Chapter 4 - Katerina
All I wanted to do was grab some of my favorite Asian takeout and watch the new episode of my favorite series.
That was my plan. A quiet, relaxing Friday night.
It would have been the perfect end to a busy week, and the best way to avoid getting dragged into yet another conversation with any of my family members about whether or not we should be here.
It’s too late, guys. You’re here. Embrace it. Or freaking pack your stuff and leave already.
And apart from the annoying divide within my family that I’m having to deal with, I’m also stupidly still thinking about Yulian.
The things he did to me. The way he made my body sing with his rough hands.
I remember tracing my fingers over his palm and thinking to myself, This is a man who uses his hands.
Maybe that’s why he’s so good with them.
He doesn’t just sit behind a computer and bark orders at other men.
He does the work. He builds things. He crafts things.
Yulian Andreev. I can’t believe I was so naive. Of all the men at that party, I chose my brother’s enemy. Our families have been at war for I don’t even know how long, but what I do know is that since I was very young, that name has only been spoken bitterly in my family.
The Andreevs are the enemy. They are evil. They are bad. They are cruel and wicked and heartless.
It’s been drilled into my head like a mantra since I was a kid.
And guess what.
I let Yulian take my virginity—and worse than that, it was the best night of my life.
I still can’t get over how incredible it was to be with him, and how he knew exactly what to do and when to make my body scream with pleasure.
I got up late at night to get a glass of water and just happened to spot his wallet on the kitchen counter. I couldn’t resist. Hoping to find some form of identity, I flipped it open.
That was when I found out who he really was.
A million questions hit me along with a horribly intense panic.
Did he choose me on purpose? Did he trick me, knowing it would start shit with my brother?
Was it a malicious move that was plotted out before he even got to the party?
Or did he not know who I was at all? It seemed impossible for him not to know who I was.
In that moment, I thought I was going to be his prisoner.
It’s exactly the type of evil shit an Andreev would do.
So I ran.
I left as quickly and as quietly as I could. I felt sick.
I felt betrayed and angry, and over the next few weeks, it was really hard not to obsess over it.
I wanted to storm back to his place and punch him in the face for what he did.
But instead of doing that, I kept my head down and tried to forget about him and what happened, and hoped it would all blow over. Besides, I understood that I was also angry at myself for enjoying it so much. For wanting more. For wanting to see him again.
Hence, my plan for a peaceful night alone.
Except now I’m staring at Yulian. My entire body is shaking uncontrollably. The sound of gunshots is still ringing in my ears, and I can barely piece a single thought together.
He glances in my direction, and I quickly look away, trying to focus on something mundane. The buildings that flash past the window as we drive through the city. The street lights are starting to turn on as the sun sets. People, walking, shopping, and going on with their lives.
But all of it makes me feel like I’m in a dream. What just happened is not mundane at all.
What the hell is going on? Did he just kidnap me? Everyone was shooting. There were dead people on the ground. Yulian shot three men. Their blood was all over the pavement. I can’t believe it. I don’t understand.
I steal another glance at him, trying to read his expression. My palms are sweaty, so I wipe them down the front of my jeans, noticing how badly my hands are shaking.
“It’s okay, I’m taking you somewhere safe,” he says, his voice reassuring, even though I don’t want to believe him. He’s evil. He’s an Andreev.
“Where are you taking me?” I demand, my voice coming out weak, the words broken and distorted.
I clear my throat and try again. “Where are you taking me, Yulian?”
He reaches out and gently touches my leg. “I told you, somewhere safe. I promise you, no one will be able to reach you there.”
For a moment, I just stare at his hand on my thigh. He notices and withdraws it, leaving a cold space where the warmth was a second ago.
I bite my lip, a little too hard, trying to use the pain to pull myself together. To focus. To figure out what to do.
He doesn’t know that you know who he is.
You can use that to your advantage.
Forcing my shoulders to relax, I turn towards him. “I can’t believe you were there at just the right time. You saved me,” I choke, swallowing away tears that I don’t have to fake because of the surging emotions inside me.
“Hey, hey, it’s okay, I’ve got you,” he says, that deep, smooth, beautiful voice washing over me. “We’re almost there. I’ll make you a cup of tea, and you can take a moment.”
