Chiara
CHIARA
I ’m sure I must have misheard my mother, because there’s no fucking way she just told me my step-dad is part of the Russian Mob. Wait, no. Not part of the Russian Mob, but the head? The actual leader of a criminal organization?
Oh, my God. I’m going to die, aren’t I?
My mother looks at me as I silently spiral. I’m sure to her it looks like I’m not affected when in actual fact I am completely losing my shit. On the inside.
“? Please say something?”
I blink and my eyes come into focus again, realizing I’ve probably been staring at my mom for too long without saying something. Then again, I’m scared when I open my mouth nothing will come out but a high pitched shriek.
“He’s … You married a criminal,” I finally say, blinking too fast again. “Mom, you married a … Oh my God!”
I jump up and start pacing, muttering to myself about how I’m going to die when I walk out of this stupid mansion. No wonder Nikolai looked so smug, he’s probably going to be taking over from Daddy when he’s old enough .
My mother grabs my shoulders and forces me to face her. She’s wearing a stern expression and whatever I was going to say immediately goes out of my mind.
“I need you to get a hold of yourself, . Of course you’re not going to die, not while you’re under Dmitri’s protection,” she says and she’s actually believing whatever she’s saying. “Now, I’m going to leave you for the evening because you’re probably jetlagged and need to process what happened today. We’ll talk more over breakfast, okay?”
I look at my mother, trying to find any hint in her eye that this could be a big joke. But nope, she’s goddamn serious and I can only nod. She smiles at me, kisses the top of my head and then walks out after telling me she loves me.
When the door shuts behind her, I stare at it for a long time before shaking my head and taking a look at the room around me. So, this is going to be my room from now on because I won’t be able to leave without fearing for my life.
How will this even work? Did my mother even think this through before she decided to marry this man? Nothing makes sense now, and I probably need to sleep before I can think this through.
I give the room another look, then I walk to the bed and promptly fall asleep.
W hen I wake up the following morning, I’m confused at the super soft cloud I’m sleeping on. I’m laying on my stomach and let out a moan at the divine bedding beneath me, cuddling deeper into whatever heaven I just woke up in.
“Well, that’s a sound I am never getting out of my head. ”
My eyes fly open and I take in Nikolai’s ice-blue eyes staring at me … then I promptly scream and lift my arm to slap him. He chuckles, grabs my wrist and pulls me closer.
“Easy there, little sister. Is that any way to greet family?” he says with a smirk and I pull my arm out of his grip before moving back from him.
“What the fuck are you doing in my bed, Nikolai?!” I ask while glaring at him.
He shrugs. “I decided to come wake you up, but you looked so adorable sprawled out and snoring, that I just left you.”
“I do not snore!” I say with a scoff and his grin widens. “That’s beside the point, please get the hell out of here!”
“Suit yourself,” he says and gets up from my bed, walking over to the door. Then he throws over his shoulder: “Annamarie is waiting downstairs to have breakfast with you, by the way.”
He closes the door behind him, and I fall back on the pillows, breathing out a sigh. I’m going to have to lock this goddamn door. There’s no way I’m going to wake up with this smug bastard smirking at me again.
Now my pillow smells like his stupid expensive cologne. I hate him so much.
God, I must look terrible this morning and he was most definitely making fun of me. Prick. Can’t believe I’m stuck with him as my step-brother for fuck knows how long. Didn’t Dmitri mention something about him looking out for me at Willow Bridge?
My life can’t get any worse.
With a long-suffering sigh, I finally get out of bed and head to the bathroom to shower. I’d just taken my jeans off and slept in my t-shirt and panties from the day before, so I’m feeling extra filthy this morning.
But before I walk into the bathroom, I make sure to lock my bedroom door. That fucker won’t be surprising me again.
I try not to take note of the obvious luxury around me in the bathroom, or how all my favorite toiletries are lined up on the counter by the sink. My mother must have gotten them for me, she knows me better than anyone else, anyway.
After a shower that felt like heaven, I walk out into the bedroom with a towel wrapped around my body. Last night I eyed the walk-in closet warily, not knowing what I would find. When I step inside, I gasp when I see all the clothing and oh my sweet baby Jesus, THE HEELS!
All in my size, all in my style.
My luggage is still sitting by the foot of the bed, all clothing that are more than two years old. From what I can see the clothes in the walk-in are brand-spanking new. Damn, my mother really spared no expense.
I choose a cute cherry print black Summer dress and black stilettos (Louboutin? Excuse me, mom?) then my stomach decided to growl, so I head down to breakfast.
It only took me ten minutes to find the dining room. Only.
My mother is still sitting waiting for me, scrolling through her cell phone. She looks up when I enter and a big smile crosses her face.
“Good morning, sweetheart,” she says as she stands up and hugs me. “Did you sleep well?”
I nod. “It’s hard to stay mad at you when I slept on clouds and the shower felt like heaven,” I say and sit down next to her.
“Well, I’m happy to hear that you slept well,” she says, but even as she sounds happy, I can hear the way she’s holding back. Is she expecting me to make a run for it this morning?
I decide to eat something before talking to her so I can concentrate better on what I’m going to say. I freaked out yesterday and understandably so, but today I’d rather not disrespect her or mock her decisions.
Even though she’s now given me a step-father who is a goddamn criminal and I might die if people find out. Nothing major, you know.
“Mom, you can relax. I’m fine now, I promise,” I say when I can’t take the silence anymore. “I was shocked yesterday, but I’m sure you can understand why.”
My mom bites her bottom lip and nods. “I should have told you everything, but I had no idea how to. Everyone judged me when I chose Dmitri, I guess I … didn’t want you to judge me, too.”
Great, now I’m feeling guilty because I know I would definitely have judged her before I even met Dmitri. From what I could see yesterday, my mother is incredibly happy with this man, and the way he looks at her makes me nauseous and happy for her at the same time.
I place my hand over hers. “I’m sorry, mom, and I understand now. But I think I’ll have to get used to … you know …” I trail off, not wanting to say the M-word out loud. “And I’ve decided that if you think I’ll be safer at Willow Bridge, then I’ll go there instead of RISD.”
My mother’s eyes light up at my decision, and she pulls me into another hug. “Oh, Dmitri will be so happy to hear that! Thank you, sweetheart. I promise we’re only trying to do what’s best for you,” she says, then she leans back again and takes both my hands.
“I don’t doubt that,” I say with a smile, but somehow it doesn’t feel genuine.
“I promise you’ll get the best education there, honey. Dmitri’s friends and associates all have their children there, so it’s the safest place for you,” she adds happily, not realizing what she’s just admitted to me.
Holy shit, they’re sending me to an honest-to-God Academy with kids who grew up in the Mafia. I’m going to be entering a shark tank while nursing a still bleeding wound; one whiff of me and they’ll know I’m an outsider .
I’ll have to learn to hold my own come September, so I don’t get chewed up and spat out. Thank fuck Amy made me take Krav Maga with her back in London. Looks like I’ll need to brush up on whatever skills I had back then.
“Say, mom,” I start. “Is there a gym in this place?”