Chapter Twenty
9 MONTHS EARLIER, MOSCOW
I hate December in Russia. I used to love it, with all the New Year’s decorations on the streets and festive atmosphere in all the shops and restaurants, but ever since the winter when my parents died, I can’t stand this month. Normally, I go away somewhere, like Greece or Turkey or the Cayman Islands, but for some reason, Nikolai demanded that our entire family gather today at his loft, forcing me to cut my Switzerland ski trip short.
I especially don’t want to be in Moscow because I know he will be there.
Alexei.
I haven’t seen him in person since Risha’s New York premiere, but I know he tracks my every move. His men are always there in the background, watching, waiting. For what, I don’t know, but I’ve grown so used to their silent, hidden pr
