18. Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Eighteen
Viktor
A ria Romano is a beautiful young woman. Blonde hair. Brown eyes. Symmetrical features.
All except for the scowl on her face.
“I am not happy to be here. You should know that,” she tells me from across the restaurant table, her arms crossed in defiance.
Her father, Elio, quietly chides her.
Dante shifts uncomfortably beside me. This peace offering is tentative at best. One thing could easily snap it.
“Aria,” Dante warns. “This is our chance for peace with Viktor. Be nice.”
“You’re not my dad, Dante.”
“No. But I’ve known you since you were a kid. I’m practically like your dad.” He flashes a smile to Elio. “So. You’ve have time to go over our offer. Peace with Viktor in exchange he’ll marry Aria.”
“I heard he was already married,” Elio says. “In fact, you were the one to tell me that, Dante.”
“He’s getting a divorce. Don’t worry about it.”
“I am worried. If he’ll marry my daughter, I want to know why his current marriage isn’t working.”
“Too fast,” Dante says. “Rushed into it. Now regrets it.”
“Actually,” I cut in. “My current wife lied to me. Deceived me. I don’t take too kindly to that.”
Elio places his arm around Aria’s shoulders. “Well, I can guarantee you that Aria is a girl who speaks her mind.”
“Woman,” Aria snaps. “I’m a woman now, Dad. Isn’t that why you’re marrying me off like I’m cattle?”
Aria sure does have an energy to her that’s drastically different from Inessa’s. No. Don’t think about Inessa. She doesn’t mean anything to me.
It’s been a few days since she came to collect her money. I was tempted to take it from her but she did work hard for it. Call it a one last act of mercy. Now I can kick her out of my life without regret.
It doesn’t matter if I miss her. I can’t miss her. I cannot be with someone who lied to me.
Aria will have to do. It’s better that she’s so different from Inessa.
Elio chuckles awkwardly from Aria’s snappish comment. “My daughter. Like I said: she says what’s on her mind.”
“And it’s going to get her in trouble,” Dante reminds her.
She rolls her eyes. “He’s a Russian. I don’t want to marry a Russian.”
“I married one.”
“That’s because you’re an idiot. Though I do like Nadia. She’s nice. But I doubt he’s nice.” She eyes me over critically. “You don’t look nice.”
“What do I look like?” I ask.
“Like a man who never smiles.”
Inessa always told me she liked it whenever I smiled. No. Do not think about her.
“I only smile when I’m happy,” I tell her.
“And you’re not happy now?”
“To tell you the truth, Aria, I’m not.”
She huffs. “Well, that’s just great. You’re trying to marry me off to a man who’s not even happy to be here. Why force us both into this marriage?”
“It was Viktor’s idea,” Dante says. “Well, it was Erik’s but Viktor is agreeing to it.”
“Why? Why do you want to marry me?”
“It’s not you,” I admit. “It’s your connections. If I marry you, it will help bring peace between Dante and I.”
She shrugs. “Why can’t you guys find peace on your own without involving me? This whole arranged marriage act is bullshit if you want my opinion.”
“No, he doesn’t,” Elio grits out. “Be nice, Aria. Polite.”
“When am I ever polite?” she asks with a snort. “No offense. But I don’t like you, Viktor. You’re a Russian. You’re everything I was taught to hate. Anyone who even works with you is someone I was taught to hate.”
“Well, great,” Dante mutters. “You two will have a lovely start to your marriage.”
I can feel my own scowl deepen. This is not what I want. Marrying Aria will be fucking torture. Her bratty attitude is already getting on my fucking nerves.
But I can’t be with Inessa. Julia came home yesterday. I need to make this place safe for her. As best as I can. And that means making peace with Dante and Erik and marrying Aria is the way to go.
I was always going to marry without emotion. Now is no different.
It was Inessa who came in and tore my defenses down.
She doesn’t mean anything to me anymore. She can’t. I cannot miss her. I cannot care for her. She made me look like a fucking fool and that’s something I can never forgive.
“Can we just get this over with?” Aria says. “I’m annoyed. I’m not happy. And I’m going to let everyone at this table know about it for years to come. Might as well go get married and be done with it.”
“It will take a few weeks to plan the wedding,” Dante says. “Erik and I agreed that it should be a big affair to show the combining of our forces. The Bratva and the Mafia, truly working together.”
Finally working together. Somehow, I know it won’t be that easy.
“Let’s set the date,” Dante continues. “Then we can go from there.”
June 10 th is the date of mine and Aria’s wedding. It will give me enough time to get a divorce from Inessa. Even I can’t get past legal marriage proceedings.
Julia is waiting for me when I get home.
