Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83814 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83814 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Stepan was everything. He was my best friend, my confidante, the only person in the world that knew and understood me, and without him I’d be a little nobody right now living a normal, boring life.
I am what I am today because of him and his family.
I owe them absolutely everything.
So even if I don’t agree with how her father handled everything—I follow orders anyway.
“What if I refuse to go home?” Nat says suddenly, looking up at me. Tear-streaked, defiant, and stunningly beautiful.
God, this girl. Divine doesn’t do her justice.
“That’s not an option.”
“You’re going to kidnap me?”
“Nat—“
“No, seriously, what are you going to do? Throw me over your shoulder and drag me onto a plane?”
“Yes, if that’s what it takes. I’ll drug you, bundle you into a car, and drive you to a private airport, where very highly paid pilots who are used to working for your father will keep their mouths shut.”
Her jaw sets, and she knows I’m not lying. She knows damn well that when I’m given a task, I see it through.
“You really do love following orders,” she sneers.
I don’t let her see how much that bothers me.
“Neither of us has a choice here.”
“Am I supposed to feel sorry for you?”
“No, you’re supposed to understand that we’re both trapped by forces bigger than either of us. I’m sorry about Stepan. I really fucking am. You know how much I loved your brother.”
She softens, but only slightly. “I know you did.”
“I find it totally fucked that you weren’t told until right now, and if you want to hate me for it, that’s your right. I won’t blame you. But I was sent here to bring you home, and I’m going to bring you home, no matter what.”
Another long silence.
As bad as this is, I know it’s only going to get worse.
Because I haven’t told her everything yet.
And this last part?
It’s beyond fucked in light of what we did last night.
She pulls at the hem of her shirt and chews at her lip, clearly going over her options, but there are no other options. If she runs, I’ll catch her. If she fights, I’ll win. I don’t like it, but this is who I am.
The job gets done, no matter how what.
But I’m not a robot. I don’t have to love what I do, and I don’t have to always agree with all the decisions my superiors make.
I just have to get it done.
“I wish you just told me this from the start,” she says finally. The tears are mostly gone, and she sounds tired as she looks at me. “Instead of fucking me last night. You gave me a little hope, you know?”
“What do you mean, hope?”
“It’s stupid, but I thought maybe you came here for me.”
I feel like I was just hit by a truck. My muscles tense, and a deep, horrifying sadness cycles up through my stomach.
She has no clue—no idea—what hearing that means to me.
And how meaningless it really is.
“There’s more,” I manage to say, my voice impressively steady despite the storm raging inside of me.
“It gets worse?” She doesn’t even seem surprised. “No, obviously it gets worse. Just tell me. Does Dad have some terrible plans for me when I get back? He does, doesn’t he? There’s no other reason why he’d want me home all of a sudden.”
Her eyes are dead and emotionless. The beautiful, lonely girl I saw playing the piano yesterday, the passionate woman I slept with last night, is completely gone.
Now there’s only Natalya, or the shell of her left.
Bitterness washes over me.
There’s a reason I’ve kept my distance, and I have to shove all these feelings down deep inside again or else I’m going to ruin myself.
I don’t get moved by pieces of art or crying girls.
That’s not who I am.
I stand up straighter and bury any emotion I have left. I just have to remember why I’ve always disliked Natalya over the years and hold on to that.
She’s spoiled. She’s bratty. She’s selfish, rude, and stubborn.
“You’re engaged to marry Adriano Marino. The wedding is in three weeks.”
Chapter 4
Natalya
My father’s house looks all wrong.
It’s a beautiful townhouse in the Old City area. I grew up on these streets, and I have a thousand memories of wandering around with my friends, getting into trouble, living my life and having fun.
Except nothing seems right, or maybe I’m not right anymore.
I should feel happy. I’m finally home after a long, lonely year, and instead I’m completely numb. The car pulls up out front and Alex drops me off, but he doesn’t say anything as I get out and head inside. I let him carry in my bags.
It’s the least he can do.
Neither of us mentioned what happened again. It’s like that night was a strange dream, and now it’s slowly drifting out of reality.