Chapter One Hundred and Forty-Four

Dimitri

Three weeks had passed since that night at the factory. For the first time in what felt like years, there was peace. My shoulder had healed. The stitches were out and the pain was mostly gone. Nikolai was thriving, growing stronger every day. And Alexei was changing.

I noticed it in small ways. The way he looked at Nikolai with pure love instead of possession. The way he talked to Irina with respect instead of resentment. The way he spoke to me like a brother instead of an enemy.

We were in my office going over business reports, something we had not done together...