12. Chapter Twelve
Chapter Twelve
Inessa
I stumble backward and fall down, tripping on my dress.
“Inessa,” Mrs. Green gasps as she rushes over to my side. Natasha uses that to her advantage to stand over me.
“You thought you could marry him?” she hisses.
Mrs. Green helps me stand up. “You need to leave,” she says. “You are not welcome here. Not after what you did to Inessa.”
I told Mrs. Green about Natasha’s involvement in my kidnapping when I was healing in bed. She was rightfully horrified and only slightly judged me for being the reason Natasha went off the rails.
“What I did? I was doing the only sane thing a woman would do when another woman is encroaching on her man.”
“How did you find out?” I ask. “About me and Viktor. It just happened.”
She shrugs. “I have people watching you. When you came into this place, I knew. I knew Viktor had proposed to you. I knew it was you and not this wretched old hag.”
Mrs. Green gasps. “No need to be rude.”
Natasha ignores her to point her finger in my face. “You’re not going to win this round. You’re not going to marry him.”
“Or you’ll hurt me again?”
“Exactly. I have men watching you. They will attack at my command. So, if you don’t want that happening, then I suggest you don’t marry Viktor.”
I swallow hard. I can’t tell if Natasha is telling the truth or not. She’s lied so much. But she did successfully kidnap me so anything is possible with her.
“Viktor will protect me,” I say with more confidence than I feel.
“I will hurt you again.”
Mrs. Green steps in front of me, forcing Natasha back. “Enough. You have hurt this girl too many times now. Mr. Smirnov chose her, not you. He doesn’t want to marry you. Accept that. And even if he decided not to marry Inessa, he still wouldn’t marry you. Why in the world would you think he would marry a woman who kidnapped another woman and beat her almost to death?”
“You don’t get to talk to me this way. I am Natasha Morozov. I have more money than you women will see in your lifetime.”
“Viktor has more money than you,” I say. “And I’ll be married to him. So that will make me richer than you.”
Natasha’s smile turns colder. “You are making a mistake, little maid. You will regret this.”
“Try to hurt us,” Mrs. Green says. “But you are in a room full of people. If you try anything, we can have you arrested. It doesn’t matter how much money you have. You have lost. Now go.”
With a huff, Natasha leaves the boutique.
I slump into the nearest chair and hang my head low. “She’ll never leave me alone.”
“It’s ok. She’s gone now.”
“Viktor was going to kill her,” I admit to Mrs. Green in a low voice. Her eyes widen. “Because of what she did, he was going to kill her and I stopped him from doing it. I didn’t think more murder would be the right thing to do. But I thought after all that had happened, Natasha would leave me alone. She’s hell bent on making my life miserable forever.”
“You did the right thing in stopping Mr. Smirnov from…” She can’t even say the words. “I know he’s a part of some dark things. But that doesn’t mean I want those dark things coming home with us. Murder is never the answer. You were right about that. Once you’re married to Mr. Smirnov, Miss Morozov will go away. I’m sure of it. She only thinks she can hurt you now because you don’t have as much power as she does. That will change when you’re married.”
“Why are you being so nice to me right now? You don’t exactly like me, Mrs. Green.”
“I do like you, child. I don’t approve of your relationship with Mr. Smirnov but he is doing the right thing in marrying you, so I can’t complain too much. And I saw how much pain you were in for the past couple of weeks after what Miss Morozov did to you. I care for you, Inessa. I do.”
I pull her into a hug, even though it startles her. After a beat, she hugs me back. “I don’t have a mother any longer, so it’s nice to have someone looking out for me.”
“Oh, child. I am looking out for you. Now.” She pulls back from the hug. “I love this dress on you. I think it’s the one. Let’s return home. It will be safer there.”
I can’t argue with her on that.
I tell Mrs. Green on the way home to not tell Viktor about Natasha. If he knew she threatened me again, he would definitely go kill her.
And while her death would solve a lot of my problems, it’s not the answer.
Mrs. Green agrees to stay silent on it, even though I can tell it bothers her.
When we get back home, I’m shocked to see Finn in the foyer, staring at a painting on the wall.
“Ah, Inessa. Just heard the good news about you and Vik.” His eyes lazily turn to Mrs. Green. “Give us a moment alone.” It’s not a question. It’s an order.
Mrs. Green hurries away. So much for protecting me.
“Is Viktor home?” I ask.
“I just talked to him. I was on my way out when I realized I hadn’t had the chance to wish you congratulations. I wanted to do that before I left.”
“Ok. You’ve done it. Now you can go.” Finn frightens me like no one else does. He killed Elena’s father. He helped kidnap Nadia. He works as a hitman. If there’s anyone to fear, it’s him.
