2. Chapter Two #2
With a huff, she walks away from Denis.
“You should be ashamed,” I tell him in a matter of fact way.
“How so?”
“Using my father’s funeral to gain power. It’s tacky. You’ll never be able to stand up to the greatness of my dad. You just won’t.”
He blinks and then his lips purse, like he wants to say more but is holding himself back.
I motion for my sisters to follow me and we head out the door. I look around to see if the stranger is there but I don’t see him.
We all get into our private car. Our driver takes us to the reception which is being held at our house. Denis wanted to have it at his house but Mom insisted. Lev’s house was the more appropriate place to host it.
We arrive before all the other guests show up.
“I can’t believe him,” Mom seethes, pacing around the living room. “He’s going to marry you all off to men to consolidate his power.”
“But Dad wanted us to wait until we were older,” Sasha says.
“Yes, he did. But I doubt Denis wants that. Natalya is already twenty. He’s going to use you,” she says right to me. “He’s going to marry you off the first chance he gets.”
“Did Dad have anyone in mind for me?”
“A few contenders but nothing in stone. Besides, I don’t want to marry any of you off to gain power. I just won’t do it.”
“I’m not sure Uncle Denis is going to offer us a choice,” I tell her.
As if on cue, he arrives at the house, strolling inside like he lives here (which he does not because Mom made sure of it). “Natalya, I want to introduce you to Antoni Ivanov.”
An older man walks into the house. He has to be in his fifties at least.
“Please to meet you,” he says, taking my hand before I can even process what’s happening. He kisses the back of it. I force my heartbeat to calm down. When he lets my hand go, I can’t un-feel the wet mark he left behind on my skin.
“What is this?” Tatiana asks. “This is Natalya’s father’s funeral. This is not the place to make a marriage deal.”
“It’s always the place,” Denis replies. “Now, Natalya. Come with me and Antoni so we can talk more in private.”
Mom steps in front of me. Other guests are beginning to arrive, making the room feel more and more claustrophobic. “You are not going to be alone with my daughter with a man I barely know.”
“Tatiana, we’ve met before,” Antoni says.
“Oh I know. But only once and I thought you had acted inappropriately. You touched my leg under the table without my consent. I don’t want you as a husband for my daughter. Denis, I am not allowing this.”
“You don’t get a say, Tatiana.” He speaks in such a condescending way. I’m surprised that Mom doesn’t smack him all over again.
I look to my right and see that the stranger has returned. He’s standing in the kitchen, conversing with a man and woman. As if he can sense me looking, he finds my eyes across the room and gives me a nod.
He’s the one I want to speak to.
“I have to use the bathroom,” I blurt out. “Sorry Uncle. Maybe some other time.” I hurry away before Denis can pull me into a private room and make me marry Antoni right then and there.
I walk past the stranger towards the bathroom, hoping he’ll follow. I have questions I need answered.
I go into the bathroom and shut the door, hanging my head low. This day is already chaos.
A knock on the door makes me stand up straighter.
“Who is it?” I ask.
“I think you know.” It’s the voice of the stranger.
I crack the door open. He’s so tall and broad shouldered, he takes up my entire view.
“Hello, Natalya.” His voice is like warm honey. It’s smooth and deep and makes me want to sink deeper into him.
“Who are you?” I demand. “You never gave me your name and now you’re here, at my father’s funeral. I thought you were just a fan of the show when we met the other night.”
“Let me in and I’ll explain.”
I hesitate. Should I let this man into the bathroom so he can be alone with me? He could do anything to me.
But how can it be worse than what my own uncle is trying to do to me?
With a deep breath, I open the door wider and motion him inside. He shuts the door behind him. It drowns out all the noise from the rest of the house, reminding me that I’m in a bathroom, alone with an intimidatingly handsome man, who knows my father. He’s dangerous.
“I’m Mikhail Novikoff.”
I don’t know the name but then again, I don’t know any of the men who worked with my dad.
“You knew my dad.”
“Yes. We ran in close circles.”
“So, you’re a Bratva member.”
“I am.” He steps closer to me. “Does that bother you?”
“You didn’t tell me this when we first met.”
“I know. I didn’t want to scare you.”
“So you’re ok with scaring me now?” I whisper.
“Am I scaring you?” Slowly, he reaches his hand out and cups my face. I inhale sharply.
“You shouldn’t touch me.”
“I’ll stop if you want me to stop.”
Do I want him to stop? I know I shouldn’t be doing this.
I also know that I have never felt more alive than standing in this man’s presence.
“I saw you dancing,” he says, not moving closer to me. His hand stays steady on my face. “I had never seen anything more beautiful than you dancing. I knew in that moment I had to make you mine.”
I gasp. “What? Did my father…”
“Your father and I never discussed marriage with any of his daughters. He wasn’t ready to lose any of you yet. But he’s gone now.”
“Don’t be mean.”
“I’m not trying to be. I’m just stating a fact. He’s gone. And your uncle is going to marry you off to a man who likes to rape women. I know Antoni Ivanov’s reputation.”
