by T N Lowe
Caitlann rolls her eyes before grabbing me by my shoulders and shaking me hard, “Stop being a bitch, little sis. He didn’t cheat on you, and he lied to protect you. Get over yourself.” And with that Caitlann and Lena leave.
Going to the kitchen, I pull a six-pack of Guinness beer and throw myself onto the couch. Are they right? Do I need to forget everything from the party? Opening the first beer, I drink trying to find the answers I need.
***
“You look like shit,” Kegan says from the door of my office.
“Gee thanks,” I reply looking up from my computer.
“What did you do, go home and drink all night?” Kegan asks moving to the chair across from my desk.
“No. Caitlann and Lena came by to yell at me for being stupid then I spent the night drinking.”
“How’d that work out for you?”
“I didn’t. I’m still as clueless as before.”
“Can I offer my two cents?”
I shrug, “Why not, everyone else is.”
“As a man who has fucked up more times than I can count, give him another chance. Don’t let one mistake ruin your chance at happiness, Maks loves you very much.”
Standing and coming around the desk I hug Kegan, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, sweetheart.”
While sitting through a design and developmental meeting, I consider what Caitlann, Lena, and Kegan said. They are right; I can’t see my life without Maks. I love that big lug.
Chapter Twenty
“Are you ready for this?” Patrick asks as we board his plane.
“As ready as I can be.”
“Don’t worry he’s going to be thrilled to see you,” Lena says hugging me tight.
“From your lips to God’s ears,” I reply. I fidget in my seat nervous Maks came to his senses, and now he’s in love with a Russian model with legs to her ears who will be at his beck and call.
“I don’t know Maks well, but he doesn’t strike me as a man who likes his women boring and meek.”
“I guess not. One of the things Maks always said he liked about me was my sharp tongue,” I say with a giggle.
Patrick shakes his head as he the pilot announces we will be taking off shortly. Lena’s phone chimes with an incoming text. Checking it, she types a message quickly. “Is everything okay?” Patrick asks.
Lena nods, “It’s Brianna, she wanted to let me know Andrew is having fun playing with your dad.” Turning the phone, she shows us a picture of Quinn and Andrew rolling around on the floor.
“Wow, he is getting big,” I coo.
“He’s four months old and growing like a weed,” Lean gushes.
A flight attendant joins us as the plane moves, “Please fasten your seat belts. Once the captain has turned off the fasten seat belt sign I will be happy to bring drinks. What can I bring you?”
“Whiskey,” I blurt out.
“Shauna, it is ten in the morning,” Lena scolds me.
“It will chase away the nerves,” I answer.
“Whatever, I’ll take water please,” Lena says.
“A coffee please,” Patrick answers.
The flight attendant scurries to her seat as the plane picks up speed and lifts into the air. The captain turns off the seat belt sign, the flight attendant brings our drinks. I pull my laptop from my bag and Patrick does the same. I open Python and try to work on a new Kinsman app, but no matter how hard I try I can’t stay focused on my work. I keep running through everything I want to say to Maks, but I can’t help but think this will back fire.
***
“Can we go to the hotel first?” I ask Patrick as the plane lands in Philadelphia.
“Sure, we can get unpacked and change for the ceremony,” Patrick answers.
Exiting the plane, we quickly move through the cold January air and into a waiting limo. As we are escorted to the hotel, Patrick and Lena talk quietly while the jitters take over my mind and body. I try to remind myself everything will be okay, Maks wants me. He wants us. Looking out the window, I see nothing but trees. “Um, what hotel are we staying at?”
“Yeah about that, we aren’t staying at a hotel; we are staying at Maks parents’ house,” Patrick informs me.
“What?!”
“Alla invited us to stay with her,” Lena answers.
“And what if Maks changed his mind and doesn’t want me anymore? Then where will I stay?”
“You need to stop thinking like that. Maks wants you, do you think he would be crazy enough to plead his case to me but also your father and uncle too if he didn’t want you?” Patrick points out. “Maks is crazy about you stop worrying about it.”
“You’re right,” I say with a sigh.
“Good, now get excited to see your man again,” Lena tells me as we pull into the driveway of the massive mansion.
As the limo comes to a stop, I see Maks exit the main doors looking worried and nervous. Throwing the limo door open I leap from the limo and run to Maks slamming into his chest. He stiffens then takes a step back looking me up and down. “You came,” he says surprised.
“I did.”
Wrapping his muscular arms around my waist pulling me tight to his chest and kisses me with all the love and passion he has for me.
“You don’t know how happy you’ve made me,” Maks says kissing me senseless.
We break apart when someone clears their throat. Turning I see Alla. I let go of Maks and hug her tight, “Alla it is good to see you again.”
“It is good to see you too, Shauna.”
Maks pulls me from Alla’s arms and back to his side. “Let me show you your room so you can freshen up before the ceremony begins,” Maks addresses Patrick and Lena.
