Empire of Sin (Empire #2) by Rina Kent

Meetings I were never allowed to attend.

My pulse skyrockets and any semblance of calm shreds into a million pieces. Does this mean Papa will confront me in front of everyone? Adrian and Kirill included?

Shit. I’d hoped to talk to Adrian first, because if he finds out I didn’t abide by his orders, he won’t hesitate to make his threat about Knox a reality.

Before I get the chance to hyperventilate, Vladimir opens the door and I freeze.

Because I’m attacked by a hug out of nowhere.

A warm, soft hug that I’ve known since I was five, when she promised to protect me.

My great-cousin, Uncle’s granddaughter, Rai, pulls back to check me out as if I’m a soldier home from war.

She’s wearing a beige pantsuit and her hair is pulled up in an elegant twist. It’s blonde, too, but it’s a bit darker than mine.

Everything about Rai is darker than me. Whether it’s her childhood or how involved she is in this world.

“Are you okay? Did anyone hurt you? Just give me a name and I will personally make sure they know their place.”

I resist a smile at her overprotectiveness. She’s always acted like my shield against this world, but unfortunately, that was never enough.

“No one hurt me, Rai.”

She focuses on my face for the first time, a frown deepening between her brows. “Then where were you?”

“She willingly left, as she mentioned in that measly note she wrote before disappearing.” The apathy in the older male voice turns my blood to ice.

I stare over Rai’s shoulder and my eyes meet those that are identical to mine.

The same eyes that I considered safe when I first met him.

Sergei Sokolov.

Even though I found his eyes safe that first time we met him at the park, I didn’t want to leave with him, because that meant abandoning my mom.

That same day, however, someone told my stepfather that they saw Mom with a man and he beat her up so badly, I couldn’t remain hiding under the bed anymore.

I rummaged through my pocket for his number and called him. Papa. I begged him for help and he came within half an hour.

It was too late, though.

Because my stepfather had finally managed to beat Mom to death. I’ll never forget the scene I walked in on that night.

Mom’s head was lolled to the side, blood splattered on the table, and her teary eyes stared at nothing.

My stepdad was on his back next to her, a bloody hole lodged between his eyes.

In the midst of the gruesome scene stood Papa, a gun in hand.

When he saw me, he hid the weapon and reached his hand out to me. That time, I didn’t hesitate to take it.

Because I had no one but him. The man who ended the nightmare my stepdad represented, even though it was too late.

That same man is now staring at me with ice-cold eyes that rip through my soul. He’s so much older than back then. His hair has whitened and wrinkles have appeared around his eyes.

But no amount of aging can take the killer out of him. No amount of changes can deny how powerful he is.

The Sokolovs were born to do great things, he told me when I was young, but I don’t think he meant using my skills to steal from the brotherhood.

I slowly walk to him and reach for his hand to kiss the back of it the way everyone is expected to greet the Pakhan, but he turns his face away from me in clear rejection.

My trembling hand falls to my side and I swallow thickly.

“You have some explaining to do,” he says without masking the coldness in his voice.

“Granduncle…” Rai starts in a placating tone. “She just came back.”

“When she shouldn’t have left in the first place.”

Vladimir closes the door and locks it, trapping the four of us inside, then starts inspecting the room, for bugs, I presume.

We all remain silent until he finishes his thorough checkup and nods at us to proceed.

It’s Papa who says, “You have one minute to explain why you stole funds from V Corp and disappeared.”

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, hanging my head. “I didn’t think the three of you would cover up for me.”

“Then what did you think? That I would paint my own daughter as a criminal and risk losing the leader position? Did I or did I not tell you that you needed to think about who you are before making a single move? It’s not only about you anymore. It’s about the Sokolov name. So why don’t you tell us what made you betray it.”

“I didn’t betray you…”

“You left with funds and without telling any of us.” Vladimir crosses his arms. “That’s the definition of betrayal.”

“That’s not what I intended.”

“Then what did you intend?” It’s Rai who speaks, her voice softer but no less firm than Vladimir’s. “Tell us, Ana.”

I let out a breath. “I wanted to protect Babushka.”

Rai frowns. “You don’t have a grandmother.”

“I do. She’s not my real grandmother, but she raised me and protected me. But Papa expelled her back to Russia, where no one can help her, because he said she’s a bad influence. She has dementia and is suffering, but he forbade me to see her, so I had to come up with this plan.” I don’t miss the way I’m talking about my father in third person in his presence.

I can’t even look at him, because I know his wrath won’t be easy to handle.