“It’s far past time,” her father snapped.
Rytsar had a hard time keeping his opinions to himself. Although he understood the source of the man’s anger, anything that might upset radost moya was unwelcomed in this home.
“Daddy, please. I need your understanding, not your anger.”
He snarled as he sat down. “What? Are we supposed to simply accept that you cut us out of your life as soon as Thane had that accident? When you needed us the most, you became cold and distant. Maybe I can handle such shoddy treatment by my own child, but it’s not fair to your mother. She didn’t deserve any of this, and you should be ashamed of yourself.”
“Please, Bill. Let’s not get off on the wrong foot,” Marcy pleaded.
Instead of backing down, her father stared at Rytsar and demanded harshly, “Brianna, where is your husband right now?”
“He’s in the bedroom doing physical therapy, Daddy. Rytsar arranged it so Thane could come home and recover here.”
Marcy took it as an opportunity to hold out an olive branch to her by saying, “That’s wonderful, honey. I can only imagine how sick he must be of that hospital. I’d be happy to help you in any way I can by cooking, cleaning, running errands…whatever you need.”
Rytsar was growing to like this woman.
“Mom, I’m finally getting my life back to normal. As much as I appreciate—”
“Brie, is that your parents that I hear?” Thane called from the bedroom.
“It is, Sir.”
“Please ask them to come join me.”
Brie looked at her parents and smiled. “Sir would like to see you both.”
“At least someone expresses a desire to see us,” her father mumbled under his breath.
“Wonderful,” Marcy replied, grabbing her husband’s hand. “We’ve been very anxious to see Thane.”
They walked into the room to find Thane fully dressed, the two men holding him up as he struggled to take a step. He was looking down at his feet, but glanced up at Brie’s parents and smiled. “It’s going to be a long road ahead, but I am determined to fully recover as soon as possible.”
Brie’s mother stared at him in amazement. “Thane, I can’t tell you how surprised I am to see you doing so well.”
Her father’s response was more sobering, however. “I can tell you right now, you will never return to what you once were, but you can create a new standard for normal.”
Thane nodded. “Wise words. Thank you for the honest insight, Dad.”
Rytsar saw Brie smile. Thane’s use of the familial title instantly lessened the tension in the room. The man was a genius.
His leg muscles were trembling from the effort of standing, so the two men helped him back onto the bed. “If you don’t mind, I need a few minutes to speak with my parents.”
“Of course, Mr. Davis,” James replied, and the two men quickly left the room.
Rytsar went to follow them, but Thane asked that he stay. He nodded and moved closer to Thane, intrigued by his comrade’s ability to take the unexpected situation in hand.
“Brie tells me she kept you both at arm’s length after the crash.”
Bill gave Brie a side-ways glance and replied irritably, “She did.”
“I want to assure you that will not be the case now.”
Marcy’s face lit up. “I was just telling Brie I would be happy to help in any way I can. I’m completely at your disposal.”
Thane smiled at her. “I wish we could have you stay with us but, as you can see, our apartment is bursting at the seams at the moment. However, if you’re willing to assist with errands, it would be a significant help to Brie and I. It would be even more important to me if you could take your daughter out and give her time away from this place. She has been a devoted wife and caregiver almost to a fault and could seriously use a little ‘me’ time.”
“Of course, Thane. It would be my joy.” Marcy looked at her daughter lovingly.
Brie, on the other hand, looked at Sir with a sad expression. “But I don’t want to leave your side, Sir.”
“Babygirl, you have been at my side for how many months? It’s important that you take time for yourself and enjoy these last months of pregnancy.”
“Oh, honey,” her mother exclaimed, “I would love to go shopping with you for some stylish maternity clothes.”
“I would like to spend time talking to my daughter alone. I’m tired of the silent treatment you’ve subjected us to.”
Brie looked at Thane warily.
He responded with a gentle smile. “I would love to see my beautiful wife dress up for a change. Show off your baby bump with pride, my dear.”
Brie returned his smile but sighed heavily, obviously still struggling with the idea of leaving Thane after caring for him for so long.
“Why are you reluctant?” Bill demanded.
Rytsar spoke up when Brie was slow to answer. “I believe your daughter has been so busy caring for everyone else that she’s forgotten what it is like to be cared for. It will do her good to spend time with the people who raised her.”
Marcy put her arm around her daughter’s shoulder. “Hon, remember when we went shopping for your wedding dress? Think of all the laughing we did, and now it’s going to be for maternity clothes.” She shook her head, smiling. “I can’t believe my little girl is having a baby.”
Brie gazed at her mom as if remembering that time and smiled. “It would be nice to shop together.”
“So it’s settled, then. What errands would you like us to run?”
Thane gestured to Rytsar. “My friend, Durov, is taking care of the logistics for me.”
Bill frowned, apparently displeased to be working with the man who had goaded him at the wedding.
Rytsar understood his resistance after the entertaining razzing he’d given the man at Brie’s wedding breakfast. He knew if he were going to be an exceptional dyadya, he had to be in good standing with moye solntse’s grandparents. It was a requirement of the job.
