-Unknown
We’ve been here for months now, and when Viktor comes down the beach to find us, it’s the first time his expression makes me uneasy inside. With him it could be absolutely anything. My first thoughts go directly to Sabrina and Tate; they’re my two priorities and the people I care about the most.
I had just finished swimming and gotten out of the lake, so I dry myself off quickly while he heads to Elaina. I call out in greeting, “Viktor!”
He nods, kissing Elaina as they gather up the wedding books and extra towel.
“Niko, I need to speak to you after you’ve gotten changed.”
“You got it,” I reply and he shoots me a look over Elaina and Sabrina’s heads, that has my interest piqued. Clearly something’s up, and if it were Tate I wouldn’t even wait to change my clothes. Viktor’s much more formal, however, and likes to schedule meetings for practically everything.
I head back to the loft alone, get showered and changed, then meet everyone back up at Viktor’s cabin.
The girls decide to prepare lunch, so while Bina’s pre-occupied with Elaina, I follow Viktor and Alexei into the living area.
We all sit on his comfortable couches and the anticipation builds. I know if it had anything to do with Tate I would have gotten a phone call immediately, so this tells me that whatever Viktor has to say, it’s probably about Sabrina’s family.
He sits forward, fiddling with one of his cufflinks. He’s a very commanding man, always sure of himself and has extremely high expectations of his men. I hold a great deal of respect for him, taking control of the Bratva and getting out of the sex trade that his uncle was into knee-deep.
When he stares at his cuff link for a few more beats, I get restless and clear my throat. His gaze meets mine and instead of the friendliness I’m used to, I see pity.
“You wanted to speak, Viktor?”
Alexei sits back, running his hands over his face as Viktor takes a deep breath and nods. He glances towards the kitchen, but Sabrina and Elaina can’t hear us.
“Yes. Christ, this is hard. I found out some information that you need to hear. There are rumors floating around that someone is looking for Sabrina.”
“Yes, but that is what I am for. I will protect her from such rumors.”
“Right, look brat,” he glances away and my hackles rise when he calls me ‘brother.’ He has never called me that before. We aren’t that close; I’m only close to his real brother. “This person is supposed to be her husband.” He finishes quietly and I swallow down the sudden rush of feelings making me want to vomit.
“Nyet, Viktor. I know Bina, I would know if she had gotten married, if she has this husband. I have known her nearly as long as Tatkiv,” I grumble, using Tate’s full name, the seriousness of the situation coming out to play.
“Look, Niko, I’m just passing on the information I was given. I hope you’re right about her. Because
if
she’s really someone else’s wife, then we can’t keep her from him. You know how this works; her father wouldn’t be allowed to trade her, only her husband.”
“There is no husband!” I end on a growl, my anger flaring inside.
Viktor nods quietly and Alexei doesn’t meet my gaze. I don’t care, there’s no way what they say is true. I know Sabrina; we’ve lived together for months now. I would know if there was a fucking husband.
We’re interrupted by Elaina’s smiling face, “Hey guys, lunch is done, come eat.” The smile falls as she takes stock in our expressions. “Vik? Everything okay?”
“Yes, Printyessa, relax. Let’s eat my love.” He stands, going to her and taking her hand. She leads him away as Alexei stands.
“I mean it Lexi, there is no husband.”
He shrugs, his eyes shining with empathy. “None of my business.”
I stay silent, huffing out a sigh and head into the kitchen myself with him trailing.
I’ll figure this nonsense out. I’ll have to confront Sabrina myself. I hate to get her upset with this news, but she deserves to know what’s being said. Fucking wannabe Russian Bosses, can’t keep their damn mouths closed when something doesn’t go their way. I may be Russian and proud, but that’s one thing I don’t do. I restrain myself from killing everyone that pisses me off or try to ruin their happiness.
Sabrina’s tender gaze meets mine as we all sit and eat a nice lunch. She watches me closely as I eat slowly, her expression curious. Food doesn’t last around me; I scarf it down as soon as the plate hits the table like any good soldier is taught to do early on.
Not now.
