58. April

58

APRIL

On the list of Top Three Hottest Things Matvey's Ever Done :

Disarm a guard with a flying round kick straight out of a kung fu movie;

Finger-fuck me in the Mallard's bathroom, within earshot of half my family;

Claim me in a damp, dirty cell.

Verbally, that is.

"You sly koshka ," Petra punches me on the shoulder as we make our way down the tunnel. "You didn't tell me you got engaged!"

I laugh awkwardly. "It all happened so fast. Also, I wasn't sure how to… um…"

"What, you thought I'd be jealous?" she scoffs. "Please. I can't wait to be rid of this ball and chain."

"This ball and chain is right here, you know," Matvey remarks dryly.

Petra ignores him. "Besides, the whole thing's pointless now anyway. My father knows. Apparently, he's always known."

Her voice tells me she's trying to be strong, but I can only imagine the betrayal she must feel. "I'm sorry," I murmur. "First, your dad, and then…"

I leave it unspoken. There's no need to say it. We all know who we're talking about.

Petra clicks her tongue in disdain. "That mudak 's dead to me. He can be Carmine's puppet for the rest of his miserable life."

I place my hand on her arm. She's angry right now, and she has every right to be. I don't think she means what she's saying—or maybe she does. What do I know?

All I know is the look I saw on Yuri's face.

"I don't think he's been told everything," I whisper. "When I woke up, he promised me we wouldn't be harmed if Matvey surrendered, but when I was alone with Carmine…"

"You were alone with him?" Matvey growls, hackles rising instantly. "Did that piece of shit?—?"

"He didn't do anything," I quickly promise him. "But he didn't sound like he was intending to keep that promise. I think Yuri's being lied to."

"That's his own fucking problem," Matvey snarls. "He's the one who threw his lot in with Carmine. He can handle the consequences."

"Maybe," I concede. "But I still think it's odd."

"What's odd?"

"That he's the one acting betrayed. The way he spoke to me…" I feel a pang of sympathy in my chest. "It's like he didn't think he had a choice. Like it was him or you."

Matvey falls silent. Again, I can't blame him, either. Yuri's betrayal—it hit deep. Deeper than any of us was prepared to handle.

But then why did he look so sad?

Petra purses her lips, lost in thought. "He said something earlier. When I accused him of having betrayed his brother."

"What?" Matvey asks, irritated.

"He said, ‘It's not so simple.'" Petra's eyes lock with his. "Do you know what he meant by that? Did you…?"

"If you're going to ask, just ask."

"Did you do something to him, Matvey?"

He clenches his fists at his sides. "The only thing I'm guilty of is my blood."

"What does that even mean?"

But Matvey doesn't stay to answer. He just strides ahead.

"Petra," I murmur, "there's something you should know."

After listening to my explanation, Petra spends five full minutes staring into space. "That's why he did all this?" she asks finally. "Because he found out that Matvey wasn't…?"

"His biological brother," I fill in. "Yeah. I guess it must've been quite a shock."

"But that doesn't change anything," she retorts. "They have history. They have a bond. Why would he think that didn't matter?"

"Maybe he didn't." I wring my hands. "Maybe he just thought it wouldn't matter to…"

I steal a glance at Matvey's back. I have no doubt our voices carry far enough for him to hear, but he's not saying anything. Just marching straight ahead, like a soldier on the battlefield. It probably helps—to focus on the here and now.

"Motherfucker," Petra curses. "Why didn't he just talk to me?"

"Because he's a man?"

Petra just huffs. " Blyat'. Ever think we should just run away together?"

"Who, us?"

"Yup. Raise our kids like Amazon queens."

I bite back a laugh. "What if you have a boy?"

"He can fetch our arrows."

My eyes turn back to Matvey. "That's tempting," I say. "But I have too many reasons to stay."

She follows my gaze. "Looks like one, from where I'm sitting."

"Yeah, well, it's an important one." I let my chest fill with warmth. "Maybe the most important reason of all."

"Christ, get a room."

I laugh and catch up with Matvey. When I slip my hand into his, he doesn't move away. Only throws me a sideways glance and mutters, "Amazons? Really?"

"Hey, it was your wife's idea."

"You gonna teach May how to ride a horse?"

My smile wavers. "If I can, I want to teach her everything."

He squeezes my hand, firm and sure, as if trying to share his strength with me. To tell me, in his language of a man of few words: I am here. I'm not going anywhere.

