Mikhail
I woke before dawn, as I always did. The habit had been beaten into me since childhood. Never let your guard down, never sleep too deeply, never trust that morning would come without blood.
But for the first time in years, I slept peacefully.
Liliana was curled against my side, her dark hair spilled across my chest like silk. In sleep, she looked innocent again, soft and vulnerable. But I knew better now. I'd seen the steel beneath her beauty last night.
My phone buzzed on the nightstand. A text from Viktor appeared on the screen. “Emergency meeting. One hour.”
I slipped out of bed carefully, not wanting to wake her. She stirred slightly but didn't open her eyes. I put on my clothes and headed downstairs to my office.
Viktor was already there, along with Alex and two other li
