Chapter Seven
Natasha
There’s a huge space between Maksim and I as we walk around the Parthenon. Tons of other tourists are here, laughing with each other and taking pictures. Having the time of their lives.
But if anyone looked at me and Maksim, all they would see is two people who look like they don’t even know each other. And it’s true. We don’t.
“I guess we could talk,” Maksim suggests.
“About what?”
“Like… what are you interested in? Hobbies?”
I wrap my arms around myself even though it’s hot outside. I can’t stop thinking about how Maksim killed that man… for me. It’s a conflicting feeling. One of gratitude and one of fear. Every time I look at him, that’s all I can think about.
“I like to read,” I offer.
“What books?”
“Romance novels.”
“Ah.” Understanding enters his eyes. “So is that why you were so pissed at me the day of our wedding? Were you expecting romance?”
I flush and look away from him. Another couple walks past us, holding us, smiling.
I step away from them but that only leads me closer to Maksim.
“I didn’t like that you showed up drunk.
But no. I didn’t expect us to fall in love at first sight.
I just… I don’t know. This whole thing is not what I expected for my life. ”
“What did you expect?”
“I just wanted to be left alone. I would have preferred that but my father insisted and I always follow what he says. I never really had the chance to say no to him.”
Maksim huffs. “I’m the same way with my dad. He never lets me say no to him, despite the fact that I’m thirty now. He’ll always have a hold over me.”
“Same with me.”
“See? We have something in common. That’s a good thing, right?”
“Do you really want to make this work? This marriage? I know you don’t want it.”
He sighs and sits down on a bench overlooking Athens below. It’s a beautiful sight but all I can see is how Maksim killed a man by kicking him to death. “I never wanted it. It was forced on me. But… if I had to be forced to marry anybody, I’m not angry it’s you.”
“Why? You don’t know me.” I hover beside the bench, unable to sit down. Unable to relax.
“You’re pretty, for one thing. And there’s a… loneliness in your eyes I can relate to. We both have issues with our dads. Neither one of us wanted this. It could be worse. You could be a horrible person. But you’re not.”
“But you’re a horrible person,” I whisper. Instantly, I realize it’s the wrong thing to say.
Maksim stands up and turns his back to me. From this angle, I can see the tension in his spine, even through his clothes. “I saved you from that man. Why can’t you see that?”
Because I’m afraid Maksim killing that man might mean he’ll kill me one day. Just like my father killed my mother.
Yet, I can’t utter the words. If my dad found out…
“I’m just afraid. I’m trying but I’m still afraid.”
He nods, running his hand over his face as he faces me again. “Fine. I get it. You’ve been sheltered from the darkness in this world. But I hope that last night showed you that I’ll protect you if you’re in danger. I’m not here to hurt you. I’ve never hurt a woman before.”
“I want to believe that.”
“So believe it.”
“It’s just hard.”
“Why is it so hard? Talk to me, Natasha. If we’re stuck in this marriage forever, let’s at least try.”
Can I really tell Maksim about my suspicions with my father? It’s on the tip of my tongue. The urge to confide in someone. To not have to keep it all locked away inside of myself.
Maksim’s eyes are open. He wants to try for real. I could try too.
But when I open my mouth, my eyes dart over Maksim’s shoulder and I see the other man from last night. The other man who tried to hurt me.
He’s trying to sell watches to tourists and being aggressive about it when they say no. Right now, he hasn’t seen me but for how long?
I inhale sharply and spin away from Maksim, trying to keep my tears at bay.
“Natasha?”
“I have to go,” I mutter and start walking as fast as I can away from that man.
“Natasha.” Maksim quickly follows. “What is going on?”
I pick up my pace but it’s so crowded with all the other tourists that I end up bumping into somebody and falling hard onto my back.
Maksim kneels down beside me and reaches for my arm but I rip away from him.
“Don’t touch me,” I say louder than I mean to. That draws the attention of the man. The one who tried to hurt me. His eyes find mine and he smirks, proud of what he did.
Maksim follows my line of sight and sees the man, narrowing his eyes. The other man’s eyes widen when he realizes that Maksim is with me.
Maksim surges to his feet and runs after the man but the other man is faster. He manages to dive behind a group of tourists before Maksim can reach him. By the time Maksim gets past the tourists, the man is gone.
“Fuck,” Maksim says, coming back over to me. “That fucking asshole.”
I can’t hold my tears back and they come spilling down my face. Maksim’s eyes soften.
“Are you ok?” he asks. “Here.” He holds his hand out to me but I can’t take it. All I feel is cold. All I feel is fear.
My tears are drawing the attention of other people.
“Natasha.” Maksim gently grabs my arm and helps me to my feet. “Let’s go. Come on.”