Finn’s dark smile encroaches on his face as he gets closer to me. I try backing up but when I bump into the wall, I realize there’s nowhere else for me to go.
“You know, I was thinking of why you looked so familiar to me.”
“We met at Viktor’s club.”
“I know we did. But even then you looked familiar.”
My heart begins to beat fast and sweat forms on my body. My limbs tense and my throat chokes up. If Finn knows who I am, then I’m screwed.
“Can’t help you there,” I say, trying to get past him but he blocks my path.
“I figured it out, you know.”
“What?”
“It was a year ago. At a hotel. I went there to… well, let’s just say have some fun.”
Kidnap Elena, he means.
“I remember seeing you there. You were leaving as I was entering. Our eyes met for just a moment. I’ll be honest. I thought you were pretty. A pretty face always sticks in my mind.”
I avert my gaze. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“But see… the interesting thing is that at that hotel, there was a birthday party happening.”
Elena’s nineteenth birthday party.
“A birthday party for a woman who belongs to the Bratva. Why would a little maid like you be at a party like that?”
“You have me mistaken. Besides, it sounds like it was at a hotel. A lot of people visit hotels from all different walks of life.”
“True. But something in my gut tells me that you were at that party. Who are you, Inessa?”
I force myself to look him right in the eye. “I am just a maid who happened to fall in love with her boss and now I’m marrying him. You are wrong in your memory. My father kept me away from parties and things like that. I was never at a hotel last year.”
He leans in closer to me. “I remember seeing you. I know I’m right.”
“I will scream for Viktor to come to me if you don’t back up.”
He smirks and slowly takes a step away from me. “Have a nice day, Inessa.” With a wink, he leaves the house.
Feeling shaky, I slump to the ground. Oh no. Finn recognized me from last year. It’s sort of impressive since we never spoke. We only happened to look at each other for a second and then I left. The only reason I know him is because of what he did to Elena.
I’m desperate to go to Elena for advice but I can’t risk Viktor or one of his guards following me to her apartment and putting two and two together.
Viktor finds me like this on the floor. “Inessa?” He rushes to my side. “Are you all right? Hurt?”
He helps me stand back up. “No. Just feeling… lightheaded for some reason. I think I need food.”
“Then let’s get you food. How was wedding dress shopping today?”
“I found a dress.” I don’t mention Natasha or what just happened with Finn. If Viktor questions me about Finn, then I might crack and spill all of my secrets.
Mrs. Green is in the kitchen, preparing lunch.
“Inessa needs food right now. She’s feeling lightheaded.”
“Of course.” She quickly assembles a sandwich for me.
“Thank you,” I whisper then take a bite. The food doesn’t help me at all. My stomach is too anxious to actually eat but I force the sandwich down.
“You’re all right now,” Viktor says. “You’re all right.”
I give him a smile because that’s what he needs from me. But inside, I’m a mess and I’m not sure I see a way out of it.
Viktor
Finn struts into my home office like he belongs to the fucking place. He doesn’t.
“I did what you asked,” he says, plopping into the chair across from me. “Me and a few of your guys stole Dante’s incoming drug shipment. Now we just have to sell it.”
“Good. Thank you. You know, I don’t like you, Finn, but I can’t deny that you do good work.”
“I aim to please.” He sits there, tapping his fingers together, and looking at me expectantly.
“What?” I snap.
“There was just something I wanted to tell you. Something I realized that I figured you would find interesting.”
“What? I have work to do. I don’t have time for mind games.”
He leans forward. “Inessa is lying.”
My heart constricts for a second. “What? What are you talking about?”
“I remembered where I recognized her from. Elena’s birthday party last year.”
“Don’t talk about Elena,” I growl. “Not after what you did to her.”
He waves a dismissive hand. “So I killed her dad. She can get over it.”
“You’re such a fucking asshole,” I growl.
“Don’t you want to hear what I have to say? It involves your precious Inessa. I saw her leaving the hotel that day. I know it was her. She was there, Viktor, at a Bratva daughter’s birthday party. Why would a maid be there at such a thing like that?”
“You saw her at the party? Or just leaving the hotel.”
Finn hesitates, then says, “Leaving the hotel.”
“So, you didn’t actually see her at the party?”
“No,” he admits.
“Well, she could have been at the hotel for a number of reasons. Not everyone who was at that hotel that night worked for the Bratva.”
“True. I just find that strange, don’t you? I see her leave the hotel the night of Elena’s birthday party. Now, she’s your maid, working for a man who works for the Bratva. Isn’t that suspicious?”
“Or pure coincidence. Finn, I have work to attend to. I don’t have time for your tin-foil hat theories.”
