10. Cassius

10

CASSIUS

TWENTY YEARS AGO

“ С ассиус!” The sound of Irina’s voice—my mother’s voice—rings out sharply in the night, pulling me from my sleep. Panic and terror lace her tone, immediately setting every nerve in my body on edge. She bursts into my room, eyes wide and frantic, desperately searching for me in the dim light.

My mom made it a habit to speak our native tongue around us because she never wanted us to lose the ability.

“Мама?” I ask, sitting up groggily.

“Сассиус, мы в опасности,” she whispers urgently, coming closer to my bed. Her hands tremble slightly, but she tries to maintain a calm fa?ade for my sake. “Ты должен спрятаться.” Hide . The word echoes in my mind, sending a chill down my spine.

I finally grasp the urgency in my mother’s eyes. “Our home is under attack, Cassius,” she whispers, her voice trembling. “You must hide, now!”

Her words send a jolt of fear through me, and I fight to steady my breath. I nod, swallowing hard. Father had always prepared us for the possibility that something like this could happen, but now that it actually was…

“Where do I go?” I ask, scanning my room for any potential hiding spots.

“Follow me,” Irina says, her hands shaking as she tries to maintain a calm demeanor, clearly for my sake. She leads me across the room, revealing a door hidden behind a large painting.

“Get inside, quickly,” she urges, holding the door open for me. As I step into the small, dark closet, my heart pounds against my rib cage. The space feels suffocating, but it’s better than my life being at risk.

“Stay silent,” she instructs, her voice cracking with emotion. “No matter what you hear, do not make a sound.”

“What about you, Mama?”

“My darling boy.” She smiles, running her hand along my cheek. “Don’t worry about me.”

Tears well up in my eyes as I realize the gravity of the situation. My mother is risking everything to protect me, and I can’t let her down. I nod, my throat tight.

The door shuts with a muffled thud, plunging me into darkness. My mother’s urgent whispers seep through the thin barrier. “Stay silent and still, Cassius,” she pleads. “Remember, not a sound.”

“Mама,” my voice trembles as I choke back a sob, but her footsteps retreat, leaving me alone in the suffocating blackness of the closet.

My heart races, pounding like a drum against my chest as the chaos unfolds outside. Through the small crack between the door and its frame, I catch glimpses of swirling shadows and flashes of light. Muffled shouts of unfamiliar voices grow louder, their harsh tones laced with malice.

“Where is he?!” one of the intruders bellows.

“Search every room!” another commands.

Gunshots ring out, their deafening echoes causing me to flinch and huddle further into the corner of the closet. The noise is relentless, punctuated by shattering glass and the splintering of wood. My body tenses, my hands gripping the edges of the small space, knuckles white from the strain. I force myself to stay quiet, swallowing the screams that threaten to burst from my throat.

As I crouch there in the dark, my eyes begin to adjust to the dim light filtering through the crack. I can make out the vague outlines of my once-familiar surroundings, now transformed into an alien landscape by the violence outside. My breaths come in shallow gasps, the air heavy with terror and desperation.

“Please be safe, Mама,” I pray silently, even as I realize that neither of us may survive this night. “Just hold on a little longer.”

Dad will come back to rescue her. He always has.

Suddenly, I hear my mother’s voice, shaky but strong. “I have nothing for you.”

Through the thin slit between door and wall, my vision is limited to fragments of the unfolding scene. I watch as a tall, imposing figure steps forward, his face obscured by a dark mask. He radiates authority, his cold, menacing tone sending shivers down my spine.

“Enough games, woman,” he growls, every word dripping with venom. “Tell us where Dmitri Volkov is hiding.”

My mother’s eyes flash with defiance, her fear masked by unyielding loyalty. “I told you,” she spits, “I don’t know where he is. And even if I did, I wouldn’t tell the likes of you.”

“Insolent wench!” the intruder snarls, taking a threatening step toward Irina. “You will regret your stubbornness.”

“Go on then,” Irina challenges, her chin raised in defiance. “Do your worst. You’ll never break me, and you won’t find Dmitri.”

Where is Dad? Why isn’t he helping her?

The room seems to close in on me as I watch the intruder’s anger reach its boiling point. My mother’s defiance only fuels his rage, and time slows to a crawl as he raises his gun.

“Your loyalty will be your downfall,” he sneers, and my heart races, pleading with every fiber of my being for this not to happen. But reality is merciless—the deafening blast of the gunshot echoes through the room, shattering the fragile hope I’d clung to.

“NO!” I scream in my head, powerless in my hiding place. The closet door muffles the sounds of my mother’s body crumpling to the floor, but it does nothing to dull the pain that tears through me. Hot, unyielding grief floods my senses, and I choke back a sob, willing myself to stay quiet for her sake.

“Search every inch of this house,” the lead intruder barks, his voice cold and devoid of remorse. “Find Dmitri!”

