Chapter 35

35

GWEN

I haven't been alone in two weeks. Nik won't let me. It's either him, or an unnamed guard who isn't allowed to smile at me let alone have a conversation, and forget about me dancing at Johanna's. He closed it down until further notice, told everyone to look at it like an overly paid holiday, and believe me when I say he is overpaying everyone not to ask any questions.

I haven't seen Taylor in a month now; he's nervous and constantly texting me to send him pictures with newspapers with the date visible so he can make sure I am alive. He doesn't trust Nik, and who can blame him?

Nik is essentially a ghost now. I only see him at night, when I am halfway asleep and he tells me that he just needs to hold me tonight. I don't argue. I never argue with him anymore, because he is exhausted and has new bruises every time I see him. Besides, the guilt is killing me.

Every night, I bite my tongue until it bleeds just to keep me from telling him the truth. Every day, I spend my time wandering this massive penthouse trying to figure out a way to tell him the truth. Today is the first day I just decided to show him, because there are no words that equate to looking at the daughter with your hair and the son that has your eyes. It seems easier to do that than to figure out what to say to him.

I lean outside of my bedroom door where a heavily guarded man stands, staring silently at the opposite wall. He looks down at me from the corner of his eye.

"Hey?" I whisper.

He doesn't respond and just grunts. "You know it would be easier to talk to you if I knew your name?"

The guard huffs, shifting in his position. "Okay let me guess," I continue in a sing-song voice. "Brett…Kendall…Lyon?"

"No, what type of name is Lyon?" he snaps, rolling his shoulders back and keeping his eyes trained forward.

"A fun one. But could you tell me your real name? Please?" I bat my eyelashes, smiling at his stone cold face.

"Roshin."

"Oooh, Roshin. I like it!" I beam. "Now Roshin, can you get Mary for me? It's important."

"Sorry, miss, can't move unless you move."

"I know that, but I can't really exit my room right now in this predicament." I dart my eyes down to my pants, and then back at him with shy eyes.

"Oh," he comments uncomfortably. "Don't leave this room."

"You have my word." I smile tightly and watch as he marches down the hallway and out of sight .

I tightly close my door, holding my phone in my hand, knowing I have about ten minutes of privacy before Mary knocks on my door and Roshin is back in place. I bite the bullet and call Kelsey and Taylor on a group Facetime. Kelsey answers on the second ring with David smiling in the camera.

"The guilt is eating me alive," I blurt out, and both Kelsey and David's faces twist.

"Woah, back up a bit," Kelsey says with furrowed eyebrows. "And start at the top."

Taylor finally answers the call, sweat dripping down his face as he runs at full speed on a treadmill. "Hey, don't spill the tea without me!"

I take a deep breath and close my eyes as I continue speaking. "I have to tell Nik about Gio and Mia. Kelsey, you have to bring them here to us. Nik's father is trying to kill me, and I'm afraid he will go after the kids too. But I can't protect them because Nik doesn't even know they exist. And Mason is probably still searching for me at the DMV area, because you know he's not so bright, so it doesn't matter that he's on our tail because he's just one small fish compared to Nik's father Boris, who is like a fucking shark."

"Okay." Kelsey swallows, looking at David. "Did you get that?"

"Kind of?" David questions.

"What the hell, Gwen?" Taylor snaps as he slows down to a brisk walk.

"Okay, so Taylor's got this," Kelsey comments, shifting on the couch.

"Tay, I love him, okay? I know this is bonkers. "

"Bonkers!" Taylor scoffs. "This is downright insane, Gwen. You need to get out of there."

"I can't. Nik is the only one who can protect all of us, trust me."

"What, is Nik the fucking president?" Kelsey chimes in, rolling her eyes.

"No, he's the head of the Russian mafia," I spill without even thinking.

Everyone is silent for a second, even Taylor slams down on the stop button on his treadmill and stares at me. Then in unison they all scream, "What?"

"He has the power to protect us," I whisper.

"What the fuck, you're dating the head of the Russian mafia? The FBI has been trying to take them out for years!" Taylor barks.

"Yeah, are you sure you want to introduce your almost six year old kids to their father who may kill you for hiding them!" David yells.

"He won't kill me, he loves me," I counter. "But you have to believe me, this is the only way to keep us all safe. The man after Nik is unhinged and if he finds out about the twins, we're dead, please."