I shudder. That speaks to what my mom said about Antoni putting his hand on her leg without her permission. “And you?”
“I don’t rape women. Have no desire to. I’m not some scared, insecure fucker.”
My face flushes. No one has ever spoken to me like this before.
“I am going to make you mine, Natalya.”
“What if I don’t want that?”
“Then you can marry Antoni. Your uncle will make you.”
“So, it’s either you or him? Is that what you’re saying?”
“I don’t want to force you to marry me. But if it means saving you from that fucker, I will do what I have to.”
“How is that any better than rape?” I ask.
He smiles and drops his hand. “Because I will never touch you unless you want me to. But I will make you mine. I knew the moment I first saw you dance. I have power. I can save you from the mess your uncle is going to put you in. Think on it.” His eyes search my face.
“You are beautiful. Has anyone ever told you that?”
“My dad. People at the ballet.”
“A man like me ever told you that?”
I swallow hard. “No.”
“I want you, Natalya. Men in my world take. Do you want to be taken by a known rapist? Or do you want to be taken by a man who thinks you’re the most beautiful dancer he’s ever seen?”
He leaves the bathroom before I can give an answer. I’m stunned. Mikhail. That’s his name. He knew my father. Might have worked alongside him. I have more questions than I do answers.
But one thing is certain: he is dangerous.
He’s offering me a choice but I think deep down, he’s going to take me no matter what I say.
And for some reason, that excites me more than it should.
Mikhail
I spend the funeral observing.
Denis is going out of his way to talk to as many people as he can but I notice that he hasn’t approached me. He must know that Lev and I were friends.
I met Denis once years ago when I was in my twenties, first starting off in this Mafia world. He thought I was some upstart fucker who wasn’t worth his time. Given how he keeps avoiding me, I’m thinking that he still thinks that.
When Denis goes to the bathroom, I wait outside the door. I’m going to ambush the motherfucker.
He opens the door after a few minutes and practically jumps when he sees me. “Mikhail.” He says my name like a swear word. “I was wondering when you were going to come talk to me.”
“Funny. I was wondering the same.”
He steps out of the bathroom and stares me down. “What do you want?”
“You’re going to marry Natalya to Antoni?”
“Word spreads fast around here.”
“It really does.”
He crosses his arms. “Why do you ask?”
“Because if you were smart, you’d marry her to me.”
“Really?” He scoffs. “And why the fuck would I do that? You were never my friend.”
“That’s because I was friends with Lev, who you hated. And I’m fairly positive you had a hand in killing. You’re going to need all the help you can get. Make a power alliance with me. Give me Natalya. And we’ll be loyal to each other.”
“You’ll be loyal to a man you don’t like?”
“As long as I get Natalya, I’ll work with whoever.”
He raises his eyebrows. “You really want her? Why?”
“She’s a beautiful woman. A beautiful dancer. She’s innocent. I want her.”
“Well, hate to break it to you, Mikhail, but you’re not going to get her. I’ll marry her to Antoni. He’s the one I want on my side. I know for a fact that he’ll be loyal to me.”
“All right then. I figured that would be your answer.”
“And?”
I shrug. “And what?”
“And you’re just going to be ok with that?”
“I can’t make you change your mind, Denis. Though, it’s funny to me how you think you’ll marry Natalya to Antoni.” I pat him on the back and walk away.
It doesn’t take long for Denis to follow me. “What the fuck do you mean by that? You’re not thinking of taking the girl without my permission. You’re asking for a war if you do that.”
I stare him down, feeling satisfied as he looks up at me. I’m taller than him and he hates that fact. “I’m all right with going to war. I have a lot of power, Denis. Don’t underestimate me.”
“You’re just a boy.”
“I’m a thirty-five year old boy then.” I pat him on the back hard, which makes him flinch. “If you don’t give me Natalya, then you’ll have a war on your hands. Think about it.”
I give him a wink then walk away. This time, he doesn’t follow me.
Natalya
I watch as Mikhail leaves the house. The fact that I’m disappointed means something.
The way he just touched my face and told me he would make me his sends a shiver down my spine. It’s both terrifying and exciting. To have a man as powerful as him want to claim me is something I never thought would happen.
A part of me wants to be the black swan and say yes. Let him take me. Let him seduce me.
But I’ve always been the white swan, playing by the rules. Innocent. Afraid to go after what I want.
I see Antoni talking to Denis across the room.
After my conversation with Mikhail, Antoni tried touching my leg without my consent, just like he did to my mom.
I sought safety around my mom and sisters so he couldn’t try anything but I’ve been watching him eye me over all night.
He wants me and I know he’s not going to wait for me to give permission for him to touch me.
It's not him I want touching me anyway.
The simple touch Mikhail gave to my face was more powerful than any touch I received as a ballet dancer.
Jake, my fellow dancer has touched my inner thighs and back whenever he’s lifted me up.
But Jake, being gay, has never lit my body on fire.
Those touches were innocent. They were done in the name of dance.
But Mikhail’s touch to my face was not innocent. It was his way of saying I’m his.
And I don’t think I’ll be able to stop him. Nor do I want to.