He turns off the main street onto a road I recognize. I’ve only been to his penthouse once, but I realize that’s where we’re headed.
“Your penthouse? We can’t go there. You said I’d be safe,” I blurt out in mild panic. “I’ll be safe at my own home, I have guards….”
“You mean the guards who weren’t anywhere nearby when those men tried to take you? Those guards? The most useless guards I’ve ever seen in my life?” he sounds angry.
I take in a sharp breath and hug my arms around my chest.
“Please, take me home, Yulian,” I plead.
“I can’t do that, Kat. I need to know you’re safe.” His voice has a cold edge to it now. A demanding power. His statement is non-negotiable.
We turn into the underground parking beneath his building.
He parks and shuts off the engine, then turns to look at me. “Kat, do you know who those men were?”
What? Why would he ask that? I assumed they were his men, and he only took them down to sell the ruse.
“I don’t know,” I answer quietly, staring at his face, his bright brown eyes piercing into me, making my heart flutter in stupid ways.
“Come on then, let’s get you inside.”
He climbs out of the car and walks to my side, pulling the door open for me.
I let him lead me into the elevator while my eyes dart in every direction, searching for an escape route. But he’ll be faster than me, no matter which direction I run. I need to wait till his guard is down before I make a break for it.
In the elevator, riding up to the top floor, the awkward silence between us is made worse by the stupid elevator music. I swallow, and it sounds so loud in the small space.
Yulian is standing close enough that I can smell his cologne.
It reminds me of his jacket wrapped warmly around my shoulders.
How sweet he was that night. Then how passionate he was.
How thoroughly he gave me pleasure. My skin begins to tingle with anticipation, but I rub my hands over my arms to try and brush it away.
Stupid body, still reacting to him like that.
I can’t be attracted to him. He’s a liar and my enemy.
“Are you cold?” he asks, stepping closer.
I quickly step away, just as the doors open. “No, I’m fine,” I snap, a little rudely.
He mistakes my rudeness for shock or stress or whatever and reaches out to touch my arm.
“You’re safe now, Kat. I promise,” he says, calm and caring.
Yulian leads me into his penthouse and guides me to the sofa. He heads into the kitchen, and I watch him make me a cup of tea, quiet, focused. I’m trying to figure out what his angle is. Although I’m pretty sure I already know he’s up to no good—I just don’t know how yet.
He’s not volunteering his real name to me. He could easily tell me who he is, now that I’m back here. He’s hiding it on purpose because he thinks I don’t know yet.
Well, maybe it just hasn’t come up yet because of all the shooting and rescuing?
Don’t be ridiculous. He didn’t rescue you from a plot he created. It was only meant to look like he rescued you to trick you into trusting him.
“Here you go.” He sets a tray of tea down on the coffee table in front of me. “Sugar?”
“One, please.”
I can’t look at him. Looking at him makes me think about the other night, and thinking about the other night is very distracting. I hate the fact that he’s so freaking gorgeous.
Yulian sits next to me on the sofa, close enough to feel the warmth of his leg against mine.
He reaches up and tucks a stray curl behind my ear. “Are you hurt at all, Kat?” he asks tenderly.
“No, I don’t think so,” I mutter. “Although, if you didn’t happen to be there…I don’t know what might have happened.”
“Sometimes when you’re in shock, you might not realize you’re hurt till later. I just want to be sure.”
I glance down at my body, brushing my hands over my legs, then my arms, then my sides.
Once I’ve checked everywhere, I shake my head.
“Nothing hurts, it was just…it was scary, that’s all.
You killed them,” I mumble the last sentence, part accusation, part question.
It was both terrifying and mesmerizing to watch him take control of the situation so efficiently.
I’d be lying if I said it didn’t turn me on.
He made me feel safe, being so capable while my guards were too far away and stumbling over their own feet.
He was so efficient because he planned it all, Kat. Don’t fall for his charm and his care.
I sigh heavily, picking up the cup of tea because I need a distraction and something to do with my hands.
“We can just sit here for a while, Kat. Take your time. Sip your tea. I’m right here with you. There’s no rush for anything.” He leans back on the sofa, stretching his arm along the backrest, around where I’m sitting.
I lean back, too. I need to think. It’s not ideal, though, sitting with his arm curled around my back like a protective layer of security that I really want.