“Probably. When Roman grew up, I started working as a housekeeper and tried my best to keep myself as far away as possible from the pakhan. I handled the staff and didn’t have any reason to cross Lev’s path. Until he called for me one day. When I came into the library, he grabbed me around my neck and slammed me into the wall, choking me. He was mad because the maid didn’t change the sheets that morning as he requested. When Roman came in, I was half passed out already. Roman killed him, and if he didn’t, Lev would have choked me to death.”
I look up at Varya, who is looking pointedly at the hand I raised at some point and unconsciously placed on my neck.
“We all have some kind of trigger, child. Roman saw that man as a threat to you, and he neutralized it. I’m not saying he did the ri