“It’s not a theory. I think the girl is lying about something. You’re just too caught up in how much you like her to see the truth.”
I lean back in my seat with a sigh. “And what is that truth, exactly?”
“That Inessa may have connections to the Bratva and she’s been lying about it.”
I wait for him to say more and when he doesn’t, a laugh bubbles out of me. “You’re joking.”
“Do I look like I’m joking?”
“Finn, you can’t be serious. All of this just because you happened to see her at a motel a year ago? On the same day you were there? You could be mixing your days up. You could be mistaking Inessa for some other woman. It was a year ago and you didn’t even talk to her. You only saw her in passing. I’m sorry if I don’t trust your memory but I don’t trust your memory. Inessa has given me no reason to doubt her. I am going to marry her. End of discussion.”
“Fine. You marry her. But I’m going to do some digging and I’m shocked you’re not doing the same. This is the woman you will be marrying. The one who’s going to get all of your assets when you die. And you’re not going to dig into her past to make sure she is who she says she is?”
I stare at Finn for a long moment. He is someone who is not afraid to voice his opinions nor is he someone who trusts easily. I don’t trust either.
But I know Inessa is who she says she is.
“Finn, I did do some digging into Inessa. When I first hired her.”
“And?”
“And I didn’t find anything.”
“You mean you didn’t find anything suspicious or you didn’t find anything at all?”
I sigh. “I didn’t find anything at all,” I admit. “I couldn’t find any records on her. But that doesn’t mean anything. Not everyone has a record like we do. She does a good job and I’ve seen the way she behaves. I’ve known her for two months now. She’s been living in my house. I know who she is, Finn. I can tell she has a good heart. She might be using a different last name but I don’t care. She was a woman in need of a job and I gave it to her. She’s done a good job here. And now we’re getting married. She’s not going to fuck me over. I truly believe that.”
He scoffs and stands up, kicking the chair away. “You’re not a na?ve fool, Viktor. So why are you acting like one right now?”
“What is one girl going to do to me? Huh? If she was part of some criminal organization, they would have hit my house already. And you didn’t see Inessa when she was lying beaten and bloody on the ground after having been kidnapped. If you had, you would have no reason to distrust her. She is an innocent woman. I can tell. And if you’re going to do this, then we can’t work together any longer.”
“Seriously? You’re going to be just like my brother and choose some girl over me?”
“We’re just business partners, Finn. We both want the same thing. To end Erik and Dante. That doesn’t make us friends. Now, I forbid you to go digging into Inessa.”
“Why? Worried I’ll find something you don’t like?”
I level a glare at him. “No. Because I care for Inessa and I’m not going to invade her privacy like that. I have honor. I always have. And I respect Inessa too much to violate her privacy like that. If she has secrets in her closet, then so be it. But if she does have any, I cannot imagine they are bad. Not enough to make me see her differently. I know in my gut I can trust her.”
“I think it’s your cock that trusts her. Not your gut.”
I rush over to him and shove him against the wall. “You will stop, Finn. I am going to marry Inessa and if it fucks me over, then so be it. I truly do not believe it will. You have one foggy memory of seeing her at the same motel on the day of Elena’s birthday party. Did you see her at the party itself?”
He scowls. “No.”
“Exactly. So you don’t know. Do not throw accusations at her without proof. And if I wanted to dig harder into her past, I could. But I don’t want to because I respect Inessa too much to do that. Now, I care for her and I’m going to marry her and that is the end of this discussion.”
I let him go.
“Now leave,” I growl.
Finn rightens his jacket as he mutters under his breath. “I think you’re going to regret this, Viktor.”
“Just go.”
He finally fucking leaves and I can get back to my work. But the second I try to focus, my mind is clouded with thoughts of Inessa.
What if Finn is right? What if, by some chance, Inessa is part of the Bratva?
What would that achieve? Is she trying to marry me, a successful Bratva man, for status? But then why not be transparent about it?
I’ve been looking to make connections. If she’s a Bratva daughter, then making an alliance with her family could be a good thing.
That leads me to believe she’s not. Her father lives in a fucking motel for god’s sake. One that she pays for.
And she looked surprised when she found out about what I do for a living. I just don’t believe she’s part of the Bratva. I would have heard about her. Wouldn’t I?
Unable to push Finn’s words from my mind, I go see her.
She’s napping in her room, looking so peaceful and beautiful, I would hate to interrupt that.
I sit down beside her. Her face is filled with innocence. There is no way this woman is playing me for a fool. I just don’t believe it.
I run my fingers down the side of her face, which makes her stir and wake up.
“Viktor?” She blinks up at me.
