Page 68 of Royal Bargain

Ana stills. “What?”

“I didn’t want to jump to conclusions before. I didn’t want to believe it. But I looked through security feeds, timestamp logs, and cam footage. Some of Dariy’s men were there. Near the gala. Near the shooter.”

She swallows, visibly trying to stay calm. “Are you sure?”

I nod. “Lucky found a car linked to one of their shell companies. I matched the plates. And I pulled footage from Blackthorn’s backup archives. I saw them myself, Ana. They were watching.”

Her expression tightens, and I hate that I’m the one putting that look on her face.

I reach for her hand. “I’m not telling you this to scare you. But I need you to know—whatever this is, whatever your family is doing—it’s not just about you anymore.”

Ana’s hand tightens in mine. She doesn’t speak yet, but her lips part like she’s about to—before her throat works around a hard swallow.

“You really think my father ordered this?” she asks finally, voice small but steady.

“I think,” I say, “either he did—or he’s letting someone under him do it without stopping them. And either way, it’s on him.”

Ana doesn’t answer right away. She just sits there, eyes clouded, lips pressed together like she’s trying to hold back the flood. Part of me wants to take it all back—soften it. But I can’t. Not this time. Not when it’s our daughter’s life on the line.

Before either of us can say anything more, my phone buzzes on the table behind me.

I reach for it absently, thumb swiping across the screen, then freeze. It’s from a number I don’t recognize.

A chill ripples down my spine as I read the message.

You're asking the wrong questions.

23

ANNIKA

Liam’s words echo in my head on an endless loop, twisting my stomach into knots.It was your family. The Russians were at the scene.

I sit on the edge of the bed, Lily curled against my chest, her soft breaths steady against my collarbone. The weight of her is the only thing anchoring me right now. I want to believe he’s wrong. I need him to be wrong. But Liam isn’t careless. He wouldn’t say something like that unless he truly believed it.

Still… believing something and knowing it are two different things.

My fingers tremble as I reach for my phone on the nightstand. It’s been weeks since I last tried to contact anyone from the Bratva, since I walked away. Since I became, in my father’s eyes, a traitor. A ghost. I know any attempt to reach out could be dangerous. But I also know there’s one person who might still pick up.

Sasha.

My heart aches just thinking of her. The last time we spoke, her voice cracked when she said goodbye. She didn’t want to letme go. I saw it in her eyes. She never believed in all of this the way the others did. She was too soft for our world. Too human.

I open our old, encrypted message app and stare at the empty chat screen, unsure of what to say. Finally, I type,

Sasha, it’s me. I need to talk. Please. Just you. I need to know the truth.

I send it and immediately regret it, locking the screen and pressing the phone to my chest like I can take it back if I just hold it tightly enough.

Lily stirs, letting out a quiet whimper. I kiss her forehead and rock her gently. “Shh, sweetheart. It’s okay. Mama’s just… Mama’s just trying to breathe.”

The minutes stretch long. I don’t expect her to answer. She might be watched. She might hate me now. She might not even?—

Ping.

I nearly drop the phone.

Sasha: Annushka. I miss you so much. Please let me see you. Just for a few minutes. I won’t tell anyone. I promise.