The Havoc We Wreak - Becca Steele Page 0,72

to tell you that.” Allan shook his head slowly, his expression exhausted.

Taking a deep breath, I decided to take a gamble. “Does this have anything to do with your family connections?”

“What?” His shocked intake of breath told me everything I needed to know.

Mentally crossing my fingers, I continued. “I know. I know about my mother, about your Strelichevo connection.”

He swayed in his chair a little, his face going from white to a deathly grey. For the first time, I was truly worried for his health.

Caiden must’ve been thinking along the same lines because he rushed over and placed his hand on Allan’s back. “Bend down. Head between your knees,” he instructed.

Allan obeyed without protest, holding the position for what felt like an eternity before he finally lifted his head. “I’m okay, now,” he croaked. “I suppose I may as well fill in the rest of the details, since you seem to know so much already.”

Finally. We were about to get some answers.

“I suppose I’d better start at the beginning…”

Caiden pulled up a chair next to me and reached out for my hand, threading his fingers through mine. Zayde rested his hand on the back of my chair as he came to stand behind us, his other hand on Caiden’s shoulder, offering silent support.

Allan started his story, his words slow and halting, and the puzzle pieces began to click into place.

“I was born in a small village in Belarus. Mikhail Strelichevo’s mother was my sister. Your grandmother was my best friend.” He swallowed hard. “Not only my best friend, but the girl I’d fallen in love with. Unfortunately for me, my love was unrequited.”

“My grandmother? I never knew anything about my grandparents,” I said quietly.

“Yes. Her mother was English, and when we were both teenagers, she persuaded her family to move to England.” He sighed, his eyes glazed as he recalled the details. “She was never happy in our village. It was only a matter of time. Anyway, we stayed in touch throughout the years, and we grew up. Your grandmother fell in love with an English boy, and I finally accepted the inevitable, that she’d only ever seen me as a friend.

“Your mother was born, and your grandmother asked if I would be her godfather. Of course, I accepted. It was an honorary title, more than anything, as we were in different countries. She would send me letters, with updates, and through her letters I began to fall in love with the idea of England myself.”

Clearing his throat, he rubbed a hand over his face, lost in his memories. “My sister married into the Strelichevo family, Mikhail was born, and with that, things changed. You have to understand, they are a very powerful family. Not only in Belarus, but here, too. They have connections across Europe, and beyond. I knew I had to get out, before I became too entrenched in their criminal lifestyle.”

“That didn’t work out for you very well, did it?” I murmured.

He shook his head. “With the fall of the Soviet Union, I decided to take my chance and left the country. I went to Mikhail’s father and made my case, and thankfully he was supportive of my decision. Unusual, perhaps, but he loved my sister very much, and she had a hand in persuading him. He falsified documents for me, allowing me to travel unchallenged. Upon my arrival in England, your grandparents found me a place to stay. I owed everything to them.”

I felt Caiden’s grip on mine tighten, and I stroked my thumb over his hand, a silent support. Not having known anything about my grandparents and having been estranged from my mother, I felt detached from the whole story he was telling us. Cade, though? Allan had been someone he lived with. Someone he trusted.

“I worked odd jobs here and there, constantly striving to improve my English, losing my accent. I ended up in the service industry and eventually fell into Mr. Cavendish’s employment.”

“How could you betray us?” Caiden’s hoarse voice, full of pain, sliced straight through me, and I leaned into him, trying to provide whatever comfort I could.

Allan turned his eyes to meet Caiden’s. “I never meant for it to go so far. By the time I realised what was happening, it was too late. I was…blinded to Christine’s true nature. Blinded by my loyalty to her mother. I was in too deep, and there was no way out.”

“You could have told my dad! He would have helped you.”

He shook his head.