Chapter 28

Audrey

F or the better part of an hour, Jason and I barely speak, but there have been plenty of fleeting glances. I can breathe again. I sink into the passenger seat of his SUV, traffic lights dashing past us as we leave the city behind. Chicago glimmers in the rearview mirror while I quietly pray for my father's recovery.

Part of me feels guilty because his demise would put an end to all of my problems. It's a terrible thought to muster, but given everything that has happened, I can't exactly blame myself for thinking this way. Jason was right. We don't get to choose the family we're born into.

Once the guilt subsides and the adrenaline wears off, I go over tonight's events, the steps that ultimately led to Arkady's death, and I reach the same conclusion as Jason did earlier—all of it could have been avoided if only my father had left me alone.

"Where are we going?" I ask after a while, noting the indifference on his face as he drives us farther away from Chicago.

"A friend of mine has a house up in Crystal Lake. We're going to stay there for a while," he says, one hand on the steering wheel while the other searches for mine.

I welcome his touch, letting his fingers mingle with mine. It fills me with a familiar warmth that envelops my entire body. Nothing much has changed except that the Abramovic Bratva isn't really my problem anymore. From what I understand so far, Arkady was the only one who had his sights set on New York. The rest of the family and most of his associates had repeatedly expressed concerns about such a risky move. I doubt they'll come after me in his place.

That leaves my father. He's still a problem. He won't give up until he has me back. I know it, and Jason knows it. For now, however, I welcome the brief feeling of peace.

"He'll be all right," Jason says, as if able to read my mind. "That leg is shattered, and he'll need a cane for the rest of his life, but it'll slow him down a bit. Perhaps it'll give your brothers the opportunity they need to actually take over the family business and push him out. Who knows? I didn't think that far ahead."

"What were you thinking?"

"I wanted to kill him, too," he replies without hesitation, giving me a sideways glance. His eyes search my face, and I muster a soft, timid smile. "I honestly considered it, and I'm sorry."

"No, I get it. I would've been tempted as well under the circumstances," I say, my voice trembling slightly. "But then he would've won. Those who fight monsters should be careful not to turn into monsters themselves, right?"

"Nietzsche said that if I remember correctly. Yeah, I agree. I just needed him down and momentarily disabled so I could get you out of there."

"He's going to pay for everything he did to us," I say.

"We'll check up on your brothers once we reach Crystal Lake," Jason says. "I've got a friend at Grand Memorial, where Anton and Vitaly are hospitalized. He'll update us on their condition. Your father's, too. I imagine they'll take him there, as well."

"You were incredible," I say. "Back at the meeting."

"I wish it didn't have to get to that point."

Me, too. But it did. And we survived it. It's all that matters to me tonight.

His friend's place is a townhouse right on the edge of Crystal Lake. At this late hour, there's not much to see, with the exception of a few twinkling lights on the other side of the lake.

Once the door is locked and the lights are on, I take it all in.

For a moment, I feel as though I've stepped into a corner of paradise. I love every inch of this place. Mostly, I love that it has nothing to do with any aspect of my life.

"I knew you'd like it," Jason chuckles softly upon seeing my awe.

"God, yes."

He takes me into the kitchen, where to my delight, there is a generous variety of tea in the cupboard. "Here, let me show you something cool," Jason says, smiling as he takes out a gorgeous glass teapot with a gold-brushed rim.

"I'll help," I reply and put the electric kettle on, then rummage through the available tea bags. I settle on jasmine and ginger, my tongue already tingling with the anticipation of the wonderful combination.

"Saul showed this to me when he first bought it. Honestly, I was never much in favor of tea before, but ever since I got to play with it a bit, I swear it's a game-changer."

"It's so pretty," I mumble as I look at the unique teapot.

We sit down at the kitchen table for a while, sipping in silence while gazing at one another. It's so nice to be able to talk about trivial things such as fancy teapots and beach houses with Jason—particularly after everything we've dealt with over the past few weeks. It's nice to be able to feel normal for once.

"I've missed you so much," I tell him. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again."

"Audrey, I was lost without you," he admits, his gaze softening. "But we do need to address the elephant in the room."

"We have a whole herd of them," I can't help but giggle, prompting a smile from him. "I mean, there's my family, there's the whole Bratva thing, all the secrets I kept from you. Where do I begin?"

"You're pregnant."

My face burns, and my heart starts racing. I look down, wondering if it's fear or shame I'm feeling.

"Jason, I'm sorry. I didn't plan for this to happen," I say.

"I know that. It's okay. We didn't consider this as a consequence when we got together," Jason replies, the shadow of a smile dancing across his handsome, tired face. "We were too busy screwing each other's brains out, falling irreversibly in love with one another."

