Chapter 8 Constance #2
“Relax, Alik! I’m joking!” I smile, trying to calm him. “Right? Tell him everything is fine, Pyper.” I bump her shoulder, asking for help, and thankfully she throws her hand around his neck, ruffling his hair.
“Da, relax, Alik. Pakhan vould never let anyzhing happen to Connie. Plus, she’s only here for another veek and a half. Life should be quiet vhen all ze others leave.”
“Bu—”
“Okay, okay, my bad,” I cut him off. “I’ll behave. No more Connie jumping in Pakhan’s lap or talking to scary snake ladies. I Promise,” I tell him, but he squints his eyes at me.
“Connie, it’s not a laughing matter. Do you know people are already saying zhings about you?! About Pakhan!” he panics, and I snort, already knowing. “Zhey’re saying zhat you’re having an affair vit ze Pakhan and also might be trying to seduce Mikhail!” he curls his lips, disgusted.
“First off, ew… Grandpa Viktor is like family to me. And second,” I cut my eyes over to Pyper who shakes her head and I glance back at him. “I don’t even know your cousin like that!” I throw him a look and he grits out.
“I know, but just ze zhought of someone saying zhings pisses me off.” He fists his hands and I rub his arms, trying to calm him down and look to Pyper for help, buts she shrugs.
“Relax, Alik. You should go rest. I can feel you getting a fever,” I tell him and he looks up at me with a sigh. “You were probably not feeling well earlier, right? That’s why you were never at the party huh? You should go rest.”
“Da, da, you should go lay down,” Pyper agrees as she calls over a server and they come over immediately. “Help my brozher over to his room. He’s not feeling vell.”
“No, I d—”
“Go Alik. Besides, it’s best to rest before ze meeting. You don’t vant to miss zhat, right?” Pyper questions. When he sags and nods, I sigh with relief.
“Fine, but Pyper, stay vit her.”
“I vill.” She pats his back as he leaves and I throw my head back at his overprotective ass.
Still, I don’t get a break because soon I hear the faint click of predatory heels coming up behind us.
My looking back causes Pyper to follow my gaze and we both see Veronica standing there, looking like a bitch that’s about to start some shit.
Damn can I breathe?!
“Pyper, hello. It’s good to see you,” she says, and Pyper’s eyes scan her before dismissing her.
“Hi,” she responds dryly, picking up a sparkling water.
“Is she your guest?” she asks, eyes glinting as she looks at me.
“Because I vas zhinking she looks very familiar. Have you ever been to Russia before?” she questions and I hum, taking a sip of my drink, trying to place her face.
She looks familiar, but… maybe I’m just feeling a bit salty thinking about how she was hugged up on Mikhail.
That’s ridiculous since that’s his whole ass fiancée. I should feel nothing!
Whew, chile. This just keeps getting messier. Maybe Pyper was right and I AM danger prone.
“No, actually, it’s my first time,” I respond as nicely as I can since I promised Pyper I’ll behave.
“Hmm… I see… ah,” she waves a hand “I digress… I vanted to ask you somezhing.”
“Oookaaaay? What is it?”
“Oh nozhing major… I just vanted to be sure I heard you correctly earlier.” She looks at me, then at Pyper, then back to me. “About ze nickname.”
Pyper starts to open her mouth, but I stop her with a subtle shake of my head. I got this.
“What about it?”
“I just vanted to ask vhen vould you have time to come close enough to my fiancé to gain a nickname?” she smiles, but I can see she’s nowhere near happy and understandably, but that’s a her problem.
“Why don’t you go ask your fiancée?”
“I could, but I’m asking you.”
“Well, don’t, because I have no dog in whatever fight you’re trying to bet on. So, kindly leave me out of it,” I tell her and she cocks her head to the side, curls fluttering over her shoulder.
“Vell, it did not look like zhat to me vhen you vere eyeing him like stray dog begging to be picked off street earlier,” she retorts, and Pyper moves, but I hold her back.
“Oh, that’s a cute insult and all, bu—”
“Vhat’s going on here?” We look up to see my trio come up with Mikhail in the middle, and she runs over to him.
“Darling, I vas just greeting zhis guest. She says ze most outlandish zhings.” She hangs on his arm, and I can’t help how my eyes lock right on where they’re connected. The sight makes my stomach lurch, but I only sip my drink, pretending to be unbothered. Conceal don’t feel… be like Elsa.
“And?” he asks and I look away, bored, wanting no part in this because I’m not finna fight over a man only met the day before yesterday, no matter how good the dick is. It ain’t that deep.
