Chapter 19
E dmundo
If it wasn’t for Marcus, I would’ve marched across the room and killed Christov with my bare hands for showing his face.
“You should’ve expected it, man. His family is politically connected. Just look around. Everyone and their brother were invited,” Marcus said.
He made sense, but I didn’t want to hear it. It was a slap in the face to me and Ana.
Marcus pushed another pastry into his mouth.
“Dude, the food is incredible,” he said with his mouth half full.
“How are you ever going to become my head of security when you’re more interested in stuffing your face than actually looking out for me?”
“I am looking out for you. But I don’t think the old cougar over there staring at your ass has a knitting needle shoved down her dress.”
I made the mistake of looking in that direction, and sure enough, there was a woman old enough to be my mother, blushing and wiggling her fingers at me. Oh, dear lord. I quickly looked away.
“I don’t like it. Did you see how he treated Ana out there? He was a dick. If he wants to come at me then come at me, but stop putting her in the middle.”
“We couldn’t even hear what they were saying,” Marcus said.
“Not the point. I could tell. I know Ana’s facial expressions, and she was pissed. He said something to upset her. I should kill him just for that.”
“I think you need to stop saying you’re going to kill people before we get thrown out of here. Keep your cool, man. You have like five more hours, and then she is all yours. So, let’s not go ruining the party, getting ourselves kicked out and maybe even ruining your deal with Vadin.”
Marcus had a point. I hadn’t seen Christov since Ana had unceremoniously left him on the dance floor. She was smiling as she spun a little boy around in a circle. In a blink, I saw it all…our life…our family…our future.
Marcus nudged my arm. I looked at him and then followed his sightline. My jaw was clenched so tight that I thought it might crack as I spotted Lawrence and his father, Gerald Collier.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” I hissed under my breath.
“You better get used to it. These assholes are like ticks. They just want to climb on your back, bite your ass, and give you a disease.”
I glared at Marcus.
“What the hell does that mean?”
“Never mind, it made more sense in my head.” He grabbed my shoulder and chugged back the rest of his champagne. “Point is, they’re assholes and will always stink things up.”
“You really need new metaphors.”
“That was a good one. You know because assholes stink unless their newly washed.”
I held up my hand silencing my friend from going any further. “Stop, just stop. My question is why are they here at a party in honor of Ana? I’ve never known the Mikhailovs to have any business dealings with the Collier family. Not to mention that both Ana and I told Vadin what Lawrence did to her. Why would he even allow them to step foot in his home? Let alone on his daughter’s birthday?”
“I don’t know. Maybe Vadin wants them to know that they didn’t pull one over on him. Maybe he plans on taking them out back and showing them a good time later. By good time I mean bad.”
I shook my head at Marcus. There was something seriously wrong with him.
“That is wishful thinking,” I said, unable to mask my annoyance.
Lawrence looked in my direction, and we glared at one another. Fuck I hated him. I’d been looking forward to tonight, but now I didn’t know if I could hold my shit together if either of those pricks said something to me about Ana.
An elderly gentleman stepped up to me, and I blinked as I realized that he was talking.
“I’m sorry?”
“Edmundo, my name is Seamus. I’m an old friend of your father’s, but I haven’t seen him in a dog’s age. He said I should come and introduce myself.”
I shook his hand and turned just enough so that I could talk to him and keep an eye on Ana. If Lawrence went anywhere near her, blood would be spilled tonight.
“Nice to meet you, Seamus. How do you know my father?”
“My company makes planes.”
My brow lifted. “Are we talking commercial planes?”
“All kinds of planes.” There was a deviousness in his eyes, and I could tell that he would’ve been fun to negotiate with when he was younger.
“I see, and are these planes equipped with more than just the usual wings and engines?”
“They sure are. We also happen to be the largest artillery manufacturer anywhere in the world.”
I crossed my arms and stared at him. “Why is this the first I’ve heard of you?”
“We like to keep a low profile.”
“Understandable. I have to ask…are you approaching me because you’d like to…do business…possibly partner, or is this truly a social introduction?”