“Viktor, I think this is a mistake.” She follows me into my office and flutters around me after I sit down.
“I didn’t ask for your opinion, Julia.”
“I’m going to give it anyway. I’m your sister. I’ve always given it and you’ve always listened to me. I thought that was the kind of relationship we had.”
“Not right now it isn’t. I have work to get to.”
“You always have work to get to.” Ignoring my glare, she sits down in the chair across from my desk. “I’m not leaving until we talk about this. I come home yesterday, confused about where Inessa is, and you refuse to give me answers. And now I find out that you’re trying to marry some Mafia girl… for what? What reason? What happened, Viktor?”
“I’m not in the mood to talk.”
“I’m going to make you.” Julia has a quiet confidence about her. She’s never felt the need to raise her voice to make her point. “What happened? When I saw you on your wedding day, I’ve never seen you happier.”
“Don’t,” I growl.
“No.” She sits up straighter in her seat. “I know you love Inessa. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. I know how happy you are with her. So why are you doing this?”
“She lied to me, Julia. About who she really was. She’s a Bratva daughter. Gleb Petrov is her father. He tried to kill me once. She never told me and yet, she knew about what her father had tried to do. She let me believe she was some innocent victim in need of work when she was really just deceiving me the entire time.”
Julia is quiet for a moment before she says, “Both things can be true at once.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Inessa. She could have known about her dad. What he tried to do to you and she could have also been in desperate need of money. Just because she kept a secret doesn’t make her a villain. To me, it sounds like she was scared and she needed money and you offered her a job.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” I turn back to my computer. “Just go.”
“I got to know Inessa a little bit when I came back for your wedding. I could tell she was sincere. That she loved you, Viktor. I don’t think she was making any of that up.”
“How do you know? You’ve never been in love.”
“That’s because you’ve never let me date anyone.” She grabs my hand, forcing me to look at her. “You cant control everything in life. I know Inessa hurt you. That much is obvious to me. But you claimed you loved her. You made vows to her. You’re really going to throw all of that away just because you’re upset?”
“She lied to me. I can never forgive that.”
“And you tried to kill her father. I remember you telling me about Gleb Petrov. I remember he tried to kill you and you tried to kill him in return. I think the fact that you almost killed her dad makes you even.”
“I only went after Gleb because he went after me first. And I didn’t kill him after I found out Inessa lied to me. I could have and I didn’t. That makes me and Inessa even. Not love.”
She lets me go and looks me over with curious, too bright eyes. “Why didn’t you kill her father after you found out she lied? I’ve known you my entire life. I know how ruthless you can be. I know you’ve committed murder.”
“I kept those things from you.”
“Not well enough. Not in our world. So… why didn’t you kill her father?”
Inessa’s warm, beautiful face flashes behind my eyes.
“It doesn’t matter,” I mutter. “Now go.”
“It does matter. Why didn’t you, Viktor? Was it because you couldn’t stand the idea of Inessa seeing you as a monster?”
“She lied to me because she thought I would hurt her and her dad if I knew the truth.”
“Can you blame her for that? You’re not exactly a warm and fuzzy man. It sounds like she lied to protect herself. Is that why you didn’t kill Gleb? To spare Inessa’s feelings? So you wouldn’t become the monster she once thought you were?”
I stare at my sister for a long moment. “You’re too smart for your own good, you know that?”
“It’s from all those private schools you sent me to. Viktor, don’t marry someone else. Make it right with Inessa. Talk it out with her.”
“She lied to me. How can I know she won’t lie again?”
“You don’t. But you just have to trust that she won’t. That’s your problem. You’re terrible at trusting people. I know why. You lost both Nadia and Elena to other men. You felt betrayed by them. Natasha turned out to be insane. And now Inessa lied to you. I get that you’re hurting. I’m sorry for that. But if you marry another woman, you’ll be doing it to spite Inessa, rather than make real peace with Dante and Erik and I think you know that. If you want to make peace, you don’t need to marry some Mafia girl. Make things right with Inessa.”
“Erik and Dante will be pissed if I go back on this deal with Aria. I’ll be no better than Dante or Aiden when they stole Nadia and Elena from me. Those women went back on their deals to me. I can’t do the same to Aria.”
“Because you care about Aria? You just met her.”
When I don’t respond, she squints at me. “Or is it your pride? You’re putting your pride above your true feelings. You could never let go of what happened with Nadia and Elena. Your pride was wounded and it’s been wounded again. But don’t let it dictate your future. If you want to be with Inessa, be with her. Forgive her. Talk it out. Figure it out. But don’t make peace with Erik and Dante by marrying a stranger just for political gain. You already married for love. Nothing can compete with that.”
