Chapter Text
CHAPTER 1
Place: Russia, Moscow
Lillia
“You wanted to see me uncle?” I enter his office with mud all over my clothes, my hands and under my fingernails. He looks at me with a longing expression which is weird, because I was expecting him to reprimand me for dirtying his office or give me lecture about not looking like a perfect Bratva Princess.
“Yes, milaya. Why don’t you take a seat?”
“No. Its fine, Uncle I will stand my clothes are dirty as you can see.”
“No. Lillia please sit down. We have a lot to talk about.”
Okay this is scaring me now. Is he going to send me away to college? I already told him I have no interest in studying further. I am perfectly alright and if I really wanted to, I could always apply to online programs. I know for a fact it’s not about my lack of knowledge that my uncle is worried about. It’s my safety which is his main concern. After the death of the Pakhan, Ilya Aranov, nine months ago, things have been going haywire. The underbosses are constantly at war with one another including my uncle. Hence, the sending me away to college plan was brought up, but I refused this idea. I don’t want to leave my home, my uncle, the dogs, and my country. I will not run away like a coward. If death is what awaits me by staying here, I will gladly accept it.
“Uncle if its about sending me away I will assure you I am not setting a foot outside the house. I will stay here no matter what.”
His longing expression intensifies and he looks like he is about to cry. What the hell? I just want to be there for him. I am the only living relative he has and the same goes for me. If I wasn’t here to keep him company these past months, he would have already gone insane or dead because of the war happening outside and dealing with the underbosses, especially one asshole named Kirill Arannov. Being an arms dealer isn’t easy, being a arms dealer when the Bratva is at war is definitely not easy. And Kirill fucking Aranov isn’t making it any easier for my uncle. I was almost about to let North and Archer attack his arrogant ass. His frequent unannounced visits and ludicrous demands for deliveries always add extra stress to my uncle. The number of times he showed up just this week just for his supposed “meetings” is ridiculous. Last Thursday, he came twice, fucking twice in one day. Why can’t he just stick to phone calls for meetings and video confirmations like the rest of them. I wouldn’t mind his presence much if my uncle was okay with him but I know Kirill’s presence sets him on edge for whatever reason unknown to me.
“Lillia it’s not about that.”
I release a breath I have been holding. I am too tired to be arguing with him today over this. Bathing my two great Danes and the guard dogs- three German Shepards- has worn me out and I would like to return to my room as soon as possible.
“So, what is it about?”
“As you know the situation here is getting worse day by day. I have request to make of you regarding your safety.”
“Uncle you know I will do whatever it is you ask of me except going away.”
“No milaya. I am not sending you away. Iam just shifting you temporarily to a safer location until all of this is over.”
“When will all of this be over uncle? You have been saying the same thing for the past three months. I don’t see it ending anytime sooner.”
Again, we are back to square one. He releases a heavy sigh and God he looks like he aged ten years in mere seconds. Doesn’t he realize he needs me to be there for him.
“Lillia, honey listen to me. This time I am sure of it. For a few weeks I need you out Moscow somewhere safe and unreachable. Trust me when I say it’s almost over. I have been supporting the Aranov brothers all these months and they have decided to end it. We are planning a collective ambush on all the other underbosses and it will happen sooner. Please, milaya don’t fight me on this and leave Moscow for a few weeks and when you come back you will always, be here, with me in our home. I swear on my sister’s soul Lillia.”
My uncle never swore on my mother. I am surprised he even mentioned her. So I understand how serious he could be. Maybe I can believe him this one time and go away. If it’s for a few weeks I will have to agree to this. As much as I would love to be here, I know it will be dangerous. My uncle needs his focus and worrying about me being unguarded and vulnerable will make him lose his mind. I am hoping he is telling me the truth and he is going to keep his promise.
“Okay.” I say with a resigned tone. My uncle is out of his chair and comes around to hug me. I embrace his warmth and let out a whimper my eyes suddenly watering.
It pains me to know he is out here on the frontline fighting for our peace and freedom, so the least I can do is not worry him.
“Thank you, milaya. I promise I will come back for you.” Hearing him so relieved makes me dry up my tears and I extricate myself from his arms.
“Where are you shifting me to?”
“It’s a secured location in the Khimki woods that’s under the control of Mikhail Aranov. You will be safe there and whatever it is you need will be provided for you.”
Mikhail the third born of the Aranov brothers. I have encountered him exactly twice and I remember each encounter like it was yesterday. The first time I saw him was when I was fifteen at a soldier’s wedding. He showed up mid ceremony. Walked up the aisle, snatched the priest’s collar and threw him down the stairs. He then ripped open the priest’s robes and a collective gasp echoed through the hall. The body of the priest was wrapped with explosives and a timer bomb set off to blast in exactly 2 minutes 18 seconds and kill everyone in the church. Mikhail did not bat an eye at the bomb. He put a bullet through the priest’s head and started working on defusing the bomb. In matter of seconds the bomb went off.
“The priest is dead so I guess the wedding is over. Congratulations to the happy couple. It’s time for the cake.” He said it loud enough for the entire Moscow hear and left the altar after shaking hands with the couple. And I like a fool followed him. I wanted to thank him and get that man a piece of that the damn cake because he deserved it. He was walking past the garden towards the parking when I called out to him.
“Hey…hey….stop….over here” Damn he is fast. I was catching my breath when he turned around and walked over to me.
