Ante (Russian Cardroom Book 1) by E.M. Shue

Author:E.M. Shue [Shue, E.M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mountain Rose Press
Published: 2023-09-07T18:30:00+00:00

Five

SPARROW

“Why is Morosov putting out feelers for you? Why is he searching for you?” Brett has me by my ratty hair and throws me into the wall. I fall to my knees, and he kicks me in the ribs. “Answer me, slut? Why?”

I want to lie, but I don’t want to be beaten anymore. “He’s the one who gave me the phone and earbuds,” I confess and hope he’ll stop. But he doesn’t. The truth infuriates him more, and he beats me harder.

When he finally moves toward the door, I try to crawl after him.

“Brett, please. I’m thirsty,” I beg.

“You can starve for all I care. MacEvoy is trying to back out because he’s scared of Morosov. I can’t believe you did this to me. You ungrateful whore.” He advances on me again and reaches down. His hand grips my chin, squeezing it until I cry. “I should just fuck you and get it over with. You’re not even my sister.”

I scream as I fight him off.

I come awake with my arms flailing around me. I open my eyes and see Andrei moving toward me. He crawls onto the bed and wraps me in his arms. There’s a woman standing in the doorway. She closes the door, giving us privacy, and I wonder who she is for only a moment.

“Ptitsa, I’m here. You’re safe. He’ll never hurt you.”

“He’s not my brother. He said so.” My voice cracks as I cry against his chest. “He was going to rape me.”

Andrei’s body tightens, his arms flex around me, and then he slowly calms. “I know he’s not your brother. He was going to use you to get your real father to give him money.” His voice is so matter-of-fact. I pull my head away from his chest and look up into his eyes. “It’s true,” he says.

“You knew? How long?”

“I found out after you disappeared.”

“I’ve always wondered because he and my father—I mean, Pearce would be so mean to me. Then sometimes they would say things like ‘He’ll pay for her.’”

“Brett contacted your father a week ago and said he left you to die unless he paid.”

I can’t help the tears that fall. The man who I thought was my brother didn’t care if I died.

“I have this.” I hold up the necklace I’ve kept from Brett for so long.

A knock sounds on the door, and Andrei makes sure I’m covered before he lifts his head and tells them to enter. I wave my fingers at Dmitri when he steps into the room. He smiles then returns to his stoic look as he turns to Andrei.

“He’s here. He wouldn’t wait. He’s down on the office floor.”

A harsh word comes from Andrei. I know it’s a curse word in Russian. He looks down at me and his eyes soften.

“Give us a moment,” he says to Dmitri without breaking eye contact with me.

The door softly closes as Dmitri leaves the room.

“It would appear there is someone here to see you. I don’t want to rush you, but your biological father has decided to come here.

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