âYour brother is dead.â
The locker room noise faded away to nothing as he tried to understand the words. His father might as well have been speaking French for all they made sense. Alexei couldn't be dead; that didn't make sense. He had seen his brother walk off a beating, walk off a drug overdose, walk off every bullshit situation he had gotten himself into. Alexei was going to live until he was one hundred and he was going to bleed Ilya dry the whole time. He couldn't be dead. Fuck.
Ilya shook his head. âSay that again.â
âAlexei is dead. So is his wife.â
âAnna? My niece? Is she dead too?â
âShe was not in the car.â
Without thinking about it, he grabbed Coach LeClaireâs shoulder. âAlexei and Maria are dead?â
âI have already told you this. Will you listen? They are dead. You must come home.â
âIâll be on the next flight,â he said.
âGood. And, Ilya?â The only noise for a long moment was Grigoriâs slightly ragged breathing. âYou are listed as your nieceâs guardian in Alexeiâs will. She is your responsibility now.â
Grigori hung up before Ilya could even think of a reply.
https://archiveofourown.org/works/84275766/chapters/222265371




















