Chapter 44
NIKOLAI
I don’t know what I was thinking. Coming to Russia was a mistake.
Did I think she’d change her mind?
I don’t understand what is going on here, but I have the diamonds.
Why was she acting like she cared for me, but then telling me to go? I had everything in this small velvet pouch that she was sent to find.
“Mikhail said our flight is scheduled to leave in an hour. I’m glad we’re getting out of here, this place makes me itchy.” Alexei clicks his hard candy behind his teeth.
He sounds like Jax rattling the tongue piercing.
It’s irritating when they’re both in the same room tapping their mouths.
Or, maybe, I’m more on edge.
There’s something I’m missing.
Why would she give me the diamonds, and still tell me she loves me?
“Niki, check this out. Lara just sent me a picture Elena drew.” Alexei flips his phone around to show me the scratched screen.
Crayons on a white paper show a group picture. She’s labeled every figure. Me. Melissa. Elena.
And, there’s a smaller shape where she’s scrawled in her blocky letters, “Can I have a brother?”.
“Does Elena know something I don’t?” Alexei grins wide enough to showcase his silver tooth.
“No,” I growl. “She’s been on this kick that she wants us to be a family. I’m guessing that’s the next step in her plan.”
It could have been, if Mila hadn’t shattered everything I thought we would be.
My knuckles turn white from squeezing the steering wheel.
“You should give her a brother. I never had one. Do you like having one?” Alexei prattles toward the window.
“Yeah, I do.” Mikhail has sacrificed so much for me, I’d do anything for him.
Anything.
Fuck.
Slamming on the brakes, we both surge forward as the car lurches to a stop.
Alexei braces himself on the dash before glowering at me. “What the hell?”
“She has a brother.” I say the words low.
My stomach knots.
And, it isn’t that Tyler guy in the black leathers. It’s obvious they weren’t related.
“Who? Lara? Yeah, she has you, Mikhail, and me.” Alexei’s thumb digs into his own chest as he settles back.
“No. Mila. She let it slip early on. His favorite color is green.” I remember that moment. It was when I realized that Melissa, well, Mila would be a threat to my heart when I saw how patient and kind she was with Elena from the beginning.
Was that a show? Would it be different if she came back?
I don’t know if I could ever trust her again.
But, if her brother was being threatened by my father, it would make sense why she would go to the lengths that she did.
“Um, Niki?” He fidgets with the vent to reset it. “Don’t you think we’ve been here long enough?”
“In Russia? Yes. But now I’m not sure we’re done.” I can’t let her face Ivan without the diamonds.
He’ll kill her.
Alexei pushes his seat flat and throws his arm over his eyes. “No, Nikolai. The road. We’re sitting here in the street like, um, mannequins.” He rubs his temples. “Wrong English. Dummies. That’s the word.”
I blink, looking out the windshield.
Shit. At least it’s not a busy street.
Cranking the wheel all the way over, I hit the gas to spin us in a tight circle.
Alexei grunts when he bounces his head off of the window. “Niki, we need to talk about your driving. I didn’t know I’d need my motorcycle helmet to ride.”
He makes a big show of putting on his seatbelt.
“What are you doing? You never wear those.”
“If you’re going to kill us, I just want to make sure my body is recognizable.” He grins, holding his hand flat beneath his chin. “This face deserves an open casket.”
Digging out my phone, I scroll through the contacts and dial Enzo.
“Nikolai? Thought you’d be on the plane by now.” He didn’t even let it ring.
“I need you to find her again.” I don’t know what she’s doing, but I have a feeling she’s going to make a big mistake.
If my father forced her, this changes everything.
I need to help her.
And then I need to bring her home.