. “Fuck,” I curse, a snarl ripping through me. I’m not about to go running off to Annika just because she gave me a sob story about some kid who may or may not be mine, and how they’re in “danger”.