“She said you gave her a nickname!” she snorts and he cocks his head to the side.
“I did,” he states, cold and unbothered, making her sputter and baby, even though it shouldn’t, his bold unfuckwitable attitude makes my coochie throb. Damn girl! Down! No more!
“B-but wh—”
“Look, if you want to stand here and have a lovers’ quarrel, feel free,” I pause and take Pyper’s hand, looking the trio in their eyes. “I’m going to hang out with my best friend. Now, if you’ll excuse me, Misha,” I huff out and hear a collective gasp of people listening and step away with Pyper.
I don’t want to be there… I grit my teeth, walking as calmly as I can, but my heart is wreaking havoc in my body. Why am I so upset? Why do I feel pissed? Why do I want to kick something? Wh—
“CONNIE!” I stop mid-step, turning to Pyper.
“O-oh.. huh?”
“Nozhing, I just zhink vee are far enough,” she states, and I glance around to see we’re outside along the pavement with no one else around.
“Oh, m-my bad.” I let her go, and she comes closer to me.
“Are you okay?” she asks, and I frown at her question.
“Yeah, I’m good, why?”
“Because of Mikhail.”
“What about him?” I sneer, curling my lip.
“Nozhing, it just seems like… l-like you vanted to talk.” I snort at her words.
“There is nothing I can say about a man I barely even know, Pyper. I was just thrown off, that’s all,” I tell her and she looks at me skeptically. “What?”
“Nozhing… I’m just shocked is all.”
“What are you so shocked about?”
“Zhat you called him Misha and he didn’t lash out.” She blinks, in shock, and I frown.
“What’s so shocking about that? I mean… that’s his nickname, right?”
“Vell… da, it is but,” she speaks slowly. “Misha is vhat our babushka used to call him. He doesn’t let just anyone call him zhat. So far, I’ve only heard Pakhan, Dimitri, and Nadya call him zhat publicly and live.”
“W-what?” I stammer and she nods.
“Da, he only lets people he’s close vit or he respects call him zhat. He doesn’t even let any of ze family use zhat nickname.”
“O-oh...” I chew my lip, seeing I fucked up and wound up flexing a bit too hard. “What about you… can you call him that?” I ask and she shrugs.
“I used to vhen vee vhere younger… but…” She looks away. “I’m not close to him anymore. After our babushka passed, he changed and I don’t like ze man he is today,” she states and I look down.
“Oh.”
“Da… oh, indeed. Vhat the hell could you guys have done to be so close vhere you can call him zhat? And more zhan zhat… are you really okay?”
“I… well…” I ignore her first question. “I’m fine.”
“Da, I can see zhat, but still… you spent ze night vit him and if Alik finds ou—” I hold up my hands, not wanting to get into the specifics of those nights.
“Let’s drop it, Pyper. I’m not going to jump for joy because I used a nickname, nor am I a crybaby bitch that can’t read the room. I’ve built my entire career on being in the room with people with small dicks and big bank accounts.
I might not understand your family, but I know you guys are rich and damn powerful. I also know Mikhail is not something or someone I should covet, not that I am anyway. Truly he was a two night stand and a damn good time that’s it that’s all.” I shut the conversation down and she watches me.
“Okay, zhen zhat’s it.”
“No that’s not it…” I take her hand and try to be as gentle as possible saying this. “I want to say that I love Alik, but I’m not going to let him or you dictate who I see or what I do. Alik and I are over and I plan t—”
“I get it. You’re right, Connie. I vas vrong… I shouldn’t keep bringing up Alik vhen you’ve made it clear how you feel. Also, I’ll make sure to talk to Alik about laying off on ze protectiveness and letting you breazhe.” She squeezes my hand and I smile at that.
“Thank you, Pyper. I appreciate that.”
“Okay, now vhat?” she asks and I link my arms with hers.
“Now we pig out and I go chill at the spa until you and Alik can come hang out with me later for a movie. Deal?”
“Haha, deal,” she chuckles and we walk off, but out of the corner of my eye, I see a flash and my heart skips. What was that? Was that a camera flash? No… can’t be… pictures aren’t allowed here. I must be the Sun reflecting off something…
“Connie? Are you okay?” Pyper asks, and I drag my eyes from the trees to her with a smile.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Come on, let’s go eat. I’m starving!” I tell her, and she chuckles.
“Da, let’s go eat, and I spill all coffee on family.” She said eyes lighting up and I throw my head back laughing.
“Yeah, girl, let me hear all the coffee.” I walk off with her, stomach in knots, smile frozen on my face.
Conceal. Don’t feel. Be Elsa.