Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
Nico
Viktor sidles up to me as I approach the bar. I don’t even want another drink. I’m nursing a glass of whiskey. But I need an excuse to leave Anya so I can look for Sienna. She disappeared to the bathroom and hasn’t returned. Maybe seeing me with Anya was more difficult than she thought.
“Lovely evening?” Viktor asks.
“Not too bad, Viktor,” I reply, knowing full well his shit-eating grin is fake. There’s a large chance he was behind the hit Adrian tried to walk me into.
“Who are you looking for?”
“No one.”
“You were scanning the room as I approached.”
I smile tightly. “Occupational hazard.”
“You shouldn’t leave Anya waiting too long. She’s been looking forward to this evening.”
I grind my teeth. There’s a chance that Viktor wasn’t involved with the hit attempt. In that case, it’s in my best interest to play along with the charade. Part of the deal was giving Anya the best night of her life, and I’m not sure I’m going to be able to do that when it clearly means causing Sienna, the woman I actually care about, pain.
After getting Mother a glass of champagne – my excuse for going to the bar – I walk across the ballroom, looking for Sienna. I lean into my mother. “Find Sienna. She’s disappeared.”
Mother takes her glass of champagne and leaves me and Anya alone. Anya smiles shakily at me. “Anyone would think you’re trying to avoid me.”
“Not at all,” I say politely.
“Do you like my dress?”
“Uh, yes.” Even saying this feels like a betrayal. “Are you… having a good evening?”
“Why won’t you look at me, Nico?”
I turn to her. “I will.”
She rolls her eyes. “I shouldn’t have to ask.”
“I’m…”
“Sorry? Is that the word you’re looking for?”
Yeah, I’m sorry that she’s so desperate for attention her father had to make a deal for it. I want to tell her she can do better than wait around for scraps of attention from me, but that would mean risking the deal.
“I’m going to get another drink,” she says. “By the way, you could’ve offered to get me one when you saw I was almost out.”
She walks away with a toss of her head. From across the room, Viktor glares at me.
Mother returns with Sienna by her side. There’s something different about Sienna. She looks skittish, which is unusual for her. Even in the Cattle and Vine, when the Russians were trying to bully her, she seemed tough.
“Is everything okay?” I ask quietly.
She replies, but she doesn’t look at me. She glares into space as though thinking about something else. “I’m great.”
“Are you sure?”
“I just said that, didn’t I?”
Mother looks at me questioningly. I shake my head. She’s probably angry at seeing me with Anya. I can’t blame her. If the positions were reversed, I’d want to tear this entire hotel down.
* * *
I hate parties, especially mob parties, when things spiral into drunkenness. Mother and Sienna sit in the corner, talking, observing. I spend some time with my men and a collection of Russians, pretending to be someone I’m not, just getting through it.
When someone touches my arm, I spin, my instincts ready for a fight. Anya laughs awkwardly. In the thirty minutes since she left for the bar, she’s clearly consumed a lot of alcohol. She seems shaky on her feet.
“You need to listen,” she says, slurring her words.
She almost stumbles. I’ve got no choice but to take her arm, steady her. Sienna is probably watching. When Anya seems like she’s able to stand upright, I remove my hand.
“Listen to what?”
“To common sense ,” she snaps. Suddenly, she seems like a different woman. Still drunk, yes, but not the ditsy society girl I’ve always known her as. She seems… sharper, more aware. “I’ve tried doing it the nice way: the reasonable way.”
Her words are slurred, but she speaks with more conviction than I’ve ever heard from her before.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I tell her.
She moves closer, evidently not wanting anyone else to hear. “When I was younger, I won’t lie., I was interested in you, Nico. But I’ve got self-respect. I wouldn’t continue to pursue a man who clearly doesn’t want anything to do with me.”
I resist the urge to tell her that’s exactly what she seems to be doing.
She scoffs, most likely reading the thought on my face.
“I know it seems like I never got over my crush. But that’s because I understand something–something you seem utterly incapable of grasping.”
“Enlighten me,” I say stiffly.
