Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
Anastasia
One month later
“ I don’t want to.” I crossed my arms over my chest and stared at my brother. “I am not a child. I don’t need a babysitter while you are in Russia.”
My brother scowled. “You know that I can't leave you here alone. I am taking most of the security with me to Russia, and with you being engaged to Sergei, you have adopted his enemies.”
Another reason as to why this marriage was going to be my death sentence. If my groom didn’t manage to kill me, then his enemies would. It would be a waste though, because he would simply get a new bride.
Women were like disposable razors. Once one outlived its purpose, a new one would be bought.
“I can get to Washington. I can be safe there.”
My brother looked at me like I had grown two heads. “Are you forgetting that Sader owns DC? We would be lucky to be able to even get a foot in. You are going to be in Savina Valdez’s ward. She will keep you safe. Besides, her husband and brother-in-law are some of the most disciplined men when it comes to security.”
My mind flashed with images of Valerio.
I would be lying if I said that I didn’t think of that man from time to time. I particularly thought of that incident with the window. I had seen him amble onto the balcony like he had been hurt. Against my better judgment, I had followed him, and that was when I had seen him.
He hadn’t looked like the dominating man who had leered over me and invaded my space. He’d simply looked like a man who was in agony. Extreme agony, from the looks of it.
“But can we even trust them, brother? I am sure you have heard all the rumors about Valerio.”
At the mention of Valerio’s name, he scowled. Their fight was still a sore spot, clearly.
They didn’t see eye to eye, but I had expected as much. Not many people agreed with my brother’s decision to have me wed Sergei. He was closer to Lucifer himself than he was a human. Even by the standards of the Mafia world, Sergei was bad.
“Valerio and I may have our differences, but Savina gave me her word that she would protect you like you are her family. I may not trust her brother-in-law, but her word is her bond, and she never goes back on it. If you don’t want this arrangement I have organized, I can ask Sergei to take you on. But as you know, it is not customary for the bride to lay with the groom before the wedding ceremony.”
My heart jumped from my chest.
The bedding ceremony. It was a time-old tradition that was done by the bride's family and presented to the groom to show that I was indeed pure. If there were red stains on the white sheets it meant that I had given my virginity to my husband. But if there was no blood, then I was tainted, and I would be put up for the trial and 9 times out of 10 those trials ended in an honor killing.
My stomach churned.
“I need to make sure that you remain intact before the big day, Ana. We need Sergei’s support. All you need to do is play the dutiful role of the wife. Please him, attend to him, and make sure that he has everything he needs.”
I nodded, “I need some air. Will you excuse me?”
“Don’t go far. We have guests coming, and I need you to greet them.” He gave me a small smile of adoration. “I am proud of you, Ana. And I'm sure Dad is proud, too.”
I simply nodded and got up from my seat to make my way out of the study.
When the door had shut behind me, I let go of the breath I had no idea I had been holding. I allowed my heart to settle a fraction before I continued my walk to the stairs.
His plan was good, efficient, and well thought out. The only problem was that he wanted to protect my innocence, which had long been given to a man who I thought I had once loved.
I had no idea what I would do when the time came and I needed to sleep with my betrothed. There was no other way out besides death, and I’d been trying to make peace with it for the last seven months.
I walked out of the cabin and made my way to the back lake. The cabin was not much. My father had left it to us, and it had been one of the few properties that we got to keep.
The ‘dismantling’ had cost our family dearly. This world was truly unforgiving.
I placed my earphones in my ears and walked to the bank of the water. I pressed play on my rain sounds and came to sit by the large oak that stood guard by the bank.
I remembered watching this big oak tree grow as the years ticked away in my life. It was where Mama and I had spent our time while Danill and Papa were busy with his education and training.
Those were the days I cherished the most. We got to walk away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Even as I child, I knew that Chicago had a toxic air to it. My brother, on the other hand, thrived in the city. He said he felt most at home in the concrete confines of Chicago. But that was simply because he was set to be second to what would have been the most powerful man in our world.
I braced my back against the oak tree and allowed the back of my head to rest on the thick bark.
The breeze picked up and I closed my eyes, allowing the cool air to kiss my skin.
I was being treated like a child.
You will stay in her ward.
I was a grown woman. Why would ever want to be under another woman’s care like I could not take care of myself? I hated how incapable they made me feel. I was not some damsel in distress that needed to be saved. I loved my brother, but it was in moments like this that I genuinely believed he didn’t see me as his sister but rather a commodity to be traded. I may as well have been a piece of land or a piece of jewelry.
If only I could be free.
I was like a princess trapped in a castle, but I didn’t want to wait for a prince to save me. I wanted to save myself. All men had ever done in my life was betray my trust and hurt me.
My mind flashed back to two years ago. It was the one time I had been brave. The one time I had said, ‘Fuck it, I’m just going to do this for me.’
But truth be told, I wasn’t just doing it for myself. I had a reason for leaving New York. I had a reason for running away from Syracuse.
My heart clenched thinking back to a time I would have much rather forgotten about.
‘… God knows what is hiding in those weak and drunken hearts…’
Birdy’s voice ran in my ears as I opened my eyes to tears streaming down my face. I hadn’t even known I was crying until I felt the moisture hit my chin.
It had been two years, but the loss still felt fresh. It was like the blood had hit the floor for the very first time.
Bright crimson death. The blood had been so vibrant against the white tiled floors. The pain that had radiated all throughout my body.
I was told that the body sometimes held onto undealt trauma, and that it would manifest itself as a disease or pain. I wondered if the trauma could mar a soul. My soul, my spirit, felt like it carried scars from that day that simply refused to fade, and now seeing him again was like seeing a piece of the past that I had so desperately wanted to leave behind.
I clutched the heart pendant on my necklace and allowed it to ground me so the storm in my mind didn’t take over.
“I miss you…” I whispered into the loneliness.
The wind carried my words and lifted them into the sky to meet with the clouds. Maybe she would hear them.
The air suddenly dropped in temperature and the wind blew even stronger. Something shifted in the atmosphere around me. The hairs on the back of my head raised, and my heart lurched in the middle of my chest.
I paused the music and removed the earbuds. I removed my back from the thick bark and looked to my left and then to my right.
I thought that maybe my mind was playing tricks on me, until my eyes connected with a pair of blue-grey eyes.
I gasped, the air cutting as it neared my trachea. My eyes widened in shock when I saw him standing only a few feet from me, dressed in a suit and looking devilishly handsome.
“Even with your tears, there is still beauty.” This man spoke like he was made of poetry. It was ironic that something as beautiful as poetry could ever be used in regard to a man like him.
“Valerio.” I whispered.
“ Cielo . It’s been a while.” Valerio’s eyes bored into mine. “Won’t you welcome me into your home?”
I gulped.