Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
Dante
I burst through the door and froze. Never in a million years did I expect this—sweet, obedient Natasha straddling Vera, fist raised and ready to strike. My heart dropped.
My guys had called saying Vera was speeding toward the Manor. I'd come straight here. I knew Vera was unstable, but I hadn't expected this.
Vera had her stomach pumped last night. Her body couldn't take a beating like this.
I lunged forward, grabbed Natasha by the shoulders, and yanked her off Vera. Vera immediately scrambled behind me, sobbing.
"Are you kidding me, Natasha?" I glared at her. "What the hell are you doing?"
Natasha steadied herself. She looked past me at Vera and let out a cold laugh.
"What am I doing?" she shot back. Her voice was sharp. "Why don't you ask her what she did?"
Of course I knew why Vera came here. She'd spent all last night hysterical, crying about how Natasha stole her life, stole everything that should've been hers. She was obviously here to start something.
But even if Vera was unstable, that didn't give Natasha the right to hit her.
"No matter what, she's your sister," I said, my voice hard.
"Sister?" Natasha laughed bitterly. "I'd rather be an orphan!"
Before I could react, she shoved past me and went for Vera again.
This time I was ready. I caught her around the waist and hauled her back. Her hand clawed at empty air, inches from Vera's face.
Vera's tears came instantly. She collapsed to the floor, looking up at me with those pitiful eyes. "Do it, Natasha, go ahead! But I love Dante! I know I hurt you when I ran, I know I made a mistake, but I really love him!"
Tears spilled down her cheeks as she broke into sobs. "Natasha, please," she pleaded. "Give him back to me. You can hate me, you can hurt me, but you can't change the fact that I love him."
A sinking feeling hit me.
Of course. Vera's pathetic display had only managed to infuriate Natasha even more.
With a violent jerk, Natasha wrenched herself and tried to throw herself at Vera again.
"Let go of me!" She fought like hell, almost breaking free.
"You're insane!" I roared and shoved her hard in the chest. "Stay away from her!"
I didn't control my strength. Natasha stumbled backward, lost her balance, and slammed down hard onto the glass-covered floor.
I froze. Guilt hit me a beat too late. What the hell was I doing, throwing Natasha to the ground like that? I instinctively moved to help her up.
I reached out, trying to soften my voice. "Stop this, Natasha."
Natasha slapped my hand away. The rejection was so absolute it made my chest tighten. Something wasn't right. Today's Natasha was different—her eyes held a coldness I'd never seen before.
"Where were you last night, Dante?"
Natasha sat on the floor and asked quietly.
That goddamn question again. Last time I'd barely managed to dodge it. But last night was different—Natasha and I had plans.
I did try to come home. After I hung up on Vera, she'd stormed into my office, hysterical, threatening to kill herself. She had a bottle of sleeping pills, swore she'd take them all if I left. I had no choice but to stay and talk her down.
So yeah, I'd left Natasha waiting all night. Again.
But now wasn't the time to explain. If I told her the truth—that I was just comforting Vera—it would only make Vera spiral harder.
"It doesn't matter." I forced down my panic, my voice cold. "Whatever happened last night doesn't give you the right to assault people."
Natasha stared at me. She didn't argue. She just braced her hands on the floor and tried to stand.
A pair of arms in a security uniform reached down. Leo strode over, bent down, and gripped her arms, lifting her carefully to her feet.
My eyes locked onto his hands touching her. Possessive rage flooded my veins.
I glared at Leo. He glared right back. Damn it, I should've gotten rid of him earlier. Too much going on—I'd been sloppy.
"I'm never letting Vera off." Natasha looked straight at me. "Listen carefully. From now on, every time I see Vera, I'm beating the shit out of her. She hit my friend. Threatened to fire him. She's getting what she deserves."
Friend. She called this security guy her friend. To my face.
According to my intel, Leo had been into Natasha since high school. There's no way she didn't know. Yet she let him stay this close. Was she trying to get back at me? Using Leo to hurt me? Or had Leo moved in while I wasn't looking?
Either way, I wasn't having it.
I moved toward Natasha, ready to pull her away from him.
Leo stepped forward, blocking me completely.
"Mr. Romanov." He looked up at me, no fear in his eyes. "You've already knocked her down once today."
"This is between me and my wife." I forced the words through clenched teeth. "You're in no position to comment. Move."
"My job is protecting people in this manor who need protecting." Leo didn't budge. "Right now, that person is standing behind me."
No subordinate had ever talked to me like this. He needed to pay for it.
My hand slipped inside my jacket. The Beretta's grip was cool against my palm. But then Natasha ducked out from behind Leo and stepped in front of him.
She spread her arms wide, shielding Leo with her small frame, her red-rimmed green eyes locked on mine.
"Don't you dare lay a finger on him," Natasha said, unflinching. "You wanna shoot him, you shoot me first. I mean it, Dante. If you want to get to Leo, you'll have to step over my dead body."
"You're protecting him again?" I spat, the gun nearly touching her face. "For some hired security guard?"
The thought that Leo might be behind her behavior made my blood boil. How dare she? How dare she protect another man in front of me?
"Are you serious?" Natasha let out a bitter laugh, her eyes blazing with contempt.
"You lost your mind over Vera. You stayed out all night because of her. You shoved me to the ground for her."
She took a step forward. "So tell me—why can't I do the same for Leo?"
She was comparing her relationship with this guard to my responsibility toward Vera.
I'd been good to her. I gave her the position of lady of the Manor, gave her a studio, took her to events. And what did she do? Defended another man to my face.
Reason left me completely.
"Know your place, Natasha!" I yelled, trying to break her with the cruelest words I could find. "Vera was supposed to be the rightful mistress of this house! She has every right to fire the staff."
The room went dead silent. Leo's fists clenched. Vera stopped crying.
I was breathing hard, staring at Natasha.
The anger drained from her face. She just stood there, quiet.
"Of course," she said softly, her tone flat. "I'm just an outsider here. A substitute."
Substitute.
The word detonated in my skull.
What I'd said to Vera in my office last night echoed in my ears. I'd told Vera that Natasha was just a substitute. I'd only said it to stop Vera from hurting herself.
My heart hammered. She knew? She'd heard?
Panic swallowed me whole. Now I understood why she was acting like this.
"Natasha, let me explain." I reached for her arm, frantic. "Last night wasn't what you think. I only said that to—"
"Don't touch me!" Natasha jerked back, slapping my hand away violently. Her eyes were full of disgust. "Save your lies, Dante. I don't need your explanations. Our marriage was a mistake from the start."
Then Natasha raised her left hand. Her right hand gripped the diamond wedding ring on her finger.
"What are you doing?" I stared at her, horrified.
She yanked. The ring came off.
"I want a divorce."
Natasha's voice was ice. She tossed the ring at my feet.
The sharp clink of metal hitting the floor echoed through the room.
Fear of abandonment and fury at being humiliated twisted together inside me, but my pride wouldn't let me beg.
"Fine! Divorce it is!" I laughed bitterly, jabbing my finger toward the door. "You think I need you? I'm better off without you. I wish you and your friend all the best. Take your shit and get out!"
Natasha nodded. "I wish you both well. Dante, I hope you and Vera have a wonderful life together."
She turned, walked to the corner, and grabbed the black suitcase with one hand.
Leo ripped the silver captain's badge off his chest and threw it on the floor.
"I quit." His voice was cold.
He walked to Natasha's side and took the suitcase from her naturally.
Natasha didn't refuse. They walked out side by side.
I stood frozen, watching their backs disappear down the hallway.
My throat tightened. No sound came out.
Only the diamond ring remained on the floor, glittering coldly.