Chapter 35

Nikolai

I 'm up early, despite having been up late working I found it hard to sleep last night given everything that happened. I also missed having Arianna sleeping beside me. When I went to bed, she and her sister were curled up asleep together.

It seems surreal that Adelina is here, and I can't help but feel suspicious as to how she managed to pull it off. How she not only managed to escape after nearly ten years, but then also found us in a safe house in Vermont. Something about her story didn't sit right with me, but seeing Arianna so happy, I pushed it to the back of my mind. No matter how she got here, surely Arianna's beloved sister cannot be a threat to her.

As I pad along the corridor, I hear Mads stirring in her room and decide to get her up and give her breakfast so Arianna can spend some more time catching up with her sister before we have to leave. As I walk into Mads' room, she blearily looks up at me, rubbing her eyes and yawning.

"Morning, malishka ," I say softly, "Shall we go downstairs and get you some breakfast?"

She smiles and nods at me, reaching her pudgy little arms up for me to carry her.

"Pancakes?" she asks happily.

"Yes, we can make pancakes," I agree, knowing that Arianna won't mind her having a treat today.

Dimitri is already in the kitchen when we get there, sitting and drinking a coffee. "Morning," he greets me. Then, his face breaks into the big goofy grin he always wears when Mads is around.

"There's my beautiful little malishka! " he exclaims, reaching out his arms for her.

She strains toward him, and I hand her over. "Miti!" she says happily, unable to pronounce his name yet.

The blossoming relationship between Dimitri and Mads is heartwarming to watch, even for a heartless bastard like me. They already adore each other. Dimitri has made it abundantly clear that he thinks she's mine. "Just look at her, that's all the proof I need," he's said on multiple occasions since we got here. He certainly hasn't helped dispel my suspicions that she's mine either. I'm trying to be patient and trust that Arianna will tell me in her own time if she's mine. But in all honesty, I'm seriously contemplating arranging a DNA test soon if she doesn't. I need to know. If she's my child, that puts a target on both her and Arianna's backs. Mads giggles as he tickles her and asks what she would like to eat.

"Pancakes!" she exclaims, adoring the attention, and that no one seems to be telling her no today.

Dimitri glances at me for approval and I nod. He begins bustling around the kitchen and I let him. I know he wouldn't let me take over, he loves to cook for Mads, for all of us.

"The girls are still sleeping?" he asks as he works.

"Yes, I thought I'd let them sleep late."

"Good," he agrees.

"Any news?" I ask, hoping that he or any of my men have found out something new since last night.

"Nothing. It's strange. A mob boss like Di Stefano gets murdered in his own home and nobody seems to be talking about it. The girl said she killed him and ran off, so it doesn't sound like she hid the body. I can't imagine she flew here, so for her to get here from Chicago by car or bus would have taken over fifteen hours, plenty of time for someone to discover him dead and alert the fact that she's missing. But nothing. It must be well over a day now and still nothing."

"Strange or suspicious…" I state. "She must have had help, or at least washed and changed clothes on the way since she wasn't bloody when she arrived, and she was on foot. There's no way she walked the whole way here. Have we found any witnesses who saw her arrive in town?"

"Nope. We spoke to the bus driver who was driving the bus that she most likely would have arrived on if she came in that way and he doesn't remember her," Dimitri says, a small frown on his face as he pours the pancake batter into a pan.

"I don't like this, something's not right," I say, though what it is, I can't tell.

Dimitri expertly flips the pancake and Mads squeals and claps her hands with delight.

"We will be able to find out more from her today. I am sure she can help us fill in the gaps. The most important thing is that Arianna has her sister back," Dimitri states, seemingly unconcerned by the strange sudden arrival of her presumed-dead sister.

Dimitri plates up Mads' pancake, cutting it into bite-sized pieces and pouring maple syrup on top, then adding some sliced banana. She digs in eagerly, humming to herself happily. Her childish innocence and joy at something so simple warms my heart and I try to tell myself not to worry. I should be happy that Arianna has her sister back and Mads will have an aunt. A cheerful Endo comes in, helping himself to food and ruffling Mads' hair to her delight.

"Any news?" he asks, and we both shake our heads.

"Nothing new, you?" I ask.

"Nope, ‘fraid not. Been out like a light since my last patrol."