I can’t stop the thoughts crawling over my skin, attacking my mind with questions from every direction. Who would say this about her? I can’t imagine her father having the guts to make such accusations if they were false. He knows I would kill him for that sort of thing; he’s been privy to my feelings for Sabrina for years now.
I need to keep my faith in her; we’ve known each other too long for me to doubt that she would leave out something that’s so vital to our arrangement. I’ll ask her about it all later, acting like it’s an absurd joke, to see what she thinks of this. I cannot afford the consequences of offending Bina, my affections run too deeply for her and I couldn’t stand to have her upset. Not only am I in love with her, but she’s a close friend to me and I’ll hurt whoever is tainting her name.
With that decision, I reach over, giving Sabrina’s dainty hand a light reassuring squeeze. The touch warms me and I finish my food, my appetite rejuvenated with the sweet promise of what’s to come.
that evening…
“Sabrina…Come here, I must speak with you,” I order.
She’s been upstairs most of the day on her laptop ordering things she and Elaina picked out for the wedding. Everything’s in Elaina’s name, of course, so there’s no trail of Bina left anywhere.
She descends, paying attention to the steps in front of her, “Da, Blondie?” Her mouth turns up at her nickname for me.
As she gets closer, the pitter patter in my chest makes me grit my teeth. She’s so goddamn stunning, I want to pull her to me, demanding she tell me the truth, and then make tender love to her after she laughs about how silly these rumors are.
“Let’s sit.”
We take a seat and I grab her hand, entwining our fingers, flashing a smile so she doesn’t think I’m too upset about any of this. In reality, it’s driving me absolutely crazy, clawing at me inside that she’s going to tell me that it’s actually true.
“I’m going to be frank with you; please do not get upset. I know this is stupid, but I need to hear the words come from your mouth.”
“What’s going on, Nikoli? You’re kind of scaring me.”
“No, no, don’t be scared; it is fine, I promise you.”
Sabrina nods and swallows nervously, giving me her complete attention.
“I was informed that someone is going around saying that you’re married. I told them that it was nonsense.”
Her gaze hits the floor and she scoots back more into the corner of the couch, dropping my hand. She may as well have just hit me with a ton of bricks, as it would probably have felt the same. I don’t know what’s going through her mind, but I wasn’t expecting silence to be her response. She’s always been fairly outspoken with me, quick to tell me her thoughts on things.
“I apologize, I know it’s dumb of me to even mention it, but I promise I will find out who would say such false things about you.”
Her head lifts as a tear escapes, leaving a sad trail down her cheek. Instantly my fists clench and my body grows taut as my mind explodes with the new possibilities floating around. It can’t be fucking true. I can’t have already lost her when I don’t even have her yet. What am I going to do? I don’t want to give her back; I don’t want her to be
married
.
My heart will be broken forever. I’ve denied my affections for her for so long, but inside I know my feelings for her. If she has devoted herself to another man, I don’t know if I will ever be able to move past her. I don’t know if I can possibly forgive her for this and that’s one of the most painful things. I don’t want to hate her…I love her too much.
Choking down the urge to blow up and break every piece of furniture in sight, and then this husband’s face afterward, I breathe deeply, and turn to her. “Please speak to me…You-you need to be honest. I will not hurt you, Bina, ever.”
“I know that, Nikoli.” Her lip trembles slightly. After a moment she runs her hands over her face and groans.
“Bina?” I try to speak further, but my chest aches and it comes out more like a gasp. It feels as if someone has reached in, gripping my heart in a death grip and is holding it, waiting for the words to spill from her rosy lips, so it can squeeze and finish off the job. My hand shoots to my heart, as I take another deep breath. I gaze over the floor, noticing each little spec of dirt that was missed when she quickly vacuumed over it yesterday.
I can’t believe this. How could she do this?
Fuck it hurts.
This is all my fault. I left her alone with those people. They were supposed to be her family, and I was always nearby if she ever needed me. I can’t believe Sabrina never told me; she could have called. I would have come for her.
Did they keep her from contacting me? Was this forced on her? She’s not with him now; perhaps she was unhappy. But I can’t keep her if she belongs to another man. How did we not hear of this? It must have been forced…It had to be. I know her father would have made a huge spectacle if she was marrying someone with influence; so this was one of his fucking dirty, scheming deeds.