I squeeze back, then step into the light at the end of the tunnel.

"Do you think we took a wrong turn?" Petra asks after five minutes of searching the empty room.

"We didn't take any turns," Matvey says. "It was a straight path."

"Maybe you missed something."

"Maybe you should shut the fuck up."

"Guys?" I tremble. "Maybe you should both look here."

I point with a shaking finger to a section of the wall across from us. It's like a sci-fi movie: one second there was nothing there, and the next, the outline of a door appears.

And from that door…

"Carmine," Matvey growls.

When I see the bundle in his arms, my heart drops. "May."

Petra bares her teeth. " You. "

I'm not sure if she's snarling at Vlad or Yuri, but both of them take their places at Carmine's sides.

"Nice touch, isn't it?" Carmine muses. "Impenetrable room. Nothing gets in or out without my say."

"Makes the cells a bit useless, then," Petra comments dryly.

"Call it a design choice." He shrugs. "You know, I'd applaud you for getting this far, but…" He points at the child in his arms. My child. "I don't think the little one would approve."

I watch the rise and fall of her chest, but something feels… off. "Why isn't she waking up?" I ask.

"What do you mean?" Yuri frowns. "She's always sleeping, isn't she?"

"Not like this." I can hear the panic leaching into my voice now, like a dam slowly breaking. "What did you give her?"

It's just a hunch, but Carmine's smirk confirms it. "Just a little something to help her doze. After all, who wants a final showdown with a crying baby as background music?"

I knew it. We've been apart for hours now. Even if they'd fed her—which I highly doubt—she would still wake up at the sound of my voice. She would still want to be with me.

"You did what ?" Yuri balks.

But his indignation is drowned out by Matvey's low rumble. "You're dead," he sneers, straight at Carmine.

"No, son." He smiles benevolently. "You are."

Then he points a gun at May's head.

It's like the ground crumbles right under my feet. I've never felt so weak and so dangerous at the same time. My knees are buckling, legs shaking like they're suddenly made of pudding, and yet…

And yet, I could kill him with my bare hands.

"The hell?!" Yuri snaps. "Put that down!"

"I think I told you already I don't appreciate that tone."

"You just pointed a gun at a baby!"

"I pointed a gun at a hostage," Carmine gently corrects. "And if you looked at your brother instead of me, you'd know why it's the smart move." He pretends to wince. "Sorry. Former brother."

He's right. God help me, he's right. I tear my gaze off my daughter and Matvey's just… stone. Frozen. A statue carved out of marble.

" Yebanyi podonok ," Petra spits. I have no idea what it means, but I'll go out on a limb and guess it's not a compliment.

"Hah!" Carmine's booming laugh fills the room. "You've got a mouth on you, young lady. I do hope you'll come around and join our side."

"Over my dead fucking body."

"Petra…" Yuri murmurs. "Please. Don't make this all be for nothing."

Conflict crosses Petra's eyes. And how could it not? She knows the full story now. She understands what brought him there: the road to hell and all its good intentions.

But then she sets her jaw and steps back towards us. "It already is."

"Let them go," Matvey grits. "It's me you want. Let the girls go and I'll surrender."

"Nah, I don't think so." Carmine snaps his fingers. Immediately, the room fills with henchmen. "Kill them all," he commands.

It's over.

It's truly over.

I squeeze Matvey's hand tight. "I love you," I whisper.

Goodbye, May.

"NO!"

It's Yuri's voice. He's standing between us and Carmine, uselessly trying to shield Petra from the guns.

Carmine's hand rises to stop his men. "What gives, Yuri? Having a change of heart?"

"No," he bites out. "I have a request."

"Let's hear it then."

"Let me have him."

Carmine raises a skeptical eyebrow. "Come again?"

"My brother," he grits. "My fake brother. Over the years, he's been horrible to me. Always ordering me around, kicking me like a dog. Treating me like a weakling."

"Yura…" Matvey whispers, but Yuri doesn't turn.

"I always wanted to teach him a lesson," he insists. "Please. Let me prove I'm stronger."

For one endless minute, I'm terrified Carmine won't allow it. That he'll drop his hand again and shower us with bullets, without so much as an instant to say goodbye.

But then his face breaks into a grin. "Sounds fun," he declares. "Alright then. Go for it."

"Matvey Groza," Yuri says solemnly, "in the name of the code of honor, I challenge you to a duel."