Chapter 518 - The Novikovs (5)

Gael brushed Angela's cold arms. Her skin was damp and she looked panicked, her eyes kept shifting here and there—to her mother, to Alessandro and Giovanni, and the corpse. He was frustrated that she was put in this situation. The only consolation he got was that she was safe and that he was with her the whole time.

"Baby…" he called, trying to pull her away from her trance.

"Is he… Is he really dead?"

Gael glanced back and stared at the corpse too. Angela just couldn't believe what she witnessed a few minutes ago. But she was thankful that Novikov was facing the other way because she didn't think she could handle seeing his dead face. Her whole body shivered.

"He is." Gael lightly squeezed her arm. "Do you want me to check?"

When she nodded, Gael turned around and went closer to the table. He hesitated, unsure of what kind of poison Cynthia used that might've seeped through Matvey's skin and could transfer. He doubted she'd be that reckless, but he was still cautious. As if reading his thoughts, Igor stepped closer to the corpse and placed his fingers on Novikov's neck. After a few seconds, he shook his head.

Angela released the breath she was holding and her hand flew to cover her mouth. The awareness of being in the same room with a corpse made her queasy and she had to look away.

Cynthia spoke to Igor in Russian. Then the latter signaled the other guards from outside the room and they began to lift Matvey Novikov off the chair. She then gestured for the De Lucas to follow her. Giovanni walked out of the room and Alessandro holstered his gun before facing his son.

The two spoke in Italian quietly. Gael told his father that it was Cynthia who killed the Pakhan—already confirming his father's suspicions. Alessandro briefly told Gael that there was resistance at the gates but when they got inside the house, the Bratva soldiers let them in without a problem, so he already suspected there was a power play going on.

When his father left the room, Gael turned back to Angela and held her face with his hands, pulling her lips to his in a slow kiss. "I'll come get you as soon as we're done." He led her towards Anika who waited by the door and watched as the three siblings ascended the stairs and disappeared at the top. 

***

Aleksander opened Anika's room, letting the girls in and following them inside before he closed the door behind him and leaned against the wall next to it, folding his thick arms across his chest.

"D-Do you want some water?" Anika hesitated as she looked over Angela.

A small smile lifted Angela's lips. "That would be nice. Thank you." Anika went to the corner of the room to a small round table next to a small fridge.

She looked around Anika's room, taking in the soft and frilly bed in the middle with blush pink and white sheets and pillows. It was so girly, one would think she was a princess—though she really was, only a Bratva one. Which was odder when she thought about it, considering all the hard men around her. Anika looked so innocent, just like her room in this house.

Although Angela knew only little about Cynthia and her family, she was aware that the Volkovs resided in Boston. But it looked like they had their own rooms here in Queens when they were around.

As she let her eyes wander, they landed on her half-brother, Aleksander. The way he stared at her made her brows draw together. He looked like he wanted to bite her head off. "Are you mad at me?" she asked with a hint of amusement in her tone because they had barely spoken to each other and she had stayed away from him.

"What makes you think that?"

"You're scowling."

His jaw ticked. "I'm just looking at you."

Anika snorted as she came back and passed a glass of water to Angela. For the first time, she looked better despite the redness in her eyes. "That's just his face. He takes after Dad. They always look angry even when they really care."

"Shut up." Aleksander scowled at his sister.

Anika rolled her eyes and whipped out her phone, her thumb quickly moving over her screen. "I'm calling Dad." She placed her phone to her ear for only a few seconds and her brows knitted as she lowered it. "He's not picking up. You think Dad's okay?"

"It's just a fingertip. He'll live."

"I can't believe Dedushka did that. He just chopped off a finger at the table and now he died on it! I don't think I'll ever be able to eat anything there anymore." Her hand flew to her mouth as if she was about to be sick.

"It's nothing new."

"Well, it's the first time I've really seen it, okay? That was…" Anika swallowed. "Is it like that everyday, Sasha?"

Clearly, Anika was very sheltered in their family while Aleksander wasn't, judging by the sympathetic look in his eyes. But it was gone as soon as it appeared and he said, "Dad will be okay. I promise. He'll be back later."

Anika's phone buzzed and she bit her bottom lip hard, her whole body stiffening.

"Who's that?" Aleksander asked.

"It's Yury."

A low growl escaped Aleksander's throat.

"Who's Yury?" Angela wondered.

Anika faltered. "My… I'm supposed to marry him. He's a son of Dedushka's friend."

"Business partner," Aleksander bit out.

Angela watched the two, recalling what Gael told her about the late Matvey Novikov tried to do during Uncle Pietro's repast—as if he was selling his granddaughter to the highest bidder.

"I'll just ignore him for now. He can't have already heard about what happened…right?"

Aleksander opened his mouth as if to say something. And then after a few beats, he sighed. "His death is going to bring out the worst of this brotherhood."

Angela clutched her hands together. "I'm…sorry about your grandfather."

Anika's stare flashed to her. "Me too."

"I'm not," Aleksander muttered.

"He…" Anika hesitated as she faced Angela. "He wasn't good to us. But it still sucks. He's your grandfather too…"

"I don't know him." Angela should feel sorry, but she didn't feel anything towards the old man except contempt. "It's the second time we've met and… Well, you know what happened."

Aleksander scoffed but didn't say anything. This time Angela turned to him with curiosity. "You called me. Earlier… You tried to warn me."

He cleared his throat, looking to the side and avoiding her stare.

"I thought you hated me," she added.

"I don't. It's just— I thought I was the eldest son. That I only had one sister to look after. And then all of a sudden I'm not. One day I woke up and suddenly, I have an older brother…and you! My life is a lie. Finding that out fucked me up." His jaw ticked.

Okay. Angela didn't think he'd say that much, but it was clear that what they felt was mutual. "You can say that again."

There was a knock on the door and a second later, the door was pushed open and Gael entered the room, briefly scanning the three before settling his gaze on Angela. He walked over and pulled her to his chest, pressing a kiss on her forehead. "You ready to go?"

When Angela nodded, he took her hand and led her out of the room, only to stop at the doorway and glance back at Aleksander. "You should go see your mother. She might need help."

Aleksander looked slightly taken aback by Gael's friendly tone that he tentatively nodded.

Angela and Gael descended the stairs, seeing Alessandro and Cynthia conversing at the front door. Gael's phone rang and when he saw that it was Oliver, he answered right away, and then passed it to Angela soon after. "Your brother tried to call you."

"Oh…" Angela thought her phone must've been unavailable. She spoke to her brother as they walked to the front door, tempted to tell Oliver everything that happened just now but she didn't. That conversation needed to be told face to face. Instead, she informed him, "My flight's been changed, Oli. I'll let you know when I'll fly out."

"Is that Oliver?" Cynthia's voice made her jump. She looked so hopeful that rendered Angela speechless.

"Is that her?" Oliver asked. Angela hadn't told him anything about today yet, but it was pretty obvious to Oliver whose voice that was. All she could reply was a weak, "yeah," as if answering both of them.

Cynthia breathed. "Can I speak to him?"

"Don't you dare give her the fucking phone," Oliver snapped. "I'll see you when you land. Call me." The call dropped and so did her hand as she shook her head to her mother.

Regaining her composure, Cynthia nodded. "You best leave now. The others will arrive soon. It's better if you're not here."

Angela and the De Lucas started walking out and then she paused at the steps, thinking about the situation. Her mother just killed the Bratva's leader. Wasn't that treason?

Turning around, her heart ached in a way she thought it shouldn't as she probed, "Will you be okay?"

A fake smile crossed Cynthia's face. "I'll be fine. You take care, Kylie."