Putting his right hand on his chest, he told Brie’s father, “Mr. Bennett, I know I made a bad impression when we met last. I am heartily sorry for provoking you unnecessarily. As Brie’s father and Thane’s father-in-law, you deserve only my utmost respect.”
“Now you’re trying to pull my leg,” Bill growled angrily.
Rytsar looked crushed. “I assure you I’m not. While I will admit I enjoy giving a good ribbing, it was not my place—especially with you.”
Bill shook his head. “Why do I get the impression you’re just baiting me so you can laugh at me later?”
Rytsar looked to Brie in exasperation, uncertain how he could win the man over, but still determined to try. “Mr. Bennett, if you have any cause to doubt my sincerity in the future, please call me on it.”
Marcy reached out and stroked her husband’s arm. “Dear, I believe the man is being sincere. Accept his apology.”
Bill looked Rytsar up and down with a critical eye. “What you’ve been through, I can only imagine, based solely on how you look. I trust it made you take life more seriously, and is the only reason I am giving you the benefit of the doubt right now. But, be aware, I don’t give second chances.”
Success!
Rytsar gladly accepted her father’s terms and winked at Brie when Bill wasn’t looking. While he would absolutely show the man the respect he deserved, it didn’t mean he might not have a little fun with the guy every now and then.
He had to remain true to himself, after all.
Rytsar took Mrs. Bennett’s hand and kissed it gently. “I will leave you to speak with your son alone while I come up with a list of things you can do to help.”
Her mother blushed. “That would be lovely.” Her blush reminded him of Brie for a moment and made him smile.
Rytsar left the room feeling good about the overall outcome.
But there was a dark cloud still hanging over Brie’s happiness. The beast named Lilly remained a serious threat to Brie. He’d
heard of Faelan’s plans for the women, and while both Thane and Brie supported them, he had little hope that Lilly would be swayed by anything she experienced there.
Some people were unsympathetic and needed the fear of God put in them.
Legacy
Knowing what needed to be done, Rytsar contacted the man Wallace had hired to pursue and capture Lilly once she escaped from jail. Rather than speak over the phone, Rytsar met up with Nick in person at a nearby park where they could speak in private.
“Wallace said you have been hired to capture her once she escapes from jail, after the birth of the child.”
The man’s eyes shone with anticipation. “And it should be any day now. I’ve heard rumors from the prison nurses that she’s just been transferred to a different ward in the prison, a sure sign the baby is coming. I’ve already had a location device inserted under her skin during one of her recent examinations. We can track her down by sending radio signals to the implant.”
“Excellent.” Rytsar was extremely pleased by the man’s thoroughness.
They spoke at great length about the logistics and timing of how he would ensnare and eventually capture her after a prolonged and carefully orchestrated chase.
“I only see one flaw.”
“What’s that?” Nick asked, sounding honestly interested.
“I am not a part of it.”
“I’m positive we are adequately staffed for the operation,” he replied.
“You are, and I have no interest in interfering, only adding to Lilly’s experience during the hunt. You see, she is familiar with me. If she sees I’ve returned and am in pursuit of her, we will inspire the level of fear that Wallace hoped for.”
Nick smiled at his suggestion. “I like the idea, Rytsar, but let me make a quick call to Mr. Wallace before I agree to anything.”
Rytsar approved of the man’s loyalty to Wallace, even though it was Rytsar who was footing the bill. The fact that the man wasn’t swayed by that proved he was someone to be trusted.
While waiting for Nick to okay it with Wallace, Rytsar thought about Lilly—the woman who had not only framed her own sibling in a paternity suit, but had gone so far as to drug Brie in an attempt to kidnap her with the intention of killing the baby and selling Brie to the highest bidder. There could be no mercy shown to someone as ruthless and cunning as that.
When Nick ended the call, he let Rytsar know that Wallace was on board with having him join in the procurement of Lilly.
“Good. I cannot tell you how deeply I loathe this woman, and I’m sure she feels the same about me—but for vastly different reasons.”
“Do you plan to be the one to actually apprehend her?”
“No, that will be the best part. I will be chasing her while you chase her, steering her like a pack of wolves toward the final destination, where you will abduct her. I strongly suggest you throw a hood over her head and take her on a long car ride. We’ll add a plane ride to the mix before you bring her back to LA. She will have no way of knowing where she is, and the fact that I am not her captor means she will be living in constant fear, wondering when I will come and make my final strike.”
“I like the devious way you think.”
“When it comes to protecting those I love, I know no limits,” Rytsar answered. “I am counting on you to call me the minute you get the word she’s in active labor so we can begin our game of cat and mouse.”
Nick held out his hand to Rytsar, and he shook it. “I look forward to working together.”
The next order of business was visiting Stephanie Conner, the woman in charge of the center where Lilly was to spend her incarceration. Stephanie was the girl he’d rescued in Russia while Brie was visiting him at the cabin. The same girl who’d indirectly caused the kidnapping and torture he’d suffered at the hands of the Koslovs for killing the maggot who’d abducted her.
