15. Skye #2
Damien just turned fourteen, although he appeared much older, thanks to his serious demeanor and strict boxing regimen that’d always put him in the highest percentile for size.
His demeanor was in such contrast to Sasha’s and Branka’s personalities that we often joked that he was my mama’s son.
Strangely, Papa didn’t mind that at all and often invited him over to Trieste.
“Is there an age limit?” he retorted wryly.
“ Damien, is there something bothering you ?” I signed slowly, taking in his slumped shoulders and the way he was wringing his hands under the table after each time he signed. “ You’ve been different lately and I ? — ”
“I’m perfectly fine,” he cut me off, and my brow furrowed. But before I could say anything else, he turned the conversation around. “What’s been up with you lately?”
“ Nothing worth talking about ,” I signed, aware of Nikola’s eyes on us. “ Tell me what you want for Christmas .”
He smiled, then threw a piece of sweet potato into his mouth. “An Xbox One and the new Call of Duty .”
I grinned. “ You got it .”
“But I can tell something is bothering you,” Damien pressed. I debated whether to tell him what I recently learned while I was snooping the other day, but I hesitated. I didn’t like to complain, and I didn’t want to stress my parents. “You can tell me.”
“ Trust goes both ways ,” I pointed out.
“I’m fine, it’s really nothing. But I know you. I can tell it’s something serious.”
I glanced around, but everyone seemed to be preoccupied with their own conversations. I lowered my hands so only Damien could see what I signed.
“ I found something on my papa’s desk .” Damien watched me with confusion. “ It’s a marriage contract. ”
Honestly, I was still in shock. I couldn’t believe he would have put something like that in place.
“My dad would never allow that.”
“ Funny you should say that, because Sasha signed it too. ”
Our eyes darted to the two men who were still bickering on the other end of the table. In all my life, I’d never seen them agree on anything, so to find both their signatures on the marriage contract… Yeah, it was shocking to say the least.
The table’s vibrations had my attention whipped to its source.
The Konstantin siblings were all staring at us, and it took me a moment to realize it was Adrik who demanded my attention.
The little shit had a smile on his face that would scare off any sane person, but not me.
Apparently, you had to be insane to survive our families.
“What the fuck are you two whispering about over there?” he signed, mouthing the words at the same time.
Damien and I answered at the same time, “ Nothing .”
“Didn’t look like nothing,” Adrik stated. “If you’re killing someone, I want in.”
My brows shot to my hairline. “ What is it with you and killing everyone ?”
He shrugged. “My dad says it’s the Nikolaev in me.”
Damien shot him a blank look. “I’m a Nikolaev and I don’t have that problem.”
“If you’re not a bit crazy, you’re not a Nikolaev,” Marietta drawled.
“ That’s not nice, ” I scolded Marietta with a soft expression. “ His calm personality makes Damien the best Nikolaev. ”
Marietta rolled her eyes. “Better rephrase that or Nikola will switch his personality tomorrow.”
My brows furrowed, but before I could question her further, Kostya chimed in. “I heard that Nikola has been searching for someone from your past, Skye. From your foster care days.”
“ How do you know ?” I questioned as I stiffened, my head darting between him and Nikola.
The latter smacked him on the head. “Are you spying on me?”
Kostya shrugged. “Just keeping you in check.”
“I’m older, so I keep you in check,” Nikola warned with a dark expression. “And keep your mouth shut about the search.”
“ Did… ” I swallowed, my eyes darting between them while my heart thundered in my ears. Since Nikola hadn’t brought it up, I assumed he gave up searching for the woman who had abused me as a child. I should have known better. “ Did you find anything? ”
“No, but I will,” Nikola stated with confidence, and I didn’t doubt it.
Since it resurfaced, that whole memory had been haunting me. On one hand, I hoped Nikola would let it go, but on the other, I hoped he’d learn who that woman was and what happened to her. Maybe that would lay those bad memories to rest once and for all.
Papa’s and Sasha’s eyes locked on us.
“Is something wrong?” Sasha asked, signing and speaking while his gaze darted between Damien and me. “You’ve been quiet all night.”
“ Only because you two have been too loud ,” I retorted, flashing them a forced smile.
Branka and my mama shared an amused glance before Branka raised her glass of wine and said, “Boys will be boys.”
Sasha straightened in his seat. “I believe you meant to say, men will be men.”
Branka pursed her lips as if she were considering the words, then said, “No, I meant exactly what I said.”