My baby sister. So bright and mature. “I raised you well.”
She gives me a soft smile. “You did.”
“But I can’t. I just can’t, Julia. I’m going through with this. You’ve said your peace. Now I’m done listening to it.”
“Fine,” she says stiffly. “But I’m going to see Inessa. I want to get her take on things and you can’t stop me. She’s still technically my sister.”
“You can do whatever you want with her. But leave me out of it.”
She goes to the door and turns around before she leaves. “You’re going to end up sad and alone, you know that?”
I open my mouth but nothing comes out. What is there to say to that?
Inessa
With nowhere else to go, I return to the motel. Rent is so expensive in New York and I only have nine thousand dollars. While it’s enough to give me a new start, it’s something I have to conserve. I can’t blow it all on a nice apartment.
“Maybe we should leave New York,” I suggest to my dad. I have the box clutched in my hands. I’ve been watching it like a hawk these past couple of days I’ve lived with my dad. So far, he hasn’t stolen any of my money.
But I know he’ll try. It’s just a matter of time.
He scoffs. “Leave New York? And go where?”
“Somewhere cheaper.”
“We can just use your money and earn more.”
I hold the box closer to me. “You mean gamble it away.” I know it was foolish of me to return to my dad after he choked me but I have no one else. That’s the sad part.
“No. I mean we invest it and earn more.”
“But investments take years to accrue more money, especially only nine grand. We should save it for food. In the meantime, I’ll find a new job. But we should get out of New York. I want you to come with me.”
“Or what?”
“Or I’ll leave without you.” It’s the first time I’ve ever said those words to my dad. If leaving him is what it takes to protect myself, I will. I can also ask Elena for help. Stay with her for a few days until I can find somewhere more permanent. But I don’t want to be a burden on her for long.
My dad’s eyes narrow. “You would leave me? All on my own? After your mother died?”
“You always use Mom’s death against me but I didn’t cause it. It was an accident. Stop guilt tripping me, please.”
“I deserve that money.” He points at the box. “I raised you. That’s my money.”
“I earned this money. Now, you can either come with me or not. But I’m going to stay with Elena for a couple of days and then I’m leaving the city. I want you to be with me.”
“Why?”
“Why? Because you’re my dad. I love you.” Despite how he’s treated me. “Just say you’ll come with me, Dad. We can make good changes. You can stop gambling. We can both get jobs. Help each other. Support each other. We can make it work.”
“You make it sound so easy.”
“And you’re making it harder than it needs to be,” I snap. “Now, I’m leaving. Come with me.”
“That’s my money.”
I angle the box away from him. “Come with me. Or I’m leaving.”
“Not without my money.” He lunges at me and tries to take the box from me but I wrench away from him. In the scuffle, my back hits the wall.
And so does my head.
I fall right to the floor, seeing stars, my mind reeling.
“Inessa? Are you hurt?”
I slump to the floor. “I need… hospital.”
He looks between me and the box on the floor before snatching the box up. I know I was stupid to bring the money with me but I had nowhere else to stash it. No car anymore. No bedroom. No home.
I should have gone to Elena first. I know it. So why did I go to my dad? Because he’ll always have a hold over me. I can’t break free of him
His eyes turn gleeful as he counts the money in my box. My money. “This will do. I can make this into something. We will become rich, Inessa. I just need to stop you from following me.”
He lifts me onto the bed, where I fall onto it with a slump. I think I have a concussion. Hopefully nothing worse.
The rope from when Finn tied my dad up is still in the room. He uses it to attach my wrists to the headboard.
“Dad,” I say weakly. “Please don’t. Please don’t do this.”
“I’ll bring back millions. I promise you that. Just wait here until I return.” He leaves the motel room and I know that my life is over.
All the money I saved is gone. My dad is going to gamble it all away. I had hope that he would come with me. I know it’s na?ve but it’s hard to give up on my dad. I’m still that little girl who he protected when times got tough. When my mom was still alive.
Before he disappointed me.
I keep hoping that my dad will come back to me but he never does. I’m clinging onto a ghost.
Tears seep down my face and land on the pillow underneath me. I can get another job but it will never pay as well as Viktor did. I’m only qualified to be a maid and generally a newcomer doesn’t make a lot of money. I doubt Viktor will give me a good reference. He’d probably warn off any future employers, telling them I cannot be trusted.
I was na?ve to believe Viktor loved me. I was na?ve to believe he’d keep me safe forever. He’s a Bratva man. Danger thrives around them. I knew that when I met him and I still took the risk.
