Chapter 16 Constance #2
“Pyper, wait up a second,” I say, dropping the silk back on the hanger. I try to keep my voice even, but the edge is there. She turns, one eyebrow arched in that familiar, elegant way.
“You see somezhing you like?”
“Yes… no… I mean… I… I need to ask you about Alik again,” I start, stepping closer to her, trying to lower my voice despite the quiet background music. “I know you guys have been telling me that he’s just ‘under the weather,’ but that’s not it, is it?”
Pyper smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes as she holds up a pretty camisole.
“Connie, zhis vould look stunning on you. I zhink I’ll buy it,” she attempts to change the subject with a casualness that’s grating, but I don’t let her.
“Please, Pyper. Just tell me what’s going on. I understand it’s a sensitive topic what happened back at the house…” I swallow. “Is it serious? Is it… cancer?” I whisper the last word, feeling the blood drain from my face just saying it.
“Look, it’s nozhing for you to vorry about. He had a little flare-up of an old condition. He just needs rest and quiet. You knov Alik. He’s stubborn. He doesn’t vant everyone hovering. Zhat’s vhy he came back to Russia,” she whispers dismissively.
My hands are shaking, and I shove them into the pockets of my jeans.
“But that’s exactly it! Flare-up of what?
I don’t know what ‘old condition’ you’re talking about!
Why don’t I know?” My voice cracks, and I can feel the heat rising in my cheeks.
“We talk about everything, but I can’t shake this feeling that something is fundamentally, terrifyingly wrong, and I should be included in this. I should know.”
God, I sound insane. I think to myself, staring at the polished floor.
I sound real damn entitled right now… I have some got damn nerve.
Who am I to demand information about his health?
I’m in a relationship with three of Alik’s family members, for Christ’s sake, knowing this man is still in love with me and yet, here the hell I am thinking I should be privy to information about a man I turned down.
But my heart aches, a sharp, hollow feeling, and I wonder… why do I feel like Alik should be mine, too? Why do I suddenly crave the presence of the one person who I’ve pushed away? Why was that visceral hunger I felt between them two? And the pain in my head and heart? I need answers!
Pyper rests a hand on my shoulder, and I can feel it shaking.
“Connie, you have enough on your plate. Let us vorry about Alik. He’s fine, truly. He just needs a minute.” She squeezes my shoulder and walks toward the jewelry counter.
I stand there, frozen, the bright lights suddenly too much. All I want is to be out of this store. I want to crawl into the warm, heavy, comforting embrace of Misha, Dimitri, and Nadya, have them tell me it’s all fine, and have them stroke my hair until this frantic confusing anxiety fades.
I groan silently, closing my eyes for a split second.
Jesus… not me using them as an emotional crutch when all this was supposed to be just sex?
Not to mention I’ve practically slept with the entire family this got damn trip…
and not me feening for Alik again! Ugh, I need to get a grip. I’m starting to sound like a nympho.
I take a deep breath, fighting the urge to ask my questions that I’m sure will ruin the afternoon. I open my eyes and force my legs to move, walking toward Pyper with a smile.
“Okay, Pyper,” I say, my voice steady now, though it’s a lie. “Help me find something ridiculously expensive on your dime so when I pawn it later, I can get a couple bands.” I grin and her eyes light up.
“Nov you’re talking my language! Let’s shop!”
By the time we get back to the house, both of us are dead tired, and we trudge up to my room, dropping the bountiful bags, and flopping to the floor.
“Zhat vas so fun! I love spending my money!” she squeals.
“Shhhiiid, I love spending your money, too,” I laugh, and she gently kicks me.
“Silly girl… but apparently I’m not ze only one buying you gifts.” She smirks, and I sit up, surprised when I see there’s a gift box on my bed. Standing, I go over and smile, mind immediately going to Mikhail or hell even Dimitri or Nadya, and my heart skips a beat…
I pick up the box, flipping it left and right excitedly.
“I wonder what it is…”
“Open it and see!” Pyper comes over and I blush, pulling the silk ribbon, pausing at the tennis bracelet.
“Wow, it’s beautiful… so you th-think Misha or Alik got this for me?” I gap in awe, showing Pyper who turns her lip up at it.
“Alik never… and if Misha dared, I gut him like fish,” she sneers at it.
“What? Why? Its’s so pretty!”
“Da… pretty cheap.”
“CHEAP?! THIS brACELET,” I pause to look at the price tag. “IT’S VALUED AT THIRTY GRAND!”
“Ugh, I kill him! How dare he spend measly zhirty zhousand on my best friend who gave him honor to go betveen her legs? Vhat does he take you for, some cheap vhore?!” she grits out, and I rub my temples.
“Pyper, that’s a lot of damn money!”
“It’s pennies! Compared to his vhealth and your keety! Value yourself more!”
“Hold on, what? But my brother doesn’t even have that type of money!”
“Zhat’s different. If you date bus driver, bus drive buys you gifts vitin his bus driver salary. However, you date vealthy billionaire heir. He buys gift like mansion on private island… zhis cheap zhing,” she flips it over. “Is no asset! I spit on it!” she snaps.
“Wait, there are so many things wrong and right with that statement… but first, are you comparing my brother to a bus driver?” I ask and she purses her lips.
“Leetle bit… leetle money, big penis, so ze payoff is—”
“EW! THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!”
“Vhat? I only explain.”
“Well bitch, don’t!” I try to take the bracelet back, but she cocks a brow.
“Nyet, I go talk to him now!” She stomps off, and my heart sinks out of my ass.
“PYPER BERSHOV, YOU HAD BETTER FUCKING NOT!” I yell, but she’s already at the door, trotting off. I follow her in sheer panic all the way over to her room where she bangs on his door.
“FRIEND POLICE! OPEN ZE DOOR!” she shouts. Ugh! Got damn it, Pyper!
When he answers in his button-down, sleeves rolled to the elbows, tie loose, his hair that’s grown out and disheveled like he’s been running his fingers through it, my stomach does a tiny pirouette. Goddamn, he’s fine.
“Pyper, get ze fuck avay from my— Oh, Pechenye!” He shoves her out of the way, grabs me, pulls me into his arms, and kisses my neck. “I missed you.”
“Missed her my ass! Vhat is zhis?!” she chucks the bracelet at his chest and I whimper, not wanting to offend him.
“PYPER!” I shout, but she ignores me, glaring at him as she goes to pick up the bracelet that fell out of the box, but he looks it over with the same stank look as Pyper.
“Vhat do I have to do vit such cheap bracelet?” He twists his lips in disgust, and right away you can see they’re related.
“But… wait… hold on, you didn’t get this for me? Th-then maybe it w-was Alik?”
“Pechenye, you insult ze Bershov name… zhis is not somezhing you give person you care about. Zhis trash has no value. Zhis is not mansion on private island.” He looks at me as if I need to seek help. These motherfuckers…
“O-okay then maybe Nadya or Dimi—”
“I’d never allow zhem to show you such disrespect,” he growls, and as much as I find that endearing, my heart sinks. At this point, based on the Bershov logic, this isn’t even something Grandpa Viktor would give as a trinket, so he’s out of the question too. So, that begs the question…
“Th-then who the fuck gave it to me?” I whisper and Misha pulls me protectively into his arms, growing pissed.
“Zhat’s vhat ze fuck I vant to know,” he grits and I swallow. “But I’ll find out and stomp zhem for stepping on my territory.”
Damn… this feels like it’s getting serious.