"How do you feel about it?"

Jason takes a second to respond, and it feels like the longest second of my existence until he laughs lightly. "Are you kidding? I'm over the moon!" He gets up and comes around the counter but then stops and gives me a worried look. "Hold on, how do you feel about it?"

"Scared but excited and happy," I say, tearing up. " I don't know how it's supposed to feel. It happened in the middle of such a stressful time. I've got my twisted family, and you have such a good and peaceful life and you have Lily … I don't want to add pressure, and I don't want to be a problem. I need you to be happy—"

"Audrey," he cuts me off and comes closer and I catch a whiff of his cologne. He cups my face in his hands and pulls me in for the sweetest, tenderest kiss. "I want this child and I want you. Can't you see? I picked up a sniper rifle for you for the first time in years. I killed someone for you." His eyes darken to a sullen grey as I lose myself in them, realizing the meaning behind his words. "I love you."

"I love you, Jason, more than I thought was possible."

"Then we're on the same page," he says and kisses me again.

This time, it's deeper, more profound and loaded with emotions that we've both been fighting for so long. We've been so close, yet somehow so far apart. But tonight, for the first time since we met, Jason and I are truly bound, truly open and honest with one another. There are no secrets left between us. No lies. Nothing left unspoken. It's just the two of us, though there are still murky waters ahead.

"My father will seek revenge," I warn him.

Jason's response is to wrap his arms around me and hold me close against his broad chest. I feel his heart beating with mine in a steady rhythm. "I don't give a shit about your father right now. He got my message, loud and clear."

"I really want to believe that."

"You've always thought of him as the most powerful man in the world, right?" he asks, planting a kiss on my forehead. I nod slowly, closing my eyes for a moment. The sound of his voice alone is enough to calm my frayed nerves, to chase away any worst-case scenario that threatens to ruin what's left of tonight. I started the day as the prisoner of a psychopath, and I would like to end it in the arms of my beloved, knowing there's a brighter future ahead. "Grigori may be a powerful man; he may have convinced you that there is no escaping his clutches, but that couldn't be farther from the truth."

"He's not as powerful as he used to be. He's getting older."

"Nah, it's not about that. It's about your perception of him, Audrey. He is powerful. He's got money, influence, and the whole New York Bratva behind him. But he is still just a man, just one player on a big ass board. I'm not as powerful as he is, but if I make the right calls, I could bring him to his knees."

I can't help but quiver in his embrace. "Technically speaking, you already brought him to his knees tonight."

"That I most certainly did," he chuckles dryly. "Will you think I'm a monster if I say I kind of enjoyed making him suffer?"

"Then that would make the both of us monsters."

We share a smile, then drink the rest of our tea before hitting the shower. As the hot water pours over our naked bodies, we make love like there is no tomorrow.

The sun slowly rises in the morning, its golden light gleaming across the lake. I wake up to the trills of birds singing in the garden. Jason left one of the bedroom windows cracked open, giving us a lovely cool breeze that causes us to want to snuggle under the covers. My body is soft and warm against his, my fingers tracing the sharp contours of his face as I try to memorize every fine line, every speck of silver in his hair, every inch of this man who has transformed my entire world.

He sleeps soundly, his breath slow and even while I gaze at him, wondering where fate will take us next. The uncertainty is killing me.

"It's going to be okay," Jason mutters.

"You're awake."

"Have been for a while now. I enjoy listening to your heart beating," he smiles, his eyes peeling open to find mine. There is so much love emanating from this man, and it's enough to make the rest of the world disappear.

By noon, we're downstairs in the kitchen, enjoying a late breakfast. Jason had groceries delivered to our door since it's best for us to stay out of sight and out of the public eye while we figure out the next steps.

"Have you heard from Anton and Vitaly?" Jason asks, adding more bacon and scrambled eggs to my plate straight from the pan. The smell alone is enough to make my mouth water. "My friend told me they are out of the ICU and that they got their phones back. I'm thinking they might've reached out to you by now."

"They have," I say, and show him the text messages.

He laughs lightly. "I see Anton is loving those painkillers. I can barely understand what he's trying to tell you."

"Oh, let me translate," I shoot back and go over his last message. "Papa is pissed and you're screwed." I can't help but laugh despite the possible danger.

"And Vitaly?"

"He's the heir to the Fedorov empire. He's not allowed to be under the influence of painkillers," I sigh deeply. I can tell from the eloquence of his text messages that he is definitely alive and aching all over. "His shoulder will be troublesome for a long while, but with enough physical therapy, he should make a full recovery in less than a year."

