𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 • 21|| ❝𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝❞

>𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐃

· ·•◦───────·✧·──────◦•· ·

𝐌 𝐈 𝐋 𝐀 • 𝐎 𝐑 𝐋 𝐎 𝐕

The sun rays beam across my face, making me squint and groan softly. My body feels warm although I'm naked. I look at the alarm clock, I'm happy that I got to sleep in a little longer than usual. I sit up, finding a muscular arm under me that had slipped beneath my neck. I follow the arm, finding a muscular body next to me, radiating with warmth. I lay on Kristian's shoulder sighing with relief.

I play with the patch of hair that gathers under his belly button, watching as the dark hairs sweep with each hand motion. I observe Kristian's breaths peacefully, eyes fully closed. The last time I watched Kristian sleeping was the night I planned to attack him, looking back I would've never imagined being in the same bed as him.

His eyes begin to flutter open and a smile ripple across his face. "Morning." He grumbles. His sleepy voice is so sexy, I stare at him and already feel the butterflies pounding against the lining of my stomach.

"Good morning." I reply. I smile at him as memories from last night. Him beside me, on top of me. Every image was so vivid and it only made me ache between my legs.

"Did you sleep well?" He asks. I nod.

He looks up at the ceiling, there is no going back from last night now, it's going to be a memory that'll be on repeat. I just hope I wasn't a distraction for him. Although we both needed one. "You seem off." He looks at me with his brow raised. I shake off the feeling that he might've used me yesterday.

"I'm fine." I lie, "Do you plan to speak to Leonid? I know you're still thinking about him." I sigh and watch his facial expression changing. He is in two minds, he's unsure on what to do. Speak to his brother and tell him the truth, or continue living a lie that only Kristian now knows. But if Kristian would do that, it'll soon break him.

He shrugs, "I don't know." I nod and sit up next to him. I tuck myself closer to him, nestling myself beside him. "I'll have to weigh out the pros and cons." We decide not to talk about it anymore.

A few moments have past full of silence, I find myself being distracted by the vibration of Kristian's phone next to us. He picks it up and reads the caller ID. 'Nikita'. My eyebrows draw together while he answers the phone.

"Yes, I'll be there." He puts the phone down quicker than he picked it up. He jumps out of bed and gathers last night's clothes.

"Nikita gave you her number?" I enquire, he nods lightly.

"She needs to see me apparently." I take in a breath, suddenly feeling on edge now.

"Did you want me to come with you?"

He stares at me with a thankful expression but he sighs before his lips part ready for his words to form "Thanks, but this is something I should do alone." I nod understanding Kristian's words, letting Kristian get changed and go on his phone.

"Elias is on his way." I release a false smile. Although I like to control situations, this one is out of my hands. I opened to Kristian yesterday, allowed him to take what's mine and now I feel like I was a distraction. Maybe that's all we're supposed to be? I wave Kristian off while I'm still sat in his bed naked with a blanket covering my chest. I sigh and push myself back so my head falls onto the soft pillow.

Without a second thought my eyes begin to roll, I hadn't got a lot of sleep last night, Kristian kept me up all night with his sex drive, I thought I had a high one, but no one's could beat Kristians. My eyes get heavier and heavier until there is a voice that booms throughout the house.

"Mila where are you?" Elia's voice is full of concern. I groan, he doesn't sound far away, but knowing Elias he has to physically see me to know I'm okay. I wrap the blanket around my body and pull open the door. Elias' body quickly turns, starting at my face and trying to avoid my covered-up body. It was obvious I was with Kristian last night. I was wrapped in a blanket and my lips were no doubt swollen. My hair was matted in some places and certainly contained tangles.

I watch as Elias tries to avoid further conversation, he knows I've come from Kristians room, but with that information a slight smirk peaks from his lips. "I'm going back to sleep, now that you know I'm safe." He nods and grabs a chair, sitting outside of the door.

𝐊 𝐑 𝐈 𝐒 𝐓 𝐈 𝐀 𝐍 • 𝐏 𝐄 𝐓 𝐑 𝐎 𝐕

It didn't take me long to get to Nikita's dorms, I slam my car door shut and approach her door a few seconds later. Without hesitation I knock the oak and wait as patiently as I can.

She opens the door, a hint of happiness in her eyes and her curly locks in a ponytail. My sister is beautiful, I knew that by watching her, she'd turn down every man who came near her. She was as innocent as an angel; she looked like one too. She opens the door wide, allowing me inside but all I can do is stare at her face again. "Thank you for coming Kristian." She smiles and closes the door, and with that I feel a hint of warmth in the room and a shadow from the corner of my eye.

I turn and find a familiar woman sitting there on Nikita's sofa. My chest constricts at the sight. My mother. She's aged since I've last seen her, it's been years, twenty-four painful years. Her eyes are full with sadness and a few tears begin to fall. My mother is sitting in front of me. I can't look away from her blue eyes or her brown short locks. She must be in her mid-fifties now.

She storms up to me and falls into my arms, she's smaller than me but I place my head on-top of hers as I hold her, her arms spiral behind my back, holding me in place. She cries in my arms and repeats "Moy mal'chik." [My boy]

There were a few times I tried searching for my mother, but I gave up. She left the Bratva for a reason, there was no way I was going to drag her back through the family mess.

"Your father..." She gasps and pushes herself away, "Did he send you to find us? I can't face him again Kristian, I won't." She didn't know.

