Page 113 of Thorns of Desire

“Now speak,” he demanded.

“My contacts learned of a little secret Alexandra kept,” Danil started. “You really should have gotten ahold of Alexandra when you had a chance, skinned her alive, and questioned her on the details of her betrayal. Her secrets. Instead, you let her escape for handing you Athena.”

Pezzo di merda.

I wrapped my arms around Athena, wanting to protect her from her mother’s selfishness. Her eyes locked on me, watching me like I was a king. Her king.

“I knew Atticus or one of you would get to her.” Qian wasn’t wrong. Alexandra’s days under the sun were numbered. “Now explain what the fuck you mean,” Qian barked.

He seemed to be fed up with antics just as much as the rest of us.

“She migrated back to the States, pregnant and with a baby under a fake passport. Mei Windsor, the exact same age and date of birth as Mei Long.”

No doubt Alexandra intended to use her as her trump card if the need ever arose.

His hands curled into fists at his side. “Where is she? And why wouldn’t Alexandra use that leverage to save herself and her child?”

Danil shrugged. “Because she fucked up. The Windsor family, who adopted Mei, are practically royalty. Fuck them over and you’re dead.”

“I will get her back to my country. They can’t touch her there.”

Danil let out a sardonic breath. “I wouldn’t count on it. Besides, Mei is very fond of her parents, and I suspect your way of… business won’t be to her liking.”

“Why are you speaking as if you know her?”

Danil’s lip curled into a smug, almost twisted smile. “Unlike you, I do my research. You should have really looked at your family and asked how your baby sister wound up in Atticus’s home in the first place.”

“My mother,” Qian answered flatly. “She fell in love with Alexandra during one of her visits to Greece, accompanying my father. Alexandra knew Atticus was about to dump her, so the two women planned some fairy-tale escape.”

“What?”

“What the fuck?” Danil said. “Is that a joke?”

“Do you see me laughing, Popov?”

Athena straightened but didn’t pull away. “My mother is… but no, it can’t be. She’s been chasing men for as long as I can remember.”

“Maybe she was experimenting.” Qian’s voice hardened. “But I assure you, it is true. My father beheaded my mother as a result of her betrayal.”

Silence filled the room. We all sized each other up, considering this new information.

“Where is my… Where is Alexandra?” It would seem Athena couldn’t refer to Alexandra as her mother anymore. Not that I could blame her. She had caused so much pain and suffering.

“By now, I imagine Lykos Costello has her secured in my dungeon.” Qian remained silent, his gaze locked on Athena and me. “Her days are numbered.”

I heard Athena’s soft gasp and I rubbed her back. She’d been exposed enough by now to know there wasn’t a scenario in which Alexandra Kosta remained alive. Not with the damage she caused.

“Even if your wife objects to keeping her imprisoned?” Qian demanded.

“I don’t,” Athena chimed in, her expression pale. “Object, that is. Enough is enough.” She took a deep breath before exhaling. “I would like to have one last talk with her and understand why, but I won’t ask that you spare her life.”

“Fine. I want your assurance that Alexandra Kosta will be dead by the end of the week,” Qian demanded. “No more hiding under a different name or with the head of the Spanish mafia.”

“She will,” I agreed.

“But Mei cannot marry you, Danil.” I wasn’t surprised at Qian Long’s pushback. “She’s already engaged, the agreement was signed at birth. So unless you end that entire family?—”

“Consider it done.” Danil smirked, never breaking eye contact with his future brother-in-law.