Page 11 of Rise of the Queen

“What about the other two?” he asked.

“We’re not sure. They haven’t shown any signs that we know of yet, although Stephen is very adept at breaking people’s minds already. It wouldn’t surprise me if it had to do with that whenever it happens,” I said.

“That’s a useful skill to have,” Vitaliy said.

“I think they’re both closer to figuring it out, but there’s still something holding those two back,” Sephie said.

Vitaliy looked at her thoughtfully. “You know what it is on at least one of them, don’t you?”

“I have my suspicions but I try not to pry in people’s heads without their permission. Stephen has a very dark spot in his past. I’m sure it has to do with whatever that is. Viktor is still mourning, even though he tries to pretend like he’s not,” she said.

“His wife, no?” he asked.

She nodded her head. “He’s still heartbroken. He hides it well, but he’s still working through that pain.”

“He will for a while. It’s not something you easily get over. I still have days where it feels like my heart is breaking open because I miss her so much,” he said, moving away so we wouldn’t see the tears in his eyes.

Sephie stepped toward him, placing her hand on his arm. When he turned his head toward her slightly, she hugged him. I watched my father, who never showed any emotion other than anger, crumble in front of me. He clung to her like she was his lifeline. They stayed silent for several minutes, until finally his hold on her loosened. She stepped back slightly, but kept her hands on his shoulders. “You’ll find her again and you’ll get to fall in love with her all over again. She sacrificed this lifetime for Adrik, but the next will be the reward for that.” She was quiet for a moment, then she said, “You know she’s still around, right? You can still talk to her. She watches over you. She always has.” She glanced at me, then turned back to him. “She says she misses you too and that you’ll always be her luchik.”

He inhaled sharply, looking to me. “Did you tell her that?” he asked.

“Tell her what?”

“That’s what your mother used to call me,” he said.

“I didn’t know that. I can barely remember her.”

Sephie smiled sweetly at him, stepping away from him to me. “She told me, Vitaliy. Don’t ask me how. It’s never happenedbefore and it might never happen again, but she just told me to tell you that.” Sephie was quiet for a second, then she laughed. “She might’ve also just told me to tell you that she was right and you should’ve listened to her.” Sephie looked up at me, grinning. “I like your mother. She’s fun.”

Vitaliy laughed. I’d seen him laugh more in the past two days than I’d ever seen him laugh in my entire life. He cursed under his breath, looking at Sephie with a look of wonderment in his eyes. “You would’ve loved her. You’re very similar. I’m surprised she didn’t have you yell at me for not knowing she was watching over me.”

“You weren’t ready to know, Vitaliy. Now you are. She can’t be mad at you for what you didn’t know,” she said.

He glanced between Sephie and me. “I admit that I did doubt your mother was right when she told me you would find the absolute perfect woman, but she was definitely right,” he said.

“That’s why she’s stuck with me,” I said, pulling her to me.

When we walked back to the house, the guys were all outside where they could see us, along with Trino and Aleksei. A couple of my father’s other security guys were there as well. My guys were visibly relieved when Sephie came back. Ivan looked at her, likely wanting to know what had made her anger show up earlier. He raised an eyebrow at her, silently asking what had happened. She walked to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. “Have I mentioned lately how adorable you are when you get all twitchy when you’re worried about me, Squish?” she said, kissing his cheek.

Aleksei laughed. “Squish?” He looked at Ivan. “You let her call you that?”

She looked at Ivan, stepping back slightly, worried that she’d made a mistake. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders tighter, keeping her there. “She’s the goddamn princess. She can call me whatever she likes,” he said.

Sephie laughed, saying, “Ivan has had more nicknames than the rest of them, I think. Squish is just my favorite. Would you prefer I only called him Vanya? Is that it? You’re jealous because no one ever gave you a more creative nickname than Alyosha?”

Aleksei’s cheeks blushed. “My mother called me Alyosha.”

“It’s very Russian and it’s very traditional. I would expect nothing less. I, however, am not so traditional and prefer the fun side of life, so I’m going to keep calling him Squish if you don’t mind. And even if you do, fuck off,” she said, smiling at him.

In thirty years, I’ve never heard my father laugh as loudly as he did when he heard Sephie put Aleksei in his place. Everyone was laughing, even Aleksei. Russian men, particularly older Russian men tended to be hardened and didn’t waste time on being overly polite. They understood frankness. They respected it. Much like with Ivan in her apartment kitchen, we all witnessed her earn Aleksei’s respect.

“Come, we will talk business while Alyosha licks his wounds,” Vitaliy said as he walked to the couches and tables on the patio outside the house. Ivan kept Sephie back for just a minute, having a quiet conversation with her. He still looked concerned, but whatever she said to him made him smile. She was still smiling when she turned to join me on the couch near my father. She happily climbed in my lap to free up more space on the couches for someone else. Ivan took advantage and sat next to us.

I glanced at him, making sure he was good from earlier. He leaned over saying, “Checking on her contacts. I don’t know a few of these guys. We’re all still a little jumpy from Trino’s guys.”

I nodded once. “Good call,” I said, as she looked back at both of us. “Adorable. And twitchy,” she said.

“I know Sal and Lorenzo orchestrated this coup attempt, but we didn’t get around to where they are now. And what of the other bosses? I know Armando is being held, but what of everyone else?” Vitaliy asked.