"He's dead mama." She looks at me with shock.

"H-how long for?" She enquires, meeting my gaze, I forget that Nikita is in the same room. Listening to our conversation, mother probably filled her in with all the details about our family, especially our father.

"Fifteen years." She looks at me, eyes wide with shock.

"Fifteen years?" I nod. "How?" I sigh and wait to explain the truth, how do I tell my mother I was the reason for my father's death? How would she even feel?

"I killed him." I snap. She begins to cry further; she never wanted me to follow my father's footsteps. But it's a little too late for that now.

"I had to mama, he wanted to find you both. I didn't want that." She looks at me, she's grateful.

"Thank you." She wipes her tears and takes a seat on the sofa, she pats the side next to her, encouraging both Nikita and I to sit by her side.

Now that I've answered all my mother's burning questions, I had one of my own.

"Why didn't you tell me about Leonid before you left?" I look at her, the pain in her eyes was indescribable. I turn to find Nikita who was clearly in shock that I had no clue about Leonid. It's obvious that mother has also said and explained who I am to her, hence why Nikita was so welcoming towards me.

"I couldn't handle Leonid as you're aware, I know you spoke to them and asked questions." She sighs, "If your father found out Leonid was his the Bratva would've stayed strong, I didn't feel comfortable with a son being an heir, he could've died anytime, your father would've trained him as young as ten. I didn't want that." My mother's words play on repeat, but she knew who my father was, she knew what the tradition was when it came to male soldiers. Yet, she married him anyway.

"Your father wasn't aware of the pregnancy with Leonid. It was the best chance to give him to someone who would take care of him, Akim knew what his brother was like and happily took Leonid in." I nod.

"Now I have to live with the fact my so-called cousin has been my older brother all these years and I never knew, and now I have to look at him every day and not tell him." I growl and snap, I can't help the anger building in my body.

"I can't help it, Kristian." She sighs. "I had to do what was right for myself at that time, not one day went by that I didn't think about your brother. If I took Leonid back and claimed he was my son, your father would've killed me and you would've been left without a mum, call me selfish all you want, I had to do what was right, Leonid had a perfect upbringing so I don't feel so guilty, he had a better upbringing than you and that's something I'll regret for the rest of my life Kristian, I'm sorry I didn't take you away sooner. I should've taken you boys away before things got out of hand." She's crying again, and this time I pull her in for a hug. The love I have for my family is something I never thought would be sparked again, well, the emotion and feeling of love is something I hadn't felt since my mother left me.

Mother didn't need to know about the beatings I got every day from my father since she left, the nine years of hell I had to put up with. The men I had to kill at just eleven years old, that would just scare her more. But if Leonid ever found out about her as his mother, he'd soon fill her in with all the details.

"What do you plan to do now Kristian?" She asks, I have no idea why she asks that, I'm confused, I've found out too much information in too little time. Nikita is aware I'm her brother, I'm now aware Leonid is my older brother, my mother is alive, the feelings I have for Mila is getting stronger each day. Everything is too much.

"I don't know." I groan and run my fingers over my face.

"Bring me to the mansion, I'll have a word with him." I nod. That'll probably be for the best, although the oldest soldiers in the Bratva are going to be very confused at my mother's presence.

· ·•◦───────·✧·──────◦•· ·

It didn't take us long to get to the mansion, I welcome both Nikita and my mother to my home. It was once there's, but since father's passing, I created it my own, no memories of father would be filled within these walls, I wouldn't allow it.

They come in and there I find Mila with tight leggings and a blue oversized jumper on, her hair is piled on-top of her head and she offers me a small smile. She notices the two women behind me and her eyes gleam with delight.

"Take a seat in the front room if you like." I gesture to the sofas; Nikita takes a seat and won't take her eyes Mila. I forgot to mention to Nikita that Mila tried to kill me.

"Who's this son?" She asks with a raised brow.

I sigh preparing for the big one, "This is my wife, Mila." I state, Nikita's eyes widen.

"She attempted to kill me a while ago, the deal was to marry and now here we are, working things out." I state watching as Mila flinches at my words. Mila takes a seat next to Nikita already beginning to explain everything in detail. My mother looks at me and then suddenly behind me.

I turn and find both Elias and Leonid approach. Elias has a smile on his face and then his eyes settle on my mother and then my sister.

"Leonid, may I have a word?" My mother asks quietly. Leonid looks at her with an emotionless expression, so unphased by what is going on. He nods and leads her out of the living room.

I walk up to Elias and watch as the women on the sofa chatter away, it's nice to see that Nikita doesn't resent Mila for the decisions she made. They're now hugging. My eyes dart to Elias who is also looking at the women, but not in the usual way a bodyguard would.

"Eyes off my sister." I state, he clears his throat.

"Yes boss." He stands tall and looks away from Nikita. It was pointless denying his prying eyes, you can't lie to your boss.

What feels like hours has past, Nikita and Mila have gone through a wine bottle and are now watching the TV. Elias and I are watching them and the shitty show they're so intrigued in. I look up and find my mother and Leonid walk back through the room. Leonid's face is emotionless still yet my mother's eyes have never looked so red.

He comes up to me and pats his hand on my shoulder. "Brother." He releases a small smile and then his eyes dart to our little sister. "Nikita." He smiles, Nikita bolts up and heads towards Leonid, giving him a rather large hug. I stand too once Nikita looks at me with an invitation. I open my arms and accept her.

Who knew we'd be one small little family?