Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 28975 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 145(@200wpm)___ 116(@250wpm)___ 97(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 28975 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 145(@200wpm)___ 116(@250wpm)___ 97(@300wpm)
Anastasia put a hand on his arm. “She believed he killed them?”
Bogdan didn’t say anything.
“Please continue,” she said. She had no idea her mother had been living with this.
Her mother was such a strong woman. Tears filled her eyes, as she imagined her fighting, trying to figure out a way to protect her family.
“I became the last survivor in my family, and I knew there was a chance he would try to take you. So, I put in some protocols. I could not stop him, but on our last meeting together, I had gotten my cancer diagnosis, and he came to gloat. That was when I told him that if you died from anything but old age, all the money would revert to charity. He would not get anything. That day, I think he wanted to kill me. I do not know what held him back. Maybe it was Gustov, but he was not happy. I knew he was going to find a way to hurt you, my sweet girl. There are only two options—you die of natural causes, or he has someone kill you—but I have put protections in place. I will always look out for you. Your father is going to try to kill you, Anastasia. His only goal is to get the money. Do not give it to him. Do not give in to him. He does not deserve anything. He took my parents, my brothers, my sisters, my whole family, to get this. Please do not allow him to take you. I love you more than anything, my darling daughter. Trust no one but Gustov. He does not want my money. He never has. I love you, my sweet child. I wish I could be there to see you married. To watch you fall in love, have dozens of children, and fill the house with Christmas carols. I want the world for you, and I am so sorry I was not able to protect you from it. I must go now, my days are getting shorter. Know this, I love you, and I will protect you if I am able.”
****
Bogdan stood in the doorway of their bedroom that night. Anastasia was quieter, and more withdrawn than he’d ever seen her. At the end of the letter, she had burst into tears.
He never got the pleasure of meeting Evelyn, but he heard tales of her beauty and sweet nature. Even though he could not stand the family and all links to it. He heard people talk of her as a rare force to be reckoned with. He had a feeling Dante had to live with that daily.
That same woman helped to bring Anastasia into this world. She molded this woman in his bed. There was a fire in her eyes, and now he knew there was a great deal more to her.
Evelyn knew Dante would try to hurt her. She seemed to currently be one step ahead of the game, but she was wrong about one thing. Anastasia didn’t just need to trust Gustov. She had him and the Galkin Bratva.
“I got it so wrong,” Anastasia said, sitting up in bed.
He folded his arms across his chest and waited.
She turned to look at him. “I thought she loved my dad.”
“Does it bother you that she didn’t?”
She shook her head. “No.” She sniffled. “But I could have done something, couldn’t I?”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know. She could have talked to me.”
“But what good would that have done?”
“Talking can help.”
He smiled. “In my experience, sometimes only violence and death are the answers.”
“I can’t believe that. I don’t believe that.”
“Your father has already given me permission on several occasions to kill you. He will not be persuaded otherwise.”
Anastasia blew out a breath. “Then what do I do? Should I just sign the wealth over to him?”
“Your mother doesn’t want that.”
“Do you want it?”
“No. I don’t need it.” He had his own money.
She pressed her hands against her face. “What should I do?”
“Exactly what your mother trained you to do,” Bogdan said.
“She didn’t train me to do anything. To be anything.”
He raised a brow and stepped inside the bedroom.
“It’s not like I even know how to be a wife. Unless you send me to your country home and leave me there.” She groaned. “That makes me sound so awful.”
“Your mother trained you to be a strong woman. You know how to fight. She made sure you were not afraid.”
She dropped her hands and looked at him over the tip of her fingers. “You’re joking, right? I’ve been living in fear of you killing me.”
“Ah, but you see, you also knew your father wanted to kill you.”
“I can’t even believe we’re having this conversation. For three months, you have given me one-word orders. Now, we’re talking.”
“You didn’t want to talk. And you responded to those commands. If you wanted me to talk, you should have said so.”