Page 68 of Depraved Royals
Now he’s here, surrounded by people who love him, his adoring wife holding his hand.
Andheis Bratva.
What a fucking fool I am.
I was so quick to judge Kal when I’ve been a victim of the same judgment my whole life.
Bratva princess. In need of protection. I can’t do what I want. Naïve.
Like me, he knows how it feels to be defined by a role you can’t escape and didn’t ask for.
I should have realized thathemight understand me better than anyone. Brutus comes into the room.
“I called your doctor. He’ll be along soon, but he thinks you were running on adrenaline, and when that dumped out of your system, the blood loss and concussion caught up with you.” He places a carafe of water on the nightstand. “You gotta rest up for now.”
My father is trying to sit up.
“Dani,” he croaks. “Come here,dorogaya.”
I sit on the bed beside him, opposite my mother. He lifts his hand to point at me, but it’s as though his finger is made of lead, and he lowers it again.
“That was a foolish thing you did back there,” he says, “but I know why you did it. You’re in love with Kal and having his child. But you must understand - this was all just a way to get to me.”
“You’re wrong.” I glance at Mama, but she won’t meet my eyes. “I think he was about to tell you the truth when his family attacked you. He didn’t know they were coming for you.”
Papa is listening, but he says nothing.
“When all hell had broken loose, Kalcame back. He could have left forever, but he returned, unarmed, to try and make amends.” I touch my father’s hand. “I think hestartedwith a plan to use me, but everything changed.”
Papa squeezes his eyes as though his head is hurting him, and I remember he’s likely in great pain. He won’t risk upsetting us by admitting it.
“I’m sorry this happened,” I say. “If I thought it would have come to this, I’d never have let myself fall. But he does love me. I think you know it, too, but you can’t let go of your fear.”
Papa frowns. “Even if you’re right, Kal is gone, and now I need to keep you safe. I let my guard down and look what happened.”
He looks past me to Brutus. “Take Dani to her room. Confiscate her phone and override her door lock.”
“No!” I cry, leaping to my feet. “Papa! You’ve never locked me in before!”
“I’m sorry,” he says, “but I can’t trust you not to do something dumb. Not anymore.”
I look at my mother. She shakes her head slowly.
“You’ll come around, Dani,” she says. “In time, you’ll see this is for the best.”
Brutus takes my arm.
None of this would have happened if I hadn’t fallen in love with the enemy.
* * *
The door locks behind me, and I’m alone.
It’s my childhood bedroom from back when we all still lived together. My posters are on the wall - not movie stars or boy bands, but art prints.
Hockney. Warhol. Pollock. All the modern art I love is tacked to the wall where I put it, back when I had freedom and blue skies above me.
I want that feeling back. I want to look into the world and see possibilities, opportunities, and a life.