“That man…” I whisper.
“I know. But he ran when he saw me. He’s not a threat. He won’t come for you ever again.”
“Because of you. Because you killed…”
“Hush,” he says, not unkindly. “Don’t say that too loudly. Other people don’t need to know. Now, let’s get back to the villa. Come on.”
I follow Maksim, not even realizing my body is moving. It’s not until we’re back at the villa that I realize I moved at all.
“That fucker,” Maksim mutters. “Scaring you like that. I would kill him if I got the chance.”
I flinch. Maksim has a darkness in him that reminds me too much of my father. While Maksim overall does seem nicer than my dad, that doesn’t make him a good man. I have to be careful around him.
“I can’t go back out there,” I say. “Not when that guy…”
“Ok. Well… we don’t have to. We can stay in the villa all day. It is our honeymoon after all. Your father already thinks we had sex because of the bloody sheet. We can just… hang out, I guess. We don’t have to do anything.”
I curl into a ball on the couch. “I just want to be left alone.”
Maksim sighs. “We should really talk about this, Natasha. I mean, most people would be grateful I saved their lives. They wouldn’t be this traumatized.”
“I was attacked,” I whisper. “Am I not allowed to be traumatized?”
Maksim winces before nodding. “You’re right. I can’t say anything right. I’m sorry. I’ll,.. let you be.” Awkwardly, he walks away and while I’m grateful, there is a part of me that wishes he would have stayed with me.
Maksim
“I think it’s best that Natasha and I come home early,” I say on the phone to my dad.
“No. You and Natasha have a honeymoon planned for the entire week. You’re staying. Lev won’t be happy about you coming home yet.”
“Dad, it’s not working with me and Natasha. A few extra days in Greece isn’t going to change anything. I think it’s best that I come back to New York and get to work again. You were telling me about the Italians. How they’re trying to get our territory. I can come back and help.”
“Maksim…”
“Dad, you know I can help. Natasha and I are married. That’s final now. Lev will help us. There’s no risk of a war between us now. I’m coming back to New York. I’m an adult. I can make my own fucking decisions. This is final. Natasha isn’t happy here. She doesn’t feel safe here.”
“Why?”
“She was attacked by two men. One of them got away. It’s best we get out of Greece.”
“Things are going well between you two then.”
“We just can’t seem to get on the same page.”
“Well get on the same page,” he snaps. “You have to make this marriage work for Lev’s sake. We need him on our side. If you piss him off then I don’t know what will happen.”
“I can just lie to him and say that I got food poisoning and I needed to come home sooner. Simple as that. Natasha and I are coming to New York. Besides, Lev is in Chicago. He’ll only know what we tell him.”
“I don’t like lying to an ally.”
“I’m your son, Dad. I’m not happy here either. Yet, you don’t seem to care.”
“What I care about is you doing your duty. If you return to New York early, I won’t be happy with you but I can’t stop you. Just make this marriage work.” He hangs up without a goodbye.
I return to Natasha, who’s still curled into a ball in the living room. Her eyes seem lifeless. Never before have I felt this helpless.
“Natasha?”
She blinks and looks up at me. God, she is fucking pretty. It makes me want to pull her into my arms and make sure she’s all right. But Natasha clearly doesn’t want my touch right now. If she’ll ever want it.
“We’re going to New York. It’s better we get out of Greece. You need to be away from that man who hurt you. I don’t want him getting his hands on you again. So we’ll go back.”
“I’ve never been to New York before.”
“It’s not like you were going to live in Chicago with your dad. You’ll live with me.”
“I know that,” she says in a hard tone. “I’m not stupid.”
I wince. Fuck. Why can’t I say anything right when it comes to her? “I never said you were. I don’t think this honeymoon is the best idea.”
“Are you giving up on us?”
Her question surprises me. She sounds almost…
hurt. “I think it’s just best we return to New York.
Get into our new lives together. I have work I need to attend to.
You can spend time with my sister. She seemed to like you at the wedding.
She tends to befriend anybody. So you won’t be lonely. Sound good?”
“Is our marriage failing?”
“I mean… we haven’t even really given it a chance. But it feels that way, doesn’t it?”
She closes her eyes and turns her face away. “Ok. We’ll go to New York. I’m ready for this all to be over.” It’s almost like she’s accepting her fate. Like she’s going to the gallows instead of going back home with me.
“I’ll pack your suitcase up for you,” I offer. “It’s the least I can do since you’re saddled with me and clearly not happy about it.”
I walk away and Natasha doesn’t call out for me, even though I wish she would.
After I pack our bags, we stand in the villa, facing each other, feeling like there’s a wall between us.
“Ready to go?” I ask her.
“Ready,” she whispers, even though she doesn’t look ready at all.