Reaching into his suit jacket, Seamus pulled out a business card. I noticed a golden helmet, similar to the Wayward school logo, was on one side as he handed it over.
“Right now, it’s social. But I’ve always liked your father and I’ve seen what you’ve accomplished so far…consider me impressed. I think we could be more than simply social if you’re interested in the future.” Seamus winked as I took the card. “Have a good evening, Edmundo.”
“You as well,” I said as he slowly wandered away.
“Well, this night just keeps getting stranger by the second,” Marcus said.
“Now that is something we can agree on.”
Turning back to the dance floor, I watched as Ana walked toward her friend Frida before the pair slipped into the crowd. I wasn’t letting her out of my sight.
Yulianna
“What was that BS with Christov,” Frida asked as I reached her.
“I don’t know. I barely knew of him at Wayward, and if you remember, he was here for dinner with his family a few months back. But, now that my father has arranged for me to marry Eddie, I didn’t think I’d ever see him again.”
“Yes, I remember he kept asking you to leave the dining room,” Frida said, and I nodded.
“I refused, of course. After what Christov did to me and Eddie, why would I want to be in the same room with him, let alone go for a walk? I don’t understand why my father even let him through the door.”
“Politics. To insult Christov is to insult his family, and they have ties all the way to the top.”
“But…he said something so strange on the dance floor. He made it sound like I needed to learn my place. Who the hell does he think he is?”
“I don’t know the answer to that. I have heard some gossip about Christov, though. Do you want to know? Knowledge is power. If you think something strange is going on, maybe you can use the information.”
“I guess it couldn’t hurt.”
“He has a girlfriend named Alina, but his parents refuse to acknowledge her. Despite that, they are very intimate if you catch my drift,” Frida whispered, looking around to make sure no one was eavesdropping. A couple of the servers walked by, but then we were alone again.
None of this made any sense, and an unease that I couldn’t name was poking at me.
“He acted like some jealous boyfriend out there but a lot meaner. He ordered me not to embarrass him. For what?”
“He’s a man with an ego. Christov clearly doesn’t like Eddie, and the two of you were dancing for like twenty minutes before he cut in. This ball gives him an excuse to be around you and keeps Eddie from retaliating. Or...it could just be little dick, big prick energy,” Frida said, making me laugh.
“Do you know any more about Alina? Is she from a prominent family?”
“I don’t think so. The rumor is that she’s a prostitute and that’s why his family won’t acknowledge her.”
I laughed at Frida’s flippant remark. That couldn’t be true…could it?
“Hey, are you okay,” Eddie asked, stepping up behind me.
My entire body relaxed now that he was with me.
“I am now. That was weird with Christov,” I said.
“It just got a whole lot stranger. Lawrence and his father are here,” Eddie said.
My mouth dropped open, and I was sure steam was streaming from my ears like a cartoon character.
“Are you kidding me?”
He shook his head. “Any idea why your father would invite that scum here on your birthday of all days?”
I shook my head but then remembered my father acting strange upstairs. Was this what he was hiding? Was he doing business with the Collier family and didn’t want to tell me? He never cared about letting me in on his business dealings before.
“Eddie, I don’t understand any of this. Something is off.”
“Agreed. We need to speak to your father and find out what’s going on,” Eddie said, just as the music cut out and my father clinked a glass.
“What’s he up to,” Frida asked.
I had no idea, but something was off. This wasn’t what we’d discussed for the announcement of mine and Eddie’s engagement.
“Yulianna, please join me.”
The whole ballroom clapped as they turned to look at me. I glanced around at all the smiling faces and then up at Eddie. He was smiling and clapping, but his eyes held the same curiosity that filled me.
Although my father was never one to shy away from being the center of attention, this was strange. Holding my head high, I nodded to those congratulating me as I passed. My father waited on the raised dais, lording over his kingdom.
As I climbed the steps I caught sight of my mother. Her angry face and tear-filled eyes put me on alert. My body tensed when she walked into the crowd and disappeared.
“You really do look lovely tonight, my daughter,” Father said, but I eyed him suspiciously.