Rytsar had avoided all contact with her once he received Stephanie’s letter shortly after her rescue. In it, she’d expressed how lost she’d felt. Stephanie’s words had frightened him because they were too similar to Tatianna’s thoughts just before she’d ended her own life.
Rather than chance a meeting with her, and possibly making the situation worse, Rytsar had hired a string of counselors who specialized in survivors of human trafficking until she found one she worked well with.
When that counselor had informed Rytsar that Stephanie needed a positive outlet for her grief and depression, Rytsar thought back to what had given him satisfaction while grieving for Tatianna. It was in helping other girls escape the same hell that he’d found a purpose. But it was always with the silent hope that these girls would go on to live normal lives, since Tatianna could not.
Rytsar needed Stephanie to survive, so he’d invested in a large center north of LA that would act as a safe house for victims of sexual slavery. It would not only provide a protected environment, but also the counseling, physical care, and sense of community these survivors required to move forward.
After he’d gotten everything in place, he’d sent his only letter to her.
Dear Miss Conner,
I know it has been quite some time since you sent your letter to me. Every word you penned has been etched in my mind, and I have worked tirelessly to give you something of worth to match the courage you have shown.
I told you once that you were never a puppet, only a survivor. Survival takes bravery and tenacity. It is a fight, and you are my champion.
You mentioned in the letter that you wished you could repay me. Your success is your payment and, to that end, I have created something with you in mind.
When you said that you felt only I could understand what you had been through, I empathized with you. It is true that only those who have experienced such horrors firsthand have any knowledge of the hardships and abuses you faced.
Sadly, there are many who have had to walk in your shoes since you returned home. Like you, they feel alone and lost.
This is why I funded the Tatianna Legacy Center to help survivors like you. I have brought the best staff and resources together in one place so that no one has to be left behind to struggle alone after escaping the horrors of sexual slavery.
I am pleased to present this to you as my belated answer to your letter. I’m also offering you a chance to run it. Who better to oversee things than a survivor herself?
I have support staff who are at your disposal. It is my hope that you will find the satisfaction in helping others that I have found in helping you.
You are not alone. I will always be your unseen supporter.
Sincerely,
Rytsar Durov
Stephanie had responded with reservation, afraid she would not be up to the task of running the center. However, once she had met the girls she would be helping, Stephanie jumped in feet first and never looked back.
It did his heart good knowing that not only had Stephanie jumped the hurdle that Tatianna had been unable to but also, through her experiences, she was helping others do the same.
He wanted to share the joy of her success, so he asked Brie to accompany him.
“Of course, I would love to go,” Brie told him. “Both Sir and I have been curious about how Stephanie’s been doing, as well as the center you created, ever since Faelan mentioned it to us.”
“Why is it that you have never spoken of it, brother?” Thane asked him.
Rytsar grinned when he answered. “If I’m to remain mysterious and alluring, I cannot be an open book, even to you.”
Thane smirked. “I’ll remember that.”
“Radost moya, part of the reason I would like you to join me is to make certain that Stephanie sees me simply as a hands-off benefactor. I have no designs on her and never will.”
“Not like Mr. Holloway,” Brie replied with distaste.
“Your producer?” Rytsar punched his fist into his hand. “What has he done to you?”
Brie grabbed his wrist and forced it back down to his side. “It’s n
ot me, it’s Mary. He’s got something going on with her that caused the breakup with Faelan. The man is being shady about it too. I don’t trust him.”
“So does Wallace need me to set him straight?” Rytsar growled, punching his hand again.
“No, old friend. Wallace is handling things on his own. No need to get involved,” Sir cautioned him.
“But I owe the kid, moy droog. If there ever comes a time, I will see to it that the situation is taken care of in a satisfactory manner.”
“So long as you’ve spoken to Wallace beforehand.”
“I would never do anything without Wallace’s consent.” He paused for a moment, then smirked at Thane. “Unless I don’t agree.”
“Tell me, Rytsar, how long has it been since you’ve seen Stephanie?” Brie asked.
“I have not seen her since that night, radost moya.”
“The night that you rescued her?” she asked, surprised.
He nodded. “I have kept up with her through my contacts ever since she returned to America. I have a vested interest in Stephanie’s survival.”
“I know you do.” Brie wrapped her arm around him, knowing how deeply he still suffered from the loss of Tatianna. “It must make you proud to see how far Stephanie’s come.”
“My pride had no place in this.”
“Maybe I misspoke,” Brie amended. “I simply meant that you must be grateful to see what she’s accomplished.”
He kissed her on the head. “Da.”
The center was north of LA, nestled near Topanga State Park, an area that offered the tranquility of nature with the convenience of an active city and beach nearby.
“Rytsar…this is wondrous,” Brie said, tears coming to her eyes as they pulled up. “The Tatianna Legacy Center. I can’t think of a better name. And this location—I had no idea there were scenic hiking trails so close to LA.”
“I think it does nicely,” he replied, pleased by her response.
Rytsar led Brie into the building, and they were greeted by the sounds of trickling water from an indoor fountain, along with an abundance of live plants lining the walls of the room. That hadn’t been in his initial plans, but he approved of the change.