"So, Grigori made it to the hospital." That half-smile of his is downright contagious.

"You know, the two of us have a penthouse reserved in hell for this. We're enjoying Papa's misery a little too much."

Jason scoffs and pours himself another coffee, making sure to refill my mug with green tea. I follow his every move, admiring the confidence and the blazing fire within him. This man is determined to go to the end of the world in order to keep me and our baby safe. Our family, for that matter. Because that's what we have become in such a short but incredible time. A family.

"Where's Lily?" I ask. "Are she and Rita safe?"

"Yes, an Army buddy of mine has eyes on them. They're in Nebraska, safe and far enough away until I give them the green light to come back."

"And what about your business, your projects? You had so much on your plate already."

Jason gives me a warm smile before he devours his food. "Baby, everything is okay. I've got executive boards overseeing these things. None of it matters to me unless you are out of the danger zone for good."

"Which brings me to my next question. How will I get out of the danger zone for good? My father is relentless, Jason. He'll come after me, your death threats notwithstanding."

The mere thought of going back to New York with my father fills me with the kind of dread I'd hoped to never feel again. Yet there's a constant nagging feeling in the back of my mind, a sensation that refuses to go away, that it will somehow get worse.

I know my father well. I know my brothers are powerless before him. Jason may have the juice to take him on, but I'm not sure how such a war will unfold and how many people will die in the process. The Bratva is not to be taken lightly, particularly when it comes to family affairs.

"I've made every phone call that I could think of to every contact that might be useful: the DoD, the DoJ, the Army, the Navy, former servicemembers, and a few folks I know in intelligence. I've pointed every single light onto New York to make sure your father keeps busy for as long as possible," he says, but even I can sense the doubt in his voice.

"Will it be enough?"

"I'm not sure. I hope so. But I can't promise a swift conclusion. Maybe we'll wear him out. Add that leg injury and his bruised ego into the mix, and, hopefully, that will be plenty to keep him at bay for long enough."

"We can't hide here forever," I exhale sharply.

But Jason has no intention of letting me succumb to my own despair again. He reaches across the counter and gently caresses my cheek. "Audrey, no one will come between us. I am done letting other people tell us what to do with our lives, with our love. Do you hear me?"

"Loud and clear."

"I know this isn't the ideal scenario, but we do need to lay low until they conclude their investigation. Someone needs to be held accountable for Arkady's death. I covered my tracks and got rid of the weapon and the bullets, too. I was careful, and I've got enough backup in the Chicago PD to never deal with this issue going forward. Let's give it a few days and see how the pieces land on the game board," he says. "The cops might go so hard after your dad that he will simply have no resources left to hunt you down again. Let's not forget that he and your brothers dropped quite a few Abramovic bodies before Arkady took you. They have to deal with that, too."

I'm not the wishful-thinking type, but I am tempted to believe that the legal repercussions of my father's and my brothers' actions will be enough to get me out of their crosshairs. Maybe this was it for them. Maybe the law will catch up, I don't know. The prospect of knowing my family is in prison isn't the prettiest scenario, but it beats having my ass dragged back to New York. It beats being forced into a marriage I don't want.

Besides, I've got a baby on the way, a future with Jason and Lily. I'm beyond determined to keep them in my life, to experience true love and happiness by their side. I deserve a real family, a good family. They are it for me.

As the days go by, the media coverage of the Abramovic Bratva dwindles more and more. My brothers have also gone radio silent, though I'm not sure that's such a good thing. The last time we spoke, they were still in the hospital, and our father was awake and seething. The investigation is underway, and according to Jason's cop buddies, they're definitely looking at the Fedorovs for Arkady's death.

There aren't many witnesses willing to come forward, though, mainly because there's an internal struggle unfolding within the Abramovic family. Arkady's demise left a vacuum of power, and all of his cousins and money-loving lieutenants have been killing each other so they can get that top seat for themselves.

One thing is certain, however. No one in the Abramovic Bratva is interested in Arkady's plans for New York. His death has caused such an imbalance across Chicago alone that they simply do not have the manpower nor the bandwidth to continue his insane project. That puts me in the clear, as far as they're concerned.

Sitting in the living room one afternoon, I browse through the news channels on the wall-mounted TV, hoping to learn more about any new developments in the investigation. The police haven't issued a statement to the press, just a memo stating that they had mounted a joint task force. The FBI, the ATF, the DEA, and the local PD. It's all hands on deck, apparently.

