Chapter 20 Constance
CHAPTER TWENTY
CONSTANCE
“Seriously… you guys have such a colorful history. Grandpa Viktor went on and on about it for ages,” I laugh as Alik and I enter the theater and honestly, I can’t even be surprised anymore…
The enormous screen is silent in the massive room with rows of bed-like seats that feel one hundred times more awkward since it’s only Alik and me.
God damn that Pyper! How dare she bail on us?
! But I should have known she would since her and Anton made up and as soon as my brother called she hit me with the…
“Oh, Anton is calling, zhis is important!” Before scampering off to take the call in the hall, leaving me alone with Alik.
“Zhat’s Pakhan for you.” Alik takes a seat and smiles at me when I sit next to him.
“Yeah, but I enjoyed the ramblings…” I shift nervously on the plush sofa, really feeling the weight of it being just the two of us. Especially so since it’s the first time since that intensely awkward, charged moment in Misha’s room.
“I’m sure you of all people vould,” he chuckles, settling in as the movie starts.
“So what are you watching anyway?” I throw a few kernels into my mouth and he shrugs.
“Pyper picked ze movie.” He smirks and both of us throw our heads back laughing because Pyper is known for picking the absolute worst of the worst movies. Still, we always end up enjoying them because we would have so much fun making fun of them together.
“This is nice, right?” I say, trying to break the sudden heavy silence, but it sounds weak.
“Da. It is.” He turns his whole body to face me, pushing the Twizzlers over to me. “I am so glad vee get to do zhis, Connie.”
“Me too.” I soften, picking up a Twizzler. “How are you feeling? You look tired.” I lift my hand, running it over his lower eyes, and he leans into my hand. His smile brightens, seeming more genuine this time.
“I’m always better vhen I’m next to you.”
“You’re a mess, you know that?”
“No, I’m being honest. You coming to spend zhis time here, even for just two weeks… it… it made my life.” He leans in, his expression earnest.
“Uh huh, says the guys who has been too busy to spend any time with me.” I bump his shoulder and he rub the back of his head.
“I am sorry I have been so busy vit meetings. I vanted to be vit you ze entire time… but I my time is… limited. Just knov I give you all my spare time, Connie. I just vant to be vit you.” My chest tightens at his sincerity.
This is the sweet, dependable Alik I’ve always adored. He truly is the best man I know.
I open my mouth to respond, maybe offer a comforting hug, but the door slides open and a huge body barrels through, making my heart thump.
“Pechenye.”
“Misha!” I light up, holding my arms out, and he immediately strides over.
Without a single bit of hesitation, he plops right down in my embrace.
The sheer force of his arrival bumps me a good six inches toward Alik in the plush chair, making our legs touch.
“S-sorry,” I apologize but he says nothing.
So I try to move, but Misha throws an arm around me, keeping me in place.
“Aww!” I giggle, a little startled. “Why are you so tired?” I ask when he yawns dramatically, his voice a deep rumble vibrating against my thighs.
“Being avay from you tired me out, Pechenye. Zhat is exhausting vork.” I roll my eyes as my heart does little funny things hearing his words. Pl-play it cool, Connie.
“Thank you for working so hard for me.” I run my hand over his nose. “But if you miss me so much, then make it up to me…”
“Okay, hov should I do zhat?” he asks, eyes still closed, and I go still.
“Ice cream!” I hum and he chuckles.
“Da, I vill get you ice cream, Pechenye.”
“Yay.” I grin down at him and he raises brow, bringing me to sigh, pursing my lips.
“So, is my greedy girl not going to ask for vhat she really vants?” he teases and I swat his arm.
“Ugh, need I say it when you already know?” I whisper, my belly already tightening, and he belly laughs quietly.
“Da, because vhat my sveet one vants, my sveet one gets. Vhat flavor do you vant?”
“Rocky Road… and I want you to feed it to me,” I demand.
“My Pechenye touch a spoon? Yuck,” he cringes. “I’ll fill you up really good vit all ze cream.” He peeks up at me and I swallow, heart thumping.
“G-good th-then make sure I get that cream,” I mutter. “And make sure it’s good enough to make up for my loneliness,” I tease and he pulls me close.
“I vould never dream of disappointing my glutton.” He looks up smirking, and my stomach dips. God, he’s so fine.
“A-anyway… did you find any leads?” I ask quietly, not trying to disturb Alik who’s watching the movie.
“Nyet. Nozhing. Your room vas clean. No prints, no signs of forced entry,” he grumbles and I can feel his frustration as I rub his head, trying to soothe him.
“It’s fine, Misha. I’m fine at least right now. Just get some sleep,” I whisper, knowing how hard he’s been working for me.
“Da,” he murmurs, his breath warm on my thighs. He shifts, pulling me closer still, resting peacefully and heavily on my lap. I can’t help but continue to run my fingers through his long hair. It’s surprisingly soft.
As the movie continues, I barely pay attention to it.
I’m so hyper aware of Misha and Alik, and I feel like I’m suffocating.
The sounds of explosions and Russian shouting fill the quiet room, leaving me to watch on and off, distracted but strangely content, trapped between the man on my lap and the man sitting beside me.
I keep running my fingers through Misha’s hair, listening to the soft sounds of his breathing which deepens, then touch his eyebrows, pausing when I feel eyes on me. I glance over at Alik to see he’s watching me.
Well, his gaze is fixed on Misha and me.
His polite smile is gone, replaced by an expression of deep, utter sadness.
It’s a profound sorrow that seems to pull the light out of the room.
As I watch, he blinks, slow and painful, and a single tear rolls down his cheek, catching the reflected light of the screen.
My heart catches in my throat, and I lean in slightly.
“Alik? Are you okay?”
The question causes him to flinch as if he didn’t even realize he was looking at us, his eyes snapping back to the screen.
“Da. Fine. It’s a good movie,” he says, his voice flat, but his jaw is clenched, and his hands balled into a tight, trembling fist. The sheer agony radiating of off him is unbearable.
I’ve always known what Alik was feeling…
we were just tight like that, and it made our past relationship explosive.
We just got each other, which also made it hard when things just so happened to… fizzle out.
But here now with him… the sight of his clenched hand ignites a fierce, protective ache in me. I carefully reach my free hand that’s not on Misha across the space between us and cover Alik’s tense, balled-up fist.
He jumps again, surprised by the touch, but I don’t pull away. I just lay my head on his shoulder, eyes on the screen, when I feel a gentle squeeze from his hand. I sit there holding his hand while my other hand keeps stroking Misha’s hair, maintaining the equilibrium.
“By the way, I’m glad I get to spend time with you too, Alik, and I miss you too,” I whisper softly, just loud enough for him to hear over the sounds of the action film and I feel his body rock with a choked, silent sob against my head, followed by a tight, desperate squeeze on my hand.
I keep watching the explosions on the screen, feeling the hot tears well up behind my own eyes, but I hold them back, gasping when I feel Misha kiss my other hand, holding it tight.
I really don’t know what this is… but whatever it is… is it supposed to feel this painful?