“You are going the wrong way. The cake’s over there.”
He looked at me with a puzzled expression and he stood really close to me. Now, I was out of breath for an entirely different reason.
“What?” Is he serious? Did he not want the cake?
“The wedding cake. It’s in the garden. That way you are heading is parking. Let’s go this way come on.”
Running out of patience I took hold of his hand and pulled him towards the garden, because hell I wanted a piece of that delicious cake too. I sat him down on the chair and took a knife and reached over the table to cut the cake placed in the middle of the table. But before I could lean over, he took the knife out of my hands and sat me down.
“Let me get that before you face plant into the cake.”
“I want the top part with the decorations and the butterscotch icing.”
He glared at my request but did not say anything and proceeded to get me my piece and cut one for himself. We ate the cake in silence beside each other. He got up to leave and I remembered why I had brought him here in the first place.
“I wanted to thank you for saving us at the Church. It was cool what you did there dude.”
Oh. My. God. Did I just describe his life saving act as “cool” and called him “dude”?
I did not know his name and I should have just shut my mouth at thank you because something about his insanely handsome face combined with the bomb defusing act has made my brain into a scrambled mess. I immediately gathered my purse and got up to run away and never see him again, but he took hold of my dress sash and pulled me towards him. I looked down at my heels fidgeting and he lifted my chin up with his forefinger. He wiped the crumbs off the corner of my lips and said
“You’re welcome, dude.”
I ran the hell away from him that day and did two things. First, I found out his name and the next I prayed I never saw him again. That lasted for five years until one Sunday last month he showed up with Kirill to meet my uncle. I was outside by the pool enjoying the barely available sunlight with my two babies. I heard footsteps nearing the pool and from the way North and Archer growled I knew it was that dickwad Kirill. I would never really let them bite him but you never know so I always trained them to keep alert around him. As the footsteps got louder, I realised he did not come alone and there was one other person. I opened my eyes and my gaze fell on that handsome face of Mikhail Aranov. Time had done wonders to him. His face lost all its boyish charm and was now all hard planes with a neatly maintained scruff. His shoulders broadened and I could make out the new tattoos on his neck and hands. While I was busy making heart eyes towards Mikhail Kirill advanced towards me and my dogs almost pounced on him. I extricated my eyes from him with great difficulty and faced the dogs, immediately curling my fists and flattened the palms of my other hand keeping it horizontally.
“Sidet. Lee-Zhet.” Following my commands Archer and North lay flat on the ground.
“Thank you very much Printsessa. I was hoping not to become dog food today or ever.”
“Then you should keep your distance and stay away. You come here so often you practically live here, maybe it’s time to halt your visits because I am not very sure next time, I will be around to stop the dogs from tearing you apart.” I looked over at Mikhail and his mouth was dropped open momentarily, and I am left absolutely stunned when bursts into uncontrollable laughter. I’m not sure what to do with it, so I look back at Kirill who is as shocked as me. I honestly don’t think I made a joke least of all a one which induces a stoic man like Mikhail who defused a bomb in one minute to have a laughing fit. Mikhail gathers himself wiping his eyes and his shoulders still jerking with chuckles. He straightens from his hunched over position and beckons me over with index and middle finger. I am so proud of making this serious man lose his shit that I dash past Kirill hitting his side and walking over to Mikhail which causes him to laugh more. He pulls me into his chest placing kisses on both sides of my cheeks, greeting me.
“How are you wedding cake?”
“Oh my god you remember me? That was five years ago.” I pull away from his chest but his hands are still gripping my shoulders brushing the knots of my bikini.
“Of course, I remember the girl who fed me cake called me dude.”
I scrunch my face and let out a growl. He smiles at me and kisses the top of my head.
“I am sorry I did not know your name.” I meet him after all these years and he still remembers every single detail. I just hope I am not one of his “do you remember that one time….” stories where he tells his friends and family about a girl who fed him cake because he defused a bomb.
“Well then, my name is Mikhail Aranov.”
“Oh, I know that. Right after I came home that day, I asked my uncle to tell me everything about you.”
“Me too.”
“You too what?”
“I asked about you to your uncle too right after I came home which was probably the next day.”
There are no words for the way I feel right now. My stomach is somersaulting and I have to physically restrain myself from doing a victory dance. Instead, I give him a polite smile, slide off his hands walk backwards and my back hits Kirill. I turn around glaring at him. He looks down at me with a smirk. Oh god he is so infuriating. He has an air of nonchalance around him that is just so fucking annoying considering the entire country is at war. Leaning down he whispers in my ear “If you are done eye-fucking my brother we can leave. I have places to be and people to see.”
“I wasn’t eye-fucking anyone.” I grumble low so that Mikhail doesn’t hear me.
“Sure Printsessa.” He says with a chuckle. He is walking on thin line this asshole. One day when I’ve had enough of him I will blow his head off with a sniper and feed his bones to my dogs. I walk past him gathering my books while releasing my dogs from their commands.
“You have grown up to be a beautiful and brave woman Lillia.” I startle at the voice coming from behind me. He still hasn’t left? I turn around seeing him wearing a gentle smile and looking at me with pride in his eyes. My insides get warm at his gesture.
“Thank you, Mikhail.”
“Until next time Solnyshko.” And that’s how my second encounter with him ended watching him walk off into the sunset taking a very teeny tiny part of my heart with him. This fact just makes it easier for me to leave home for the next few weeks.