I tighten my grip on the phone, ignoring the sweat that's gathered in my palm. My nerves are shot. I've kept this secret for so long, and now it's all crumbling in front of me. Kelsey's wide-eyed expression doesn't help; she's usually the one with a calm head in a crisis, but even she's at a loss for words. David leans in closer, trying to read my face through the screen .

"Kelsey, I need you to bring Mia and Gio to New York," I say, trying to keep my voice steady. "I'm hoping Taylor will be gracious enough to let you guys stay there until I can get Nik there to meet them."

"Gwen, are you out of your mind?" Taylor snaps, still winded from his run. "Do you hear yourself? You're about to drop two kids into the lap of a mafia boss and hope he just…what, melts into a puddle of fatherly love? He's dangerous!"

"He's their father, Taylor," I retort. "They deserve to know him, and he deserves to know them. I can't keep this up any longer, not with everything going on. Boris is out for blood, and if he finds out about Gio and Mia before Nik does, we're all dead."

Kelsey inhales sharply. "You really think that bringing them to Nik is the best way to keep them safe? What if this backfires? You're betting on his love for you, but what if he sees this as a betrayal?"

"I've thought about that," I admit, pacing the room again. "But this is our only shot. The kids can't stay hidden forever. The longer I wait, the more danger they're in. And Nik… he's been good to me, Kelsey. He'll understand why I kept this from him. He's ruthless to his enemies, but to the people he cares about? He's different."

"Different?" Taylor scoffs. "He's mafia. You think love is gonna override his instincts to control everything around him? He's already got you locked down, isolated. What happens when he finds out you've been hiding something this big?"

"Taylor, if this man loves her, he won't hurt her even if this is a betrayal. She is the mother of his kids, that affords her some leniency," David responds cautiously.

"He won't hurt me," I say firmly, even though a part of me is still terrified of that very possibility. "I know him. He's not going to turn on me for this. But if I don't tell him, if Boris gets to him first, then there's no coming back from that. The only way out of this mess is to face it head-on."

Kelsey rubs her temples, clearly stressed. "And what do you expect me to do, Gwen? Just pack up the kids and fly to New York, knowing I'm walking them into a mafia family reunion?"

"Yes," I reply, desperate. "Just for a couple of days. I need to get them here, and I need to have this conversation with Nik face-to-face. Once he knows, once we're all on the same page, I can figure out the next step. But I can't do that until he meets them."

Taylor crosses his arms, his brow furrowed. "And what if he doesn't react the way you expect? What if he tries to take the kids? You know damn well the mafia doesn't play by the same rules we do."

"He won't," I say with a conviction I wish I fully felt. "He's not that kind of man. He'll be shocked, sure, maybe even furious at first. But he's been talking about wanting kids, Taylor. He's already soft with me—this will change things for the better. He's wanted this family; he just didn't know it was already here."

David sighs and leans back on the couch. "Kelsey, you're not really considering this, are you?"

Kelsey looks torn, chewing on her bottom lip. "I don't like it, but Gwen's right about one thing. Those kids won't be safe if Boris gets to them first. If Nik is the only one who can protect them, then we have to make sure he knows. "

"Thank you," I say, relieved that at least one person understands. "I promise it'll just be for a few days. Once Nik meets them, we'll figure out the rest."

Taylor shakes his head. "You are putting everyone into danger. Me. Kels. David, your kids."

"I know, but I need you to believe in me, Tay," I whisper, biting the corner of my lip and he stares into the camera with a defeated look on his face.

"Fine, but if anything, and I mean anything feels off, if those kids are in danger, I'm coming to get them, and I won't care what Nik or his goons have to say about it."

"Deal," I say, grateful. "I'll make sure everything's ready at my end. Kelsey, can you get them here by Wednesday?"

That gives me three days to prepare. She nods reluctantly. "I'll pack up their stuff and we'll be on the first red eye on Tuesday."

"I owe you both," I reply, wiping my eyes. "I know this is insane, but it's the only way to keep us safe. I'll handle Nik—I just need you to trust me."

"We do," David responds. "Just stay safe."

A sudden, urgent knock at the door startles me and I quickly say goodbye before hanging up the phone. Mary's unruly red curls peek in through the crack in the door and she gives me a sympathetic smile.

"I heard Aunt Flo came for a visit," she says softly.

"Oh no," I shake my head dismissively as I wave her inside. She closes the door tightly behind her, shutting out the world beyond. "Can you help me set up a surprise for Nik? I need some supplies."