Jason comes in and joins me on the sofa, having just finished another round of phone calls. I give him a curious look while simultaneously making myself comfortable in his arms. This man soothes me with his very presence, but the genuine care he shows for my and the baby's well-being only makes me love him more. Gently, he rests a hand on my belly. "How's the little guy doing?" he asks.

"What if it's a little girl?"

"Good grief. Then it'll be me against three women. Make that four if you count Rita. I'm screwed," he sighs in a hilariously dramatic fashion. I like this playful side of him. "I'll be happy either way. If it's another girl, I will need to prepare for their teenage years. Going to have a lot of boys to scare off."

"I think you'll do just fine there," I giggle. "How is Lily?"

Jason takes a deep breath and kisses my temple. "She's good. I just spoke to her, in fact. She wants to come back to Chicago, obviously. She misses us, but Rita keeps her busy with her schoolwork and activities."

"Lily's way too young to understand."

"Even if she were older, I wouldn't tell her everything. It's too much for her. She's innocent. She doesn't need to know the extreme ugliness of this world. Not yet anyway."

"You can't protect her forever," I say, though I wish I'd been as sheltered as Lily ultimately is. She has no idea of how cruel and unforgiving people can be. Family included.

"I know. But I can still try," Jason chuckles.

A knock on the door has us both standing up so fast that I get dizzy for a second. Jason immediately goes into his protective mode. "Don't move," he whispers. "If I say run, you bolt through the back door, you hear me?"

"Yeah."

I hold my breath as I watch him carefully approach the front door. A second knock has my heart thudding like crazy, the blood rushing through my body and turning the heat up by a thousand degrees. I can see him opening the door, but it's as if he's moving in slow motion.

As soon as I see my brother Vitaly's face, I'm tempted to relax, but then I spot the gun coming up, and I want to scream. I am paralyzed, my voice stuck in my throat, frozen in place as I watch the entire scene unfold in fragments of time that I cannot keep up with.

"Hands up," Vitaly says.

Jason doesn't fight him on it. He puts his hands up and takes a couple of steps back. "Don't do anything stupid, Vitaly; that's all I ask," he calmly replies.

"Shut it," my brother snaps.

I can see the anguish on his face. His good arm is holding the gun, the other wrapped tightly in a white brace up through his shoulder. He appears to have literally tumbled out of his hospital bed to come here and do what, exactly? "Vitaly," I breathe, shaken to the core. "How'd you find us?"

"You continue to underestimate us, little sister," Vitaly retorts with a heavy sigh. "You should've obeyed our father. You should've done as you were told. And you," he adds, careful to keep the gun pointed at Jason. "You shouldn't have done what you did."

"It's not your place to berate him," my father's voice echoes from somewhere behind Vitaly. I gasp as my brother steps to the side, allowing our father to come in. He isn't walking, though. He's in a wheelchair, and he looks miserable. His eyes are sunken in, his face pale, and he looks as if he's lost a few more pounds since I last saw him. If he loses any more, he might just wither away like a dying flower. "Audrey, my little zaika, so glad to see you're alive and well."

I instinctively move away from my father and brother. "What the hell are you doing out of the hospital in your condition?"

"Give the man credit," Jason says, watching Vitaly like a hawk. He must be waiting for an opportunity to disarm him. But outside, standing close to the doorway, I spot one too many Fedorov men in black suits and sunglasses, each of them likely carrying a weapon and ready to use it. "You were right, Audrey, my love. Your father is relentless. Like a cockroach."

"What more do you want from me?" I shout, despair tightening my throat. I'm on the verge of tears, and the last thing I want is for my father to see me crying.

"We need to talk," my father says.

"Vitaly, how are you still condoning this?" I try to plead with my brother, hoping I might get through to him somehow.

But the pained look on his face tells me any effort on my part is useless. "I'm sorry, little sister. This is family. And you know how we handle family affairs."

"It's going to be okay, Audrey, I promise," Jason says, his tone strangely calm under the circumstances.

Minutes pass in heavy silence as my father comes into the living room, the electric wheelchair humming along the way. Vitaly keeps his gun pointed at Jason, and it's making me all the more nervous while I'm unable to actually move. I doubt I'd be able to escape, anyway. They have the house surrounded.

"Where's Anton?" I ask.

"He's still recovering," Vitaly says. "His injuries were a tad more severe. The doctors said he might make it worse if he insists on checking himself out."

"And you didn't make it worse on yourself?" I reply.

"I didn't have a choice."

"That's where you're wrong," I shoot back. "You always have a choice, Vitaly, no matter what our father tells you."

"Little zaika, enough," our father cuts in with a wry smile. "Come, now, it's time to go home. We'll take good care of you and your baby."

