Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
MILA
The last time I’d seen my uncle look so upset was during my father’s funeral.
“You’re angry.” I lowered my eyes. My mind raced to sell the lie I was making up on the spot. “I thought you’d be happy for me. Axel is a good man.”
A long silence hung between the three of us.
My uncle’s voice was strained, and he was avoiding eye contact. “Please give us a moment, Mila.”
As I moved to cross the room, I glanced up at Axel. His gaze nearly incinerated me.
I lifted my chin defiantly. He deserved what he got after dragging me back to a horrifying fate. I would have escaped if he hadn’t interfered.
“Less emotion, remember?” I whispered.
His clenched jaw and penetrating stare told me that my comment had further pissed him off.
Somehow, I didn’t care.
I left him to his consequences and pulled the door closed behind me. As I started up the grand staircase that led to the family suites, I could hear my uncle’s muffled shouting but couldn’t make out what he was saying.
The men in my life were determined to take away what little freedom I had. As terrifying as this game was, I was determined to win at any cost.
I reached my room and carefully lifted my dad’s trumpet from its case.
Beneath the instrument was a small compartment that held his valve oil and cleaning cloths.
My entire body shook with adrenaline. I needed to calm my nerves.
Using my scissors, I carefully cut a slot in the compartment and slid the money and my passport inside, between the foam and the velvet covering.
I returned the trumpet and closed the case. I rested my trembling hand on the worn leather case, imagining my own father touching the same spot. Tears filled my eyes.
I just needed to keep this game going long enough to escape.
The moment they had suggested I marry Sergei, they had backed me into a corner that was so terrible, so unthinkable, that I realized I would fight to the end before I submitted.
The old me wouldn’t have even tried to leave.
But now I realized that if I didn’t fight for my life, no one else would.
I knew I had unfairly pulled Axel into this mess, but I didn’t care.
I would drag anyone down with me if it helped me fight this, and I wouldn’t apologize for it either.
I put the trumpet and my backpack into the depths of my closet. It wasn’t the perfect hiding place, but it would give me quick enough access. It was only a matter of time before I started planning my next escape.
I stood in the library, at the bar, and poured myself a second vodka. I wasn’t a drinker and the first shot wasn’t sitting well in my empty stomach, but I needed to stop the shaking.
Axel appeared in the doorway and crossed the room to stand in front of me. He looked livid, but he kept his voice low. “What the hell? Do you know how much you just fucked me over?”
With an unsteady hand, I tossed back my second shot. “You screwed me over first when you dragged me back here.”
He glowered at me. “I was doing my job.”
I clasped the edge of the counter. The cold, white marble dug into the palm of my hands. “Don’t take it personally.”
His eyes dropped to the bottle of vodka. “Bit early, don’t you think?”
In response, I lifted my hand between us and showed him that it was shaking like a leaf.
His gaze darkened, and he spun away from me and walked the length of the room. His anger radiated off him like heat. With his back to me, he looked at the ceiling and took five deep, exaggerated breaths. The guy was seriously worked up.
He turned and pinned me with his sharp gaze. “What exactly were you thinking?”
“You told me to appeal to his logic regarding his business.” His anger made me feel defensive. “It’s fine. As long as I’m telling him I love you, my uncle won’t hurt you. Sergei can get to Vancouver some other way, and then we can amicably break up.”
He ran one hand through his hair. “You need to go back to your uncle and tell him that you made this entire thing up.”
“No.”
His nostrils flared. “Fix this.”
There was no way I was going to fix this, because this faux romance was the only thing standing between me and marriage to Sergei. “Cat’s kinda out of the bag.”
Aunt Lena appeared at the door. She looked between the both of us with contempt before focusing on me. “Your uncle’s looking for you.”
I avoided Axel’s gaze as I crossed the room. “Lead the way.”
“This conversation isn’t over,” Axel said from behind me.
“I don’t know why you’re so grumpy,” I said in an exasperated tone. “I told you repeatedly I wanted to shout my love for you from the rooftops.” I watched with satisfaction as Lena’s turned sharply. I knew my comment would be repeated verbatim into my uncle’s ear.
I glanced behind me.
Axel stood in the middle of the room, his stance wide, both hands in his pockets, his face emotionless. But his frustration was palpable as he watched me leave.