Now standing above the crowd, I noticed Christov and Lawrence together. My stomach rolled as the memory of Lawrence’s hands pinning me to the wall came racing back. Why would he be here? Seeing his smirking and smug face reminded me that my father didn’t care about my feelings. Business was business among snakes.
“Thank you,” I said.
“It wasn’t my intention to announce this tonight, but it seemed fitting to make the evening a larger celebration.”
Father picked up my hand and stared at me, but I couldn’t read his expression. He was guarded, and I would’ve said nervous, but my father didn’t get nervous.
“It comes as no surprise that there have been many offers for Yulianna’s hand in marriage, but one man stood out among the crowd.”
Butterflies danced around inside of me, and my nervousness turned to excitement as I gazed at Eddie. He stood out just like my father said he did. He oozed power and confidence. The corner of his mouth lifted, and it was the sexiest smile I’d ever seen. I had no idea why Father was doing the announcement early, but the sooner everyone knew about me and Eddie the better.
“The man that I have chosen as an acceptable match for my beautiful daughter comes from a powerful family and has proven to be resilient in the face of adversity. He is a rising star here in Russia….”
Eddie’s face fell along with my heart, and my head whipped in my father’s direction.
“Please help me congratulate Christov Ivankov.”
Pain lanced my chest as if he’d reached in and ripped my beating heart out. I clung to the rage building inside so that I didn’t break down in front of everyone.
“What the hell did you do?” I hissed under my breath.
For the first time in my life, worry filled my father’s eyes as if he were pleading for me to accept my fate. That wasn’t going to happen. Yanking my arm away, I glared at my father.
“You lied to me, you’ve betrayed me. I’ll never forgive you for this,” I whispered. “I hate you.”
“Yulianna.”
Not waiting for him to say another word or caring what anyone thought, I marched for the stairs and met Christov on my way down. He grabbed my arm, his fingers digging in painfully.
“Where do you think you’re going, wife?”
A couple standing nearby gasped, adding to my rage and bitter sadness. For just a moment…a single moment, I thought my father truly loved me. It was all a lie.
“Don’t touch me,” I growled and jerked away. “I’ll never marry you, bottom feeder.”
I’d tried to keep my voice low, but anyone within a few feet could still hear the exchange.
All I wanted to do was run to Eddie, but that would paint a target on his chest. Instead, I marched for the doors, and guests moved out of my way as I went. The silence was heavy other than the sound of my shoes clacking on the marble floor.
“My apologies. Yulianna is overwhelmed this evening,” Father said, and the music started back up.
I wasn’t overwhelmed, nor some petulant child acting out. I was a woman who’d been pushed down my whole life, and the one thing that I’d asked for, no, begged for in this world, he denied me. No, I wasn’t overwhelmed…I was furious.
Storming out into the hallway, I noticed a few people milling around and a handful of guards. I sucked in a deep breath, but the world was spinning.
The door opened again, and Christov charged out. He reached for me, and I jerked away, looking at the nearest guard. He immediately stood up straighter.
“Don’t touch me.”
“I will touch you however I want. You’re mine,” Christov snarled and tried to grab me again. I stepped back out of his grasp.
“Guards!”
They hadn’t taken a single step before Eddie burst through the door behind Christov. The fight was on before I even knew what was happening.
“You son of a bitch,” Eddie snarled as they rolled around on the ground, fists flying.
“You just can’t stand that you lost,” Christov sneered. “I’ll be sure to send you a message of how good it feels to take her on our wedding night.”
“I’m going to kill you,” Eddie growled, landing a hard blow across Christov’s jaw.
Frida, Marcus, and Lawrence all ran out into the hall, but I pointed at the guards.
“Stop them,” I ordered.
The four men barely managed to pry Eddie and Christov apart. Blood dripped down Christov’s chin and from his nose while Eddie sported a mark that was sure to bruise above his eye.
“Take that one to my father to deal with,” I said, pointing to Christov.
For now, Christov had no authority here. What he spouted didn’t matter. Their job was to protect me, but I didn’t know how long that would last.