Jason scoffs, shaking his head slowly. "I take it you didn't hear a single word I said back at that meeting with Arkady. I made you a promise, Grigori, and I intend to keep it."

"For ridding me of Arkady, I will be forever grateful, which is why I have instructed my son not to kill you, even though you deserve it," my father says. "You should've killed me, Mr. Winchester. Because a surviving Fedorov is ten times worse than an angry one."

"You're not taking Audrey away from me," Jason replies.

"Oh, but I am. And you won't do anything about it. You do not scare me, Mr. Winchester. I'll give you credit; you are ruthless. A man like you would get far in the Bratva. Should you wish to join your business with ours, I'm more than happy to have a chat about it at some point in the future. But Audrey is my daughter. She is a Fedorov. I almost lost her to this wretched city, but now, I am taking her home, where she belongs."

"I belong with Jason," I shout, finding my voice. "Stop fucking talking about me like I'm not even here. I'm pregnant with Jason's child. We're in love. We want to live together, to build something together, to have a family. Do you remember what that is, Papa? Family? Real family, I mean, not this Bratva bullshit you keep trying to shove down our throats." I pause and look at Vitaly. "Do you remember Mom, big brother? Do you remember how happy we were when she was alive? How you and Anton and I would run out of our rooms and almost tumble downstairs whenever she came home?"

For a moment, I spot a glimpse of hesitation in his blue eyes. But then the pain returns and his grip on the gun gets even tighter. "That's all in the past, Audrey."

"I am going to have a baby. I cannot and will not raise my child to become like you or Anton. Or worse, like our father," I say. "How can you be so cruel, so spineless?"

"Enough!" my father snarls, his shout booming across the room. "Family is family, Audrey. Blood comes before everything else. But like I said, once this whole Abramovic nonsense dies down, once we're all cleared and back in business, once you're settled back in New York, I am more than happy to hear a business proposal from your friend here. Consider it a gesture of goodwill. I won't force you to marry Piotr or anyone else. How does that sound?"

"Like you've lost your fucking mind," I reply. "That's how that sounds."

"Grigori, I would never join the Bratva," Jason says, half-smiling. "I have nothing to gain from that, only headaches and legal complications."

"You're not helping," I blurt out.

But Jason gives me a soft nod. "Audrey, I promised you that everything is going to be okay. I intend to keep that promise," he says. "Yet I cannot lie to your father. It would be an insult to the man and the Fedorov name. So, allow me to put things in perspective," he adds and shifts his focus back on Vitaly. "You're her big brother. You're supposed to protect her from all those who would do her harm, right?"

"Of course," Vitaly replies.

"But here you are, pointing a gun at the man she loves, the man who loves her, the father of her child. Are you protecting Audrey now, or are you just satisfying yet another one of your father's sadistic whims? We all know there is no benefit from keeping Audrey tethered to him like this, aside from asserting his dominance."

"She's family," my brother insists. "Family stays with family."

"Family by blood is a fucking coincidence. You're related by accident," Jason coldly says. "True family is the family you choose to love. Every day, every good day, and every bad day alike. I choose Audrey, Vitaly. I killed Arkady to keep her safe. I was ready to kill your father, as well, to ensure her happiness because I know that if I let her go back with you to New York, it would mean a slow and painful death for her. Is this what you want for your sister, Vitaly? A slow and painful death while your father picks his teeth with your fucking spine?"

There it is the raw anger in my brother's eyes. If Anton were here, maybe we could get through to him. But even so, without Vitaly's support, it's useless. My father curses under his breath and bangs his fist onto the wheelchair's padded armrest. "Enough with this nonsense!" the old man barks. "We have to go."

"Is this how you let him push you around?" Jason asks Vitaly, mockery dripping from every word. "I thought you're the de facto head of the Fedorov Bratva now. The almighty heir. The guy is calling all the shots. All I see is a scared little lapdog still jumping when his daddy says so."

"You should really mind your words, Jason," Vitaly hisses.

Fear courses through my veins, as cold as the blue in my brother's eyes. If there is an unseen force that the universe might employ to stop a bullet from leaving the chamber of his gun, I am now praying for it, summoning it, begging the gods to spare Jason from what's about to hit him.

"The truth will always bother those who have become accustomed to lies," Jason says.

The smirk on my father's lips repulses me. Bile gathers in the back of my throat as I am now guilty of an unconscionable thought. Guilty of the most terrible of sins, wishing Jason had, in fact, killed my father that night. Maybe then I would've been free and no longer the prisoner of a man who wants to control me simply to satisfy his own power-hungry whims.

But then Vitaly turns the gun on our father.

And everything changes.