My aunt all but ignored me as she led me to my uncle and left me at the door of his office. I entered his domain cautiously, unsure how angry he might be with me.
He pointed at the seat in front of his desk. “Sit.”
This time I sat.
He looked at me for a long time without speaking.
“Are you going to punish me now?”
He pursed his lips and continued to study me.
He was less upset than I expected him to be, which should have made me feel better but actually made me more nervous.
It was suspicious. I needed to play the part of besotted lover instead of runaway teen, but I didn’t know what that looked like when it came to Axel.
I looked down at my clasped hands. “I heard you shouting at Axel.”
“You went behind my back.”
I swallowed, choosing my words carefully. “I know. Can I explain what happened?”
He gave a careless motion with his hand.
I tried to imagine how I would act if I had feelings for Axel and then worked to spin the most plausible story I could.
“I don’t think he noticed me at first. He kept to himself, but I noticed him, how well he drove, how polite and respectful he was, and how protective he acted toward both me and Aunt Lena.
I found time alone with him just so I could try and talk to him. ”
His brows furrowed. “And?”
I tried to imagine pursuing someone like Axel in real life, and I couldn’t imagine him doing anything except ignoring me. “He wanted nothing to do with me.”
That made my uncle frown harder, which made me press on. “He told me later it was just because he was fighting his own feelings while trying to be loyal to you.”
That got me a nod, so I continued my story, making it up as I went. “I wore him down. Asked him questions. Joked with him. Made him laugh, but that’s all we did. I thought I had all the time in the world.”
He cleared his throat. “I’m willing to send you to Canada, but not without the protection of marriage.”
How did I explain that the person I would need protecting from was Sergei? “Sergei scares me.”
He looked at me sharply. “If you think Axel is a safer option, I’m afraid you’re sadly mistaken.”
“I don’t want to go to Canada if I have to marry Sergei.”
He shook his head, almost in disappointment. “You remind me of your father. He made too many decisions with his heart. He was never able to put the business first.”
Axel had told me to appeal to my uncle’s business sense. “Well, I think it’s a bad business decision to send Sergei to Canada.”
He leaned back in his chair and looked almost amused. “Why?”
I worked to keep the emotions out of my voice.
“Sergei is a brute, even here in Russia. How do you think that will go over in Canada, where everyone is so polite? He doesn’t know how to do anything other than threaten people with a bad time.
He doesn’t have working knowledge of the English language, and that’s going to be a huge handicap for him. ”
He thought about my answer. “I had the same thoughts.”
I couldn’t believe he was actually agreeing with me. “Why him? Is there something special about him that you need in Canada?”
He shrugged. “Lena was the one who suggested we send him. She thought you’d be happy with the idea of him as your husband.”
That sent alarm bells up my spine. I knew she didn’t like me, but this was a low blow even for her.
“The language barrier can be quite frustrating. I’d worry that he’d take his frustrations out on the business.”
My uncle pinched his nose and squeezed his eyes shut. “Did Axel tell you to say this?”
“Axel doesn’t tell me anything about your business, but I notice my own things. Sergei drives faster and more recklessly when he’s annoyed. He shoves people around when he’s upset. And I generally don’t feel safe around him.”
“He wouldn’t touch you.”
I slowly lifted the sleeve of my shirt and showed him the bruise forming on my arm.
His eyes looked at my arm, but his expression didn’t change. “Let’s talk about Axel.”
“He would’ve let me marry Sergei. His loyalty is to you first.” I spoke the truth. My uncle wouldn’t see this as anything but a strength.
“My blessing needs to be earned.”
“Meaning?”
“He needs to prove himself to me.”
There is no way that Axel would continue this charade. I had backed him into a corner only to buy myself some more time. I had no idea how I would get myself out of this.
My uncle wasn’t finished. “Starting with our family party.”
I looked at my uncle in dismay. Twice a year, my uncle held a family reunion in Zavidovo, a rustic but posh cluster of resorts that all offered similar and equally torturous activities like hunting, ice fishing and skeet shooting.
It seemed to be cold there no matter the time of year, and I generally suffered dearly during these family events.
My uncle was also notoriously strict about it being a ‘family only’ event and didn’t allow people to bring their partners unless they were married. He was even strict about the staff that accompanied us on those trips. Only his most trusted men joined us.
“Is our next trip coming up?” I asked, stalling.