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
I can’t help myself as I lean down and kiss her. God, I want her so fucking badly. Over the past few weeks, we’ve barely touched as I wanted her to focus on getting better. I didn’t want her to think I wanted her for only one thing when that’s not true. I care for Inessa because she has a kind heart. Yes, she’s a beautiful woman and her petite nature makes me want to protect her. And yes, I want to claim her body and make her mine.
But it’s more than that. I know in my entire being that it’s more than that.
That doesn’t mean I want to stop kissing her right now.
I roll her onto her back and deepen the kiss. Inessa sighs into my mouth. Her hands find my shoulders and she draws me in closer.
I wrap my arms around her, bringing us chest to chest. God, she feels so good in my arms. No woman has ever felt this good before. I’ve had my fair share of one night stands in the past. Even a couple of relationships in my twenties that went sour when I refused to marry them because I was more focused on my work and taking care of my sister.
But Julia is an adult now. It’s time I focus on what I want in life instead of trying to care for everyone else.
Inessa’s legs open to either side of my hips. I press my body between her thighs. Inessa gasps and clutches me tighter.
I could fuck her right now and it would be the best thing I’ve ever experienced.
But…
I pull back from her. “We should stop. I might just take you right now and I don’t want to.”
“Why?”
“For one, you’re still healing. And two, call it old fashioned, but I want to take your virginity on our wedding night. That’s custom within the Bratva. I want to honor that tradition.”
“Ok,” she whispers. “I’m fine with that. I like that you’re trying to respect me.”
“God, you make it hard.” I nip at her lips. “Trust me. If I didn’t give a fuck about tradition, I’d make you mine right now.”
Her swallow is visible. “You make me feel things I’ve never felt before.”
I cup her face. “You are so beautiful. What are you doing to me? No one has ever made me feel this crazy.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry.” I give her another kiss before I pull away. “There is something I wanted to talk with you about though. Just one thing before we get married and I’ll never ask again.”
“What?”
“Are you being one hundred percent honest with me?”
She frowns and sits up, clutching the pillow to her chest. “What do you mean?”
“Finn has this theory that you’re secretly a Bratva daughter but I think it’s bullshit.”
“Why would he say that?”
“He thinks you’re trying to play me.”
“Viktor…” She cups my face and brings us eye to eye. “I can tell you with one hundred percent certainty that I am not playing you. I truly do care for you. I want to marry you because… because I’ve fallen in love with you.”
She’s so perfect and she doesn’t even know it.
“You love me? I’m not sure I deserve that.”
“You’ve protected me. You’ve taken care of me. When you saved me from Natasha, I knew I loved you. None of that is fake. Trust me on that.”
“I do.” Her eyes are too open and honest for me to think she’s lying.
But… “So, you don’t belong to the Bratva?” I ask.
“No,” she says, though her eyes dim a little when she says it. “I don’t.”
I feel like there’s more she wants to say but she’s holding back.
“I don’t trust easily,” I tell her. “So the fact that I trust you means a lot to me.”
“I love you, Viktor. That is the truth. I never asked for this. I was just looking for a job and then… I ended up working for you and now I have all of these feelings. I didn’t ask for them. They just happened.”
“Finn thinks he saw you at a hotel a year ago. There was a Bratva function going on at the moment.”
“I might have been at a hotel a year ago. I’m not sure. My dad and I were going through hard times and sometimes we would stay in hotels. Or motels, as you know. He might have seen me but…”
“Right. Of course. I knew it was a misunderstanding.” I look at her with more curiosity. “You know, I don’t even know your dad’s name. He’ll be at the wedding, I presume.”
She hesitates. “He doesn’t know. About us.”
“Why not?”
“Because he would ruin this for me. He’s a mess, Viktor. I wouldn’t want him at our wedding. Trust me on that. He would only ruin it. I want a simple, small ceremony for just you and me. I don’t want a large crowd. You can invite your sister. Mrs. Green can come. But I don’t want my dad involved in our life together.”
“I can understand that. But I would still like to meet him. What’s his name?”
“Gleb Roberts.”
I tense at the name Gleb. I remember a Gleb Petrov trying to kill me a few months ago but the bastard got away. He was so low on my radar though that I never bothered hunting him down. I have other things on my mind that have taken precedent.
A pure coincidence, I tell myself.
“That’s a Russian first name,” I say.
“So is Inessa.”
“True.”
“Maybe that was fate telling us we were meant to be together.”
I pull her in closer to me. “Maybe.” I know not all Russians are a part of the Bratva. That would be silly to assume.
But all of these coincidences are getting to be too much. Are they really just that – a coincidence? Or is it something more?