I try tugging at the ropes but it only tightens around my wrists. I’m officially stuck here. If my dad were to die, I could be here for days before a maid comes by to clean. How ironic. Found dead by the maid.
If I make it out of this, I guess I could get a job at a hotel as a maid. Work my way up. Become a manager someday. I think I’d be good at that.
If I make it out of here.
Night falls and still my dad doesn’t return. He’s either still out gambling away my hard earned money or he’s frantically trying to earn my money back. Or he made it rich and gambled it all away as soon as he had it.
Or someone killed him for the money.
He tends to hang around shady people. Granted, I’m not one to judge. I married a mob boss from the Russian Mafia.
A knock on the door makes me jerk up.
“Inessa?” a soft female voice comes through the door. “It’s Julia. I wanted to talk to you.”
“Julia! I need help!”
“What? I can’t make out what you said.” She tries rattling the doorknob. “It’s locked. Can you open the door?”
“I need help! Help!”
She goes quiet. Did she leave me? Does she think I’m just as evil as Viktor does?
And then I hear the lock unclick and the door swings open. The front clerk is standing next to Julia with a spare key.
“Inessa,” she gasps, running to my side. “Who did this to you?”
“My dad.”
She starts untying my wrists. “Your dad did this to you? That’s horrible. Why?”
“Because he stole my money.” I rub my wrists the moment they’re free. “He’s going to gamble it away. He’s probably already done it.”
“He stole from you? That’s terrible.”
“Do you need my help?” the clerk asks, sounding super lazy.
“We got this,” Julia says firmly. He grunts and walks away. “What happened with Viktor? I need to know.”
“I lied to him.”
“I know all of that. You didn’t tell him who you really are. But I don’t care about that. It sounds like you needed the money and you were afraid of my brother.”
“I was,” I admit. “I was so scared he’d kill me or my dad if he knew my real name. I never planned on falling in love with him. But I did.”
“You really love my brother?”
“I do, Julia. I do.” Tears seep down my face some more. “I married him for love. For safety. For comfort. I do love him. I never meant to hurt him. You have to believe that. It’s just… the longer I went without telling him who I really am, the harder it was to tell him. I got to be a new person with him. I got to be happy with him. I lied, yes, but it was never malicious. It was out of safety.”
Julia’s own eyes well up with tears. “I believe you. I can tell you mean it. When I first met you, I could just sense you’re a good person. We have to convince Viktor of this. I know my brother. He’s stubborn but… I know he loves you, Inessa. I felt it at the wedding and I still felt it when I spoke to him earlier. I know he loves you.”
“But he’ll never forgive me. He’ll never believe me.”
“Is there some way we can convince him?”
“How?” I shrug. “There’s no way. The only person who can vouch for me that I needed the money was my own father and he tried to kill Viktor.”
“There’s no one else?”
I pause, then… “Elena. My friend Elena Romanov. Elena Murphy now. She’s always known about my father’s money problems. She could vouch that I was telling the truth. That I just needed a job. That I never took the job with any intent on hurting Viktor.”
“Ok. So let’s go to her.”
“But it’s Elena. Viktor’s previous fiancée. He might not take kindly to her given that she left him at the alter to be with Aiden.”
Julia’s perfect features turn into a frown. Even then she still looks beautiful. “Good point. But it’s worth a shot. And then we can get your money back. Even if it’s all gone, I can pay you.”
“No. That wouldn’t be right. I was na?ve enough to bring my money here. I deserve to be stolen from.”
She gasps. “How can you say that? No one deserves to be stolen from. It doesn’t matter if you brought your hard earned money here. Your dad never should have stolen it in the first place. I will pay you everything you’re owed. It’s the least I can do after how my brother has treated you.”
“I lied, Julia.”
“So? My brother is a member of the Bratva. He’s done a lot worse than lie. He’s a hypocrite. I love him but he is. I can tell you’re a good person, Inessa. You don’t deserve to be thrown out like you’re trash. We’ll convince my brother to stop being stubborn and take you back.” She hesitates. “That is… if you even want him back. After how he treated you, I wouldn’t blame you.”
“Is it true that he’s going to marry someone else?”
She sighs. “There’s talk of a marriage arrangement between him and Aria Romano but I think he’s just doing that because he’s hurt. We need to stop that from happening before it gets too far. Come on. Let’s go.”
She holds my hand as we rush outside.
Only to stop when we see two men standing outside the room.
And Natasha is standing between them.
“Hello, ladies. Julia, how nice to see you again. But you’re in my way. I’m here for Inessa. Now that she’s been outed as a little liar and it seems Viktor wants nothing to do with her anymore, she’s all mine for the taking.”
Julia turns to me. “Run!”