“That one is to be thrown off the property,” I growled and pointed at Lawrence. “He is never welcome here.”
Lawrence smiled as a guard grabbed him by the arm and followed the guards, dragging Christov away as he swore at me in our mother tongue.
My heart was hammering in my chest as I looked at Eddie.
“Let him go, right now.”
The two guards obeyed, and I shooed them away. My eyes roamed over Eddie’s face.
“What are we going to do,” I asked, the fear slowly creeping higher than the anger.
“Come with me,” Eddie said as he grabbed my hand.
He pointed to Marcus and Frida.
“Follow as chaperones, but keep your distance.”
They nodded without questioning, and the four of us fled as far from the ballroom as we could get. Eddie walked into an empty room and closed the door behind us. He pulled me close and held me, his body shaking as I swallowed down the sob that wanted to rip from my throat.
“I can’t believe your father looked me in the eye, shook my hand and lied to me. His word means nothing and I’m going to make sure the world knows he can’t be trusted.”
“I won’t marry, Christov.”
Eddie kissed me hard. Desperation drove us, even as our souls tumbled to the ground from the highwire we’d been walking together the last nine years. Eddie cupped my face as he broke the kiss and left me breathless.
“What if we run away together? We can live on a beach somewhere,” I said.
“You would really run away with me?”
“Of course I would,” I said, mimicking his hands and cupping his face. “You’re my home, my heart. I’d live on the streets in a box as long as it was with you. You’re the only one that I’ve ever wanted, Eddie. Last night was the first time I was able to draw an easy breath, and then it was ripped back out of my lungs just now. I want to scream and rage, and….”
My hands tightened on his jacket as he held me closer.
“You can’t run. Your father will kill us both. I’ve made friends, built up favors, and have a small army, but we’ll only last a few months, maybe a year, against him and all of his support. I just don’t understand why he’s doing this to us,” Eddie said, and I shook my head. “He agreed. I should’ve forced him to sign yesterday. I shouldn’t have left his office until it was a done deal. That was the first thing I learned from my father, and…this is all my fault. I trusted him and his word, but I know better.”
Eddie’s voice was so full of despair that it hurt as much as a physical blow. He’d always been so positive and my rock. To hear him admit defeat killed me. It really was over. We lost.
“I don’t know. Maybe Father resents me being a girl. Maybe he hates me, or maybe he just wants to prove that he’ll always be in control, I don’t know. But I don’t believe it has anything to do with you. This is all about me.”
Eddie looked to the ceiling as he bit his lip.
“I don’t know how to live without you, Ana.”
Tears streamed down my cheeks as Eddie’s eyes locked with mine.
“Meet me tonight? Come to my hotel room, and we can try and figure something out,” he said before kissing my lips softly.
“Yes, anytime and anywhere. I’ll find a way out and come to you.”
Eddie reached into his jacket and pulled out a hotel key.
“I’ll leave now so your father doesn’t throw me out,” he said, handing me the key. I nodded, closing my hand around it. “I got us the penthouse. It was supposed to be a celebration….”
I placed my finger on his lips.
“I’ll be there and we are still celebrating while we make a plan. Even if I’m forced to marry that scum, I will run. Under no circumstances will I stay with Christov forever. I won’t become the very thing I hate about this world.”
“I love you, anima mia .”
Grabbing my hand, he kissed it and placed it over his pounding heart.
“I love you more,” I said in our usual exchange.
“Impossible.”
The ache trying to consume me was pushed aside for just a moment, and I smiled. Eddie could make me smile on the darkest of days, and I would need his light to escape Christov. My world would soon become pitch black and I needed Eddie waiting for me on the other side.
He grabbed the door handle but stopped and looked at me.
“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”
With the words from Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 running through my mind, I gazed at the love of my life. This was not our ending. Together, Eddie and I would find our happiness.
Eddie wiped a single tear from his cheek.
“So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,” he said.
“So long lives this, and this gives life to thee,” I finished.
With that, he walked out the door, taking my heart with him.