From my cramped hiding spot, I can hear the intruders tearing through our home once again.

“Nothing here!” one intruder growls, frustration seething in his voice.

“Keep looking!” the lead intruder spits out, ice-cold fury lacing his words.

“Mom…I have to help her,” I murmur to myself, the strength of my resolve overwhelming my terror. With trembling hands, I push against the closet door, its creaking hinges betraying my movements.

Thankfully, nobody seems to realize.

“Please be okay,” I whisper under my breath as I slip out of my hiding place, every nerve in my body screaming at me to run, to save myself. But the sight of my mother’s lifeless body splayed on the floor anchors me in place.

“Mom!” I cry out, anguish clawing at my throat. “No, no, no…this can’t be happening.”

My hands shake uncontrollably as I drop to my knees beside her, desperately trying to wake her up. Her once-vibrant eyes are now dull and unseeing, the light within them extinguished by a single gunshot. Hot tears blur my vision as I cradle her head in my lap, my heart shattering into a million pieces.

“Please, Mom, you can’t leave me,” I beg, the weight of my grief threatening to crush me. “I need you.”

But she remains silent. As the intruders continue their search, I cling to her lifeless form, my entire world unraveling before my eyes.

The sound of footsteps grows louder, causing my heart to race in terror. Time is running out, and I know that I must make a choice—to mourn or to fight. But how can I choose when all I want is for this nightmare to end?

Mom would want me safe.

“Mom, I love you,” I sob, placing a tender kiss on her forehead. “I will make them pay for this.”

With a heavy heart, I carefully lay her down, my hands lingering on her. “Rest now, Mom,” I murmur, my voice heavy with grief. “I won’t let your sacrifice be in vain.”

As I turn away from her lifeless form, the devastation within me begins to shift, giving way to a cold, unyielding fury. This is not the end—it’s the beginning of a war, one that I will fight until every last one of those bastards pays for what they’ve done.

Dad wasn’t here, and I made myself a promise. If I ever had children, they would never witness something like this. I’d protect them with my life.

This is where she lives?

It doesn’t shock me that not everyone lives in a mansion; not everyone can be us, nor do they want to be. But, this is where she was choosing to raise two little girls instead of the luxuries they could have with us.

Dangers come with our lives too, given my and my brothers’ occupation. But the girls would face that danger whether or not they live with us. I’m just happy that I was able to connect the dots before someone else, with less desirable intentions, did the same.

There are always people trying to destroy our bratva, and what better way than to use our family against us?

If there’s one thing about our family that can’t be disputed, it’s that we put each other first, no matter what. Blood means everything.

Annalise may not realize it now, but she’s now a part of that.

The outdated apartment complex looms before us, its exterior a stark contrast to what I’ve grown used to. The peeling paint and cracked windows seem to cry out in desperation, but I bite my tongue and say nothing.

Annalise catches the way that I stare and whispers, “It’s really not so bad.”

I beg to differ.

“Home sweet home,” she murmurs wryly, fishing her keys out of her purse. She stops before she opens it and turns around to look at me. “You have to promise me you won’t hurt them.”

“I already di?—”

“Again,” she pleads. “I need to hear the words again. These girls are my life, and if anything were to happen to them, Cassius…”

This is the first time that she’s ever said my name. I like the way it sounds coming from her lips.

I crave the chance to hear it more.

“I promise, Annalise.”

She nods and blows out a breath, thinking for just a moment. She’s lucky that it’s me standing here and not one of my older brothers. They would have grown impatient and pushed past her already, but all I can think about is how my mother would have done the exact same thing for me.

The door creaks as she pushes it open, revealing a small, dimly lit hallway. Her emerald eyes flicker with nervousness as she steps inside with me following close behind her.

The flickering light above our heads casts eerie shadows on the walls of Annalise’s apartment. It’s a little bit better on the inside, but not by much. The wallpaper is peeling, and the floors are old.

My girls won’t be here much longer.

“Where are they?” I ask.

“Um, they’re with Sienna,” she says hesitantly, her eyes darting toward a closed door down the hallway.

As if on cue, the door opens, revealing a tall, slender woman with short auburn hair. Her warm brown eyes widen in surprise at my presence, fear quickly replacing the initial shock.

“Who is he, Lily?” Sienna asks, her voice shaking slightly, but even as she asks the question, I can tell that she knows a little bit of the truth by the way she has the decency to appear frightened.

I wonder how she’d act if either of my brothers were here. They’re much more terrifying than I am.

“Sienna, this is Cassius,” Annalise responds, her hand gripping mine for support. Sienna doesn’t bother to ask anymore questions. She knows about me, which only seems to make her more fearful.

“He wants to see the twins?”

Annalise nods, and the two seem to have some kind of eye communication going on. “He’s not here to hurt them, I promise.”