“I’ve pushed so hard for so long to be with you because it’s best for both our organizations. It will make us both more money – it will give us greater control of Dallas. I’ve tried to be a woman you’d fall for, but it’s not working, so I’ve decided to be honest.”
“You’re seeking this as a political alliance. You’re not actually interested in me.”
“Are you offended?”
“No – I’m relieved.”
The words are out before I realize how rude they are. But she doesn’t seem offended. She smiles drunkenly. “So you see that what I’m saying makes sense, then?”
“Perhaps it does, but I still can’t be with you, Anya.”
“Why?” She narrows her eyes, looking calculating, scheming. I’ve never seen her like this. “With our marriage, we could rule this city, every single corner. The smaller organizations wouldn’t stand a chance against an Italian-Bratva alliance. I’m done playing games. If you kissed me here, everyone will know that we’ve crossed the line. We’ve put a plan into action.”
“You’re like a different person.”
“I’ve always been this person, but I thought it was better if you only saw what I wanted you to see. That’s the lot for a woman like me. I stick to the shadows, show the big, oh-so powerful men the laughing, silly girl they already think I am…” She throws her head back, laughs unconvincingly, then suddenly stops. “See? It’s all a show. You need to think, Nico. About the city. About the future.”
She reaches out to put her hand on me. I glide out of the way, wanting nothing to do with her.
She stumbles. It’s bad luck. Or maybe she leaned forward too far, thinking I would catch her. She almost falls before catching herself standing upright, glaring.
“You’re drunk, Anya,” I say.
“Drunk enough to finally tell you the truth. Just kiss me, Nico. We need to stop playing games. We need to make a show of it.”
“Do you want a loveless marriage?”
“Pfft. I want what every girl wants: true love, a real relationship. But mafia princesses don’t have that privilege.”
“I’m not going to kiss you,” I tell her. “Even if I wanted to, I refuse to take advantage of a drunk woman.”
“What a hero you are,” she says sarcastically.
“Mock me for it if you want, but it’s the truth.”
When she glares at me, I see the woman she’s always been, the person she’s been hiding behind her glitzy facade. “Our lives would be easier if we simply accepted, we’re not the masters of our own destinies.” She grabs a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and tosses it back. “If you’re too blind to see that, I can’t help you.”
“Anya, I don’t want to upset you, but?—”
“ Upset me?” she snaps. “If we were together, it would stop my father and his vicious, ugly, unacceptable behavior. It would allow me to escape from his home.” She rocks from side to side, looking as if she might fall. “It would make it so I could be free – and maybe do some good in my life.”
“Wait, you don’t want to be with your father?” My mind ticks to future possibilities, contingencies layered upon what ifs .
“If you know my father, you shouldn’t even need to ask me that.”
She storms away, weaving from side to side as she tries to maintain her balance.
“What was that about?” Viktor snaps.
I turn quickly. “I told her I wouldn’t take advantage of a drunk woman. I never have, and I never will.”
“I’d rather my daughter be drunk and happy, Nico, than drunk and sad.”
I think about asking Viktor if he truly cares about Anya, knows about her secret side. She wants true love, but she’s too calculating to believe she can have it.
“I meant what I said,” I tell him bluntly.
“Some party,” Viktor snaps. “Our deal was that you would make my Anya happy this evening. You’ve failed.”
He walks away. I close my eyes for a brief moment, fury flashing across my vision. Opening my eyes, I look toward the corner where Mother and Sienna were, but they’re no longer there.
Taking out my cell, I call Mother. “Where are you?”
“Sienna wasn’t feeling well. She wanted to go home and get some sleep.”
“I’ll come by soon,” I reply. “In fact, I think I may stay at your place this evening.”
“That’s a good idea, dear. Sienna seems very shaken up. I can’t help but wonder if it had something to do with seeing you and Anya together.”
“Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. If I saw her with another man, I’d be pissed too. I don’t care if it’s only been a little while.”
“Love doesn’t work on a timeline, dear,” Mom says.
“Love,” I repeat. “Don’t get ahead of yourself.”
“Perhaps you’re living in denial.”
After ending the call, I see Viktor, Anya, and most of the Russians heading for the exit. Tonight, has been a colossal failure.