Mama chuckled, her deep blue eyes stark against her dark hair and shining with the kind of peace that pulled you in. “ Dante and Sasha really need to stop the constant bickering. ” She flashed me a soft smile. “ We want to set a good example for the children. ”
“I agree,” Tatiana chimed in. “But then again, a family duel would be fun too.”
Everyone’s eyes turned to her.
“A duel?” Isabella, Nikola’s mother, questioned with a furrowed brow.
Tatiana patted the corners of her mouth. “Yes, a duel. Where two men face off?—”
“I think they know what a duel is, moya luna .” Her husband patted her hand. “They might just be wondering where the idea came from.”
“I’ve been reading historical romances lately,” she said, then winked at her husband. “And let me tell you, there are some hot?—”
“Children!” Isabella cut her off.
Marietta threw her head back and laughed. “Mom, we know all about sex, thank you.”
“Keep talking nonsense, Marietta, and you’ll be on lockdown until you’re married.” Vasili offered a stony smile, swirling his whiskey in his hand. “Which won’t be for many more years.”
Papa’s hand came to his forehead like he was suddenly nursing a terrible headache. In his mind, I would forever be the picture of innocence, in need of shelter and protection.
If he only knew.
“There have been increased incidents of organ trafficking,” Aurora said, changing subjects so abruptly I almost thought I’d misread her lips.
Alexei, who was usually stoic and quiet, chimed in, “Nico Morrelli informed me that it’s no longer only an FBI issue. Other agencies like Interpol, CIA, and a few unnamed ones have joined forces.”
“And the FBI agent who’s working the case has the security clearance above the grade of my contacts,” Aurora, his wife, added. “It’s been impossible to get information from any of my contacts.”
“There has been another incident of organ extractions in Florida now. Three dead girls,” Nikola added.
“Anyone we know?” Sasha asked.
Nikola shook his head and said, “We need to re-evaluate security.”
“Can we leave that for tomorrow?” Isabella cut in, her exasperated looks darting around at her family through her soft brown eyes. “Not like we can achieve world peace over peas and carrots.”
“Burying our heads in the sand and ignoring the problem is dangerous,” Illias countered.
“There’s too much at risk, malyshka ,” Vasili chimed in, gesturing around at us young ones.
“Just send your lunatic brother after them. That’ll keep the fuckers busy for a while,” Papa muttered.
“ Papa !” I stomped my foot, appalled. He knew how much the Nikolaevs meant to me—of all people, he should understand that I wouldn’t be here without them.
“ Dante, that was uncalled for ,” Mama scolded him while Sasha smiled, eating his turkey and pretending like no insults were thrown his way.
“Skye, how about you play for us?” Isabella shot me a pleading look while she signed with inexperienced hands. “Or maybe a duet?” Her eyes jumped between Mama and me.
Sasha laughed, pouring himself another drink. “Skye is the best player on this planet. No offense to Mrs. Leone.”
He shot a challenging look at Papa, but his and Mama’s eyes were locked on me, softened and full of unconditional love. “My daughter and wife are the best pianists I’ve ever had the pleasure of hearing.”
“ How about it, Mama ?”
We moved to the library where a black Steinway D piano sat and sank down on the black leather bench, our fingers gliding reverently over the smooth white and black keys.
A shared glance later and we started playing, our fingers moving in sync. Mama’s recent favorite was “Clair de Lune” by Debussy, the vibrations seemingly soft and peaceful. Our fingers moved across the keys in harmony, the smooth surface comforting.
Despite her deafness, music was Mama’s passion. I loved it, but not as much as she did. Music tended to make me sad, the rare time I regretted my disability. But none of us Leones were into self-pity, and I certainly wouldn’t start now.
I flicked her a look and her expression transformed to one of euphoria. Sasha was so wrong, because my mama was one of the greatest pianists the world had ever seen.
It spurred frustration in me at not being able to hear the melody. As my fingers chased the notes, in a slow, then erratic tempo, a haunted and frightful feeling awakened in my chest.
Will Nikola ever want me?
Maybe he found me lacking. Maybe, maybe, maybe. There were so many possibilities whirling in my head while emotions twisted in my chest.
I didn’t know how long we played, turmoil, defiance, and adrenaline bubbling beneath my skin and pouring into the keys as notes danced in front of my eyes.
Mama’s hand came to rest on my forearm and my fingers fell on top of the keys. The piano cried out under my fingertips with an angry vibration I felt inside me.
From the corner of my eye, I noticed Papa took a step toward us, but Mama gave him a subtle shake of her head and he joined the Nikolaevs at the bar in the library. It was everyone’s favorite spot.