“Thank you,” Lena says as we all follow Maks and Alla inside.
Walking upstairs Maks leads Patrick and Lena through double doors to a large master bedroom. “Will this be okay for you?”
“This is perfect. Thank you Maks,” Patrick says as Lena walks to their suitcases unzipping them.
“If you need anything, please let me know,” Maks says pulling me down the hall. Opening the door saying, “This is our room.”
“I thought your parents were traditional.”
“They are, but this is no longer their house. As a new Pakhan this is my home, our home.”
“What about your condo in the city?”
“My mother will move into it. She wants to live closer to my sisters and her grandchild.”
“It’s kind of big for the two of us.”
“Do not worry; we will fill it with children quickly.”
“You think so,” I say with a laugh.
“I do. Now we need to shower and get ready for the ceremony.”
***
Maks and I walk arm and arm down the staircase walking across the house to a large ballroom. An older man announces us to a room full of round tables surrounded by people in chairs. Everyone turns in their chairs to watch as Maks, and I make our way from the back of the room to a large stage at the front of the room. Once on the stage we are greeted by a priest from the Russian Orthodox Church.
The priest begins with a prayer, blessing Maks and asking for his safety and to provide him with guidance. The priest asks, “Do you swear to look after and care for the men, wives, and children under your care.”
“I do,” Maks answers.
“Do you swear to uphold the values and traditions of the Vory with your life if needed?”
“I do,” Maks answer.
The priest says another prayer blessing Maks as the new leader of the Vory. Turning to face the audience he announces, “I am happy to introduce the new leader of the Vory, Maks Gennadi Volkov.” The people filling the ballroom all clap and cheer.
Following the priest off the stage Maks holds me tight as we mingle with the members of the Vory and The Family. Maks expects their congratulations and introducing me as his fiancée to the members of the Vory I do not know. An hour later everyone is asked
to take their seats in the dining room.
Dinner takes several hours and is full of more delicious food than I can eat and is accompanied by toasts welcoming Maks and to his good health.
After all, the food is consumed, and everyone has toasted Maks a band takes the stage. Maks leads me to the middle of the dance floor leading me in the first dance of the night. “Thank you for giving me a third chance,” Maks tells me.
“I love you Maks and can’t see my life without you.”
“I feel the same way. I was proud to have you by my side tonight, and I can’t wait to call you my wife,” Mask tells me pressing a soft kiss to my lips.
Epilogue
Four Months Later
Patrick
“Hello?” Erin Jefferies answers the phone.
“Erin, it’s Patrick Love.”
“Hey, Patrick how’s it going?”
“Not good, I need you to come to D.C. now,” I say hearing the panic in my voice.
“Patrick, what’s wrong? Did something happen to my mom?”
“No, your mother is fine. But they took them.”
“Who? Who was taken?”
“Rylie and Shauna, they were taken by a cartel, I should know which one by time you get here. I’m sending my plane to pick you up in Loveland; it will be there in four hours.”
“Shit, I’m going to call Fi-Fi and tell her to catch the first flight to D.C, we’re going to need her help too.”
“Okay, please hurry,” I plead.
“I’m coming,” Erin says ending the call.
Glossary
Krasotka --- Gorgeous
Pchelka --- Little Bee
Zhizn Moya --- My Life
Tetya –-- Aunt
YA lyublyu Tebya –-- l love you
Note from the author
Don’t hate me for ending the book the way I did. I know it’s not the way I typically do things, but I promise it will be worth it. Book four of the Secret and Lies Series, Family Secret will be worth the torcher of waiting for the next book.
For my Russian friends, please forgive me if I messed up the Russian language and customs. I used several different translations sites and spent months researching Russian customs to make sure everything in the book was correct. But no matter how much research, you can always miss something. So thank you for your patience with me.
I need to thank my family for their love and support. Especially my Dad, who helped with the programing and computer language. I also want to thank my editor Michelle Morrow for her support and loving the characters and story as much as I do. I would also like to thank my beta readers Cheryl and Christina. And last but never least, to my readers. You are the best and are why I keep writing. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and I hope you enjoyed, Secret Remorse.
Other Titles By
T.N. Lowe
A Secret To Kill For- Secret and Lies Book 1
Secret Revenge- Secret and Lies Book 2
Secret Remorse- Secret and Lies Book 3
Coming Soon
Family Secret- Secret and Les Book 4
Burning Infatuation An Infatuation Stand Alone
About the Author
T.N. Lowe currently resides in Texas with her husband of twelve years and their two dogs. She grew up traveling the world and lived in the Netherlands, Italy, Missouri, Wyoming and Colorado.
T.N Lowe used to write short stories while in school but chose to pursue a career in health care. After receiving her degree and working in her chosen field, her life still felt unfulfilled. Returning to her passion, TN Lowe self-published her first novel Saving Ginny in February 2018 followed by A Secret To Kill For, Secret and Lies Book 1 in August 2018.