I never should have let this happen.
Sabrina breaks through my silent self-destruction. “No, no, no… Nikoli. It’s not like that. I promise you, okay?”
Blinking the red haze away, I eventually turn to her; she scoots close to me, her shoulder touching my arm, as she adjusts so her thigh presses against mine. My body flares with awareness; it’s like she calls to it and even heartbroken it awaits for her next order.
“Nikoli, I’m not married.”
My fists unclench as I register her amazing words. My gaze trailing over each tan freckle on her face as I inspect for any possibility that she could be lying to me. She hasn’t in the past that I know of, but growing up dealing with shady people has made me wary of everyone.
“Huh?” I manage to croak out.
“I said,” she speaks louder, “I’m not married. Let me explain everything to you though.”
My eyebrow raises, intrigued and impatient for this ‘story.’ “What is there to explain if you’re not really married?”
“Well, my father had arranged a marriage for me. He ended up giving me to Viktor before it ever happened though, thankfully.” She says it so matter of a fact, like I shouldn’t be upset in the slightest. I understand in our ways it’s normal to be married off, but I know inside that she’s always been mine.
“He’s fish bait,” I growl and Sabrina’s eyes widen. Her hand instantly clutches onto mine and I find myself breathing deeply for an entirely different reason.
“You can’t.”
“You know what I do, Bina. You’re one of the few who know what type of man I am and the life I lead.”
“I would never change any of it either, but please. That family is so dangerous; let them go after my father if they choose. I just want to stay out of it, and I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you.”
Leaning in, my nose nearly touches hers as I whisper, “I’m dangerous also.”
She draws in a breath, her mouth closing quickly as her gaze shoots to my mouth. Licking my lips, I edge a few inches closer. “I won’t let them touch you.” I promise as my own eyes seek out her lips.
I want a little taste. Just one will hold me over. I need reassured that she really can be mine someday.
Her other hand finds my cheek and just when I think she’s going to lean in the few inches to meet my lips, she stands.
“Oh I know, Blondie, and that’s just one of the reasons why I’m so thankful to have your friendship. Now, I need to start on dinner,” she finishes with a soft smile. Her hand releases mine and the other falls from my cheek as she makes her way into the kitchen.
Jumping up, I follow her, resting my hand on the small of her back once I’m close enough. She’s so short that every time I’m in her space like this I feel as if I’m an ogre, dwarfing her elf-like stature.
“We need to discuss this more. Tell me his name.”
“Geez, Nikoli, just let it go, da?”
“Nyet. You tell me his name.”
“They will kill you, damn it!”
“Not if I kill them first,” I finish in a huff, and she shakes her head, exasperated. She knows I won’t stop until I get what I want. It’s part of the reason why I’m so good at my job.
She rushes to the refrigerator removing ingredients for what looks like a chicken casserole. Sabrina’s taken the liberties of making grocery lists with my favorite foods on them. I don’t know if she realizes I’ve picked up on it over the past few months. She’s always doing sweet little things like that for me though.
After a few moments of her cooking and silently stewing, she finally stops, facing me again. “His name is Kolya from the Minski family.”
“The Minskis? Are you certain? What the hell would your father want with their family? What was he gaining?”
I know exactly who she’s talking about. They had attempted to hire me many years back, but Tate warned them that I’m not out for hired contracts. I only work for Tate. I would help Viktor if he needed it also, only because he’s Tate’s brother; otherwise, I don’t risk an individual commissioned hit.
The Minskis have money, but as far as I know they aren’t involved in the sex trade. In Russia you don’t usually marry off your daughters unless it benefits you somehow. Maybe Bina’s father is getting low on cash?
“Yes, I met him. I had to have dinner with his family. Well, my family and his family had dinner together anyway.”
“Did you go out together alone?”
“Not publicly. We only went for a walk after the dinner through their garden. My father insisted that Kolya get some time alone with me to make sure he would want me. I mostly just listened to him talk about himself, and then when we returned, he shook hands with my father and told him that they had a deal.”