We continue to discuss business as we eat, debating how we can use Di Stefano's death to our advantage, especially since no one seems to know he's dead yet.

"He might not be dead, we only have her word for it," Endo points out.

"True, but why would Adelina want to do anything that might hurt her sister? Presumably, if he's alive, she's here under his instruction," I state.

"Perhaps she believes Arianna needs rescuing from you?" Dimitri suggests.

I clench my jaw, irritated at the insinuation that Arianna might need saving from me. Before I can respond, Arianna walks into the room, followed by a nervous-looking Adelina.

"There's my baby girl!" Arianna declares, heading over to smother Mads in kisses.

"Mommy!" Mads says happily as Arianna picks her up.

Adelina hovers in the doorway, seeming uncertain about what to do. I study her closely from the corner of my eye, her expression doesn't change. I wonder if Arianna's already told her about Mads since she doesn't seem surprised.

"Adelina, this is my daughter, Maria Adelina," Arianna says, walking over with the child to her sister. "Mads, this is your Auntie Adelina."

Mads comes over all shy, burying her head in Arianna's shoulder. Adelina's eyebrows shoot up as she exclaims, "You and Nikolai have a daughter? I'm an aunt, and you named her after me!"

I'm curious as to why Adelina would think that I'm father, after all, she supposedly doesn't have much knowledge of what Arianna has been up to over the years, and as far as I'm aware, they went to sleep before discussing much more than what they heard. I guess either Adelina noticed us holding hands and assumed—or Arianna told her about us at some point this morning, but surely the fact she has a daughter would have been the first thing she'd mention to her long-lost sister, not our complicated relationship. I'm about to correct her and say that Mads isn't mine when Arianna speaks up.

"Yes, we do."

Arianna moves to take my hand and looks at me pointedly as she says this and I realize that this isn't a ruse, Arianna is finally admitting Mads is mine. I should be livid that she hid it from me, that she's telling me like this, but all I feel in this moment is pure joy that Mads is mine. My heart is racing with the possibilities, and I want to run and hug my daughter who is oblivious to the bombshell that has just dropped.

"I fucking knew it!" Endo cheers clapping me on the back, "Congrats, boss!"

"I'm a great uncle!" Dimitri says happily, a twinkle that could be a tear appears in the corner of his eye.

I'm at a loss for words.

Adelina looks confused. "Wait, Nikolai didn't know? How is that possible?"

"Nope, way to drop a bombshell on him in front of everyone, Arianna," Endo quips.

"No one knows Nikolai is the father. Nikolai and I were… separated before she was born, he's only just come back into my life after Father sent someone after me. It's complicated and a long story, but I promise to fill you in soon," Arianna says to Adelina.

"Good, there are many who would try to harm Nikolai Kuzmin's heir," Adelina replies gravely.

She has a point, but all I can think of is that over two years of spending time with my first child have been taken away from me. I've already missed so many important milestones in her young life. As the realization settles in, I'm hurt and annoyed that Arianna lied to me.

Noticing my silent, stoic face, she looks at me and continues, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. At first, I wanted to keep Mads safe, to keep her away from all of this." She gestures around the room, implying she means this lifestyle. "Then, I was so mad at you for taking my choice away about coming back I didn't want to talk to you. I wanted to tell you last night, but Adelina arrived. I didn't mean to hurt you, I only wanted what's best for Mads."

I know Arianna's right, that she did what she thought was best to keep our child safe. I'd do whatever it takes to protect her too. But just like I always do when my emotions get too overwhelming, I shut them off. I know Arianna and I need to talk, that I will forgive her and find it in me to understand why she did what she did, but I can't bring myself to do that yet.

"Pack your bags, everyone. We leave in half an hour," I grunt, before striding out of the room.

"Nikolai," Arianna says her voice sounding so sad it hurts to know I'm causing her pain.

"Let him go. Give him time to process," Dimitri tells her gently.

I'm grateful she listens to him. I know I'll forgive Arianna, that I would do anything to keep her and our daughter safe and make them happy. But that's what secretly terrifies me. Adelina was right. Having them both in my life is a weakness that my enemies can exploit.

I need to come up with a plan to take down De Luca once and for all, and anyone else who dares to threaten my family.