I can see the internal struggle play out on Sienna’s face, torn between her loyalty to Annalise and her instinct to protect the twins.

Finally, she nods and opens the door wider, allowing us access to the room.

“Please,” Annalise whispers to me, her eyes pleading right before we step in. “My daughters can’t be caught up in this. Your brothers…they can’t know the truth.”

“Alright,” I concede, my voice low and steady. “I won’t tell my brothers for now, but understand this—I won’t be able to keep this secret forever.” I look her in the eyes, making sure she understands how serious I am. “Eventually, the truth will come out.”

She swallows hard, her gaze not leaving mine, and simply nods her head. With that, she turns and walks into the room.

I have never wanted children. It goes against what my family stands for, but I knew I was the only brother who had a chance of getting away with it. Damian, being the oldest, has to produce an heir. Nikhil, being the second son, needs to stay as the backup and create a family of his own.

But me…? I know the truth. My brothers aren’t dumb enough to end up dead, which means I’ll never have the burden of being head of the family. As much as my father would have disagreed with my decision not to father children, he’s not here to do anything about it.

But now, it seems like the decision has been made for me…possibly.

They might not be mine. They could be Nikhil’s. We both slept with her…more than once that night.

When Annalise returns, she’s holding the hands of two little girls who stare up at me with wide, curious eyes. Their resemblance to Annalise is striking, but there’s also something undeniably familiar about them—as if they’re a part of me I never knew was missing.

“Franny, Gina, this is…Cassius,” Annalise introduces me hesitantly, her voice wavering with uncertainty.

A part of me hates the way she calls me by my name. I’m so much more than just some kind of stranger to them, but for now I keep my mouth shut and go along with it.

“Hello,” I manage to say, my voice choked with emotion. The moment their small eyes lock onto mine, I’m captivated, completely and utterly enthralled by their presence.

I never wanted kids…until now.

Screw Nikhil…I hope they’re mine. But, even if they’re not, I’ll treat them like they are.

“Hi,” the twins answer in unison, their voices sweet and melodic.

A shiver of anticipation runs down my spine as I fall to my knees, making myself level with the twins. Their wide-eyed innocence is a stark contrast to the shadows that constantly lurk within my world. I reach out, gently taking each of their small hands in mine.

“Franny, Gina, it’s so nice to finally meet you,” I say earnestly, watching as they exchange glances before nodding in agreement.

“Mommy said you’re important,” Franny whispers, her gaze flickering between me and Annalise, who stands just behind them.

“Your mommy is right,” I reply carefully, trying to navigate the delicate situation.

“Why are you so important?” Gina asks, her little head cocking to the side.

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

“Can you tell us a story?” Gina asks, her eyes alight with curiosity. “Mommy always tells us stories before we go to bed.”

“Sure,” I agree.

Telling them a story is easy. I just use one of the ones my own mother used to tell me, unable to hold back my smile as they listen to every single word.

As I speak, I can’t help but study their faces more closely. The resemblance between us is undeniable. The same blue eyes, the same curve of their cheeks—it’s as if they’re mirrors.The question lingers heavily in the air: Am I their father or their uncle?

Does it matter either way?

I lose myself in the brilliant smiles of the twins, their laughter echoing through the small apartment. Their eyes, so much like mine, reflect a joy that I’ve rarely seen before. My heart swells with love for these little girls, and I ache to protect them from the dangerous world we inhabit.

This apartment isn’t safe for them, and I will keep the promise I made to Annalise. I’m going to keep them safe.

“Alright, girls, it’s time to go to bed,” Sienna says the second the story ends, the girls beginning to fall asleep.

“Already?” I protest, my hands involuntarily clenching into fists. The thought of parting with the children feels unbearable after such a brief encounter.

“Sienna’s right,” Annalise interjects softly, placing a gentle hand on my arm. “It’s starting to get late.”

I glance down at my watch. It’s almost nine.

“Please understand, Cassius,” she whispers, her emerald eyes pleading with me to accept this temporary separation. “This is new for them, and they need some time to process everything.”

With a heavy heart, I watch Sienna guide the girls toward their bedroom, my fingers itching to reach out and hold them close once more. The door closes behind them, leaving a void that seems impossible to fill.

Before I can stop myself, I reach out and firmly grasp Annalise by the upper arm.

“Listen to me, Annalise,” I growl, my voice low and urgent. “You can’t hide them from me or my brothers any longer. We’re a part of their lives now, whether you like it or not.”

She winces at my grip but doesn’t look away. Her face pales, and I can see the tears gathering in her eyes. “I’m scared, Cassius,” she admits, her voice trembling. “Your world, the bratva…it’s dangerous. I don’t want my daughters growing up surrounded by violence and fear.”

“We can’t change who we are or where we come from. We can’t hide from it either. And whether you like it or not, your daughters are a part of our world now.”