a
little more than I intend to do. I already know this has something to do with
that slick bastard, a man who knows how to find his way into the bed of every
single woman he targets. I will kill him before I let Adriana become one of his
conquests. “There are things you do not know about your brother’s designer.”
“Ow.
You’re hurting me,” she says, and I ease my death hold on her arm.
“You
will not go running off with some playboy who cannot keep his junk in his
pants.”
“You
don’t know that’s true.”
“Oh,
I think so. I have looked into his past.”
I
get an incredulous look that slowly turns into one of curiosity, and instantly
that hard ass expression only Adriana can pull off returns, the one that tells
me she has made up her mind about doing this and no amount of dirt I reveal on
Martuccio will change her resolve. Hell, I feel crazed in the head right now,
so the coldness I am receiving is well-deserved. “The nerve. You can’t tell me
what to do.”
“I
do believe I can. And you will listen.” I feel the eyes of the other dancers
around us hanging on my lips, taking in our every word, so they get the full
heat of my anger. “What the fuck is everybody staring at? Take your places or
take a number for the soup line down the street after I dismiss you for slacking
around.”
“Smooth,
Belikov. Scare everybody to death, won’t you? It’s not like they’re already
nervous about performing for Mother’s precious company,” Adriana says, shaking
her head.
“Was
I slick? Do you understand how smooth works? When it is hitting you straight in
the face?” I ask, the muscles in my neck knotted and uncomfortable.
“We’re
back to discussing Luca again, I see.”
“I
do believe it was your lips he kissed that day in the pool.” I sound like a
jealous, babbling fool. I know, but it does not matter. Keeping Adriana safe is
my goal. I will never let anyone hurt her the way that monster tried to do
eight years ago, when I found her bleeding and unconscious in that alley the
night we left Russia for good, even if she winds up despising me in the end. We
stare each other down for a long moment, her lips pursed and my arms crossed as
we do so.
“Tell
you what. Come find me sometime after you manage to have a good, long cool-down
moment,” she finally says and turns away from me. I do not want things to end
this way. We have never been so uncomfortable with each other. When did the
little girl, who has been like a sister to me over the past decade, become
something that could destroy every single wall I have built up to protect the
small part of the boy I used to be, before everything I held close to my heart
was ripped out of my life like a bad dream?
“No
good will come of this … whatever this thing is you are trying to do,” I say,
feeling like an ass as I take her by the arm and turn her to face me. “He is
dangerous.”
“So
are you,” she mutters as she lowers her eyes, eases out of my grip, and walks
out of the studio. Her words slice me to the core more effectively than any
knife could ever do.
Adriana
The nightmare rips through my mind like a
hawk devouring its prey. Mother, Alek, Nikolai and I are running through the
streets of Moscow, cowering inside the shadows, keeping to the edges of the
streets as gun shots pierce the air behind us. The port we’re trying to reach
is off in the distance, but I’m not so sure that we’ll make it. I’m only
thirteen years old, a baby, and a girl who is too frightened to do anything but
will her feet to comply. Sobs rattle inside my chest as I lean into my brother
first, and then Nikolai when Alek prepares to head out and look for Hagar’s
car. Alek runs out into the street. Someone has to find out what has happened
to our getaway driver. As I sit in Nikolai’s arms, I glance over at Mother, her
hair plastered across her face just before she screams and gun shots boom through
the air.
Bolting upright in bed, I glance
little more than I intend to do. I already know this has something to do with
that slick bastard, a man who knows how to find his way into the bed of every
single woman he targets. I will kill him before I let Adriana become one of his
conquests. “There are things you do not know about your brother’s designer.”
“Ow.
You’re hurting me,” she says, and I ease my death hold on her arm.
“You
will not go running off with some playboy who cannot keep his junk in his
pants.”
“You
don’t know that’s true.”
“Oh,
I think so. I have looked into his past.”
I
get an incredulous look that slowly turns into one of curiosity, and instantly
that hard ass expression only Adriana can pull off returns, the one that tells
me she has made up her mind about doing this and no amount of dirt I reveal on
Martuccio will change her resolve. Hell, I feel crazed in the head right now,
so the coldness I am receiving is well-deserved. “The nerve. You can’t tell me
what to do.”
“I
do believe I can. And you will listen.” I feel the eyes of the other dancers
around us hanging on my lips, taking in our every word, so they get the full
heat of my anger. “What the fuck is everybody staring at? Take your places or
take a number for the soup line down the street after I dismiss you for slacking
around.”
“Smooth,
Belikov. Scare everybody to death, won’t you? It’s not like they’re already
nervous about performing for Mother’s precious company,” Adriana says, shaking
her head.
“Was
I slick? Do you understand how smooth works? When it is hitting you straight in
the face?” I ask, the muscles in my neck knotted and uncomfortable.
“We’re
back to discussing Luca again, I see.”
“I
do believe it was your lips he kissed that day in the pool.” I sound like a
jealous, babbling fool. I know, but it does not matter. Keeping Adriana safe is
my goal. I will never let anyone hurt her the way that monster tried to do
eight years ago, when I found her bleeding and unconscious in that alley the
night we left Russia for good, even if she winds up despising me in the end. We
stare each other down for a long moment, her lips pursed and my arms crossed as
we do so.
“Tell
you what. Come find me sometime after you manage to have a good, long cool-down
moment,” she finally says and turns away from me. I do not want things to end
this way. We have never been so uncomfortable with each other. When did the
little girl, who has been like a sister to me over the past decade, become
something that could destroy every single wall I have built up to protect the
small part of the boy I used to be, before everything I held close to my heart
was ripped out of my life like a bad dream?
“No
good will come of this … whatever this thing is you are trying to do,” I say,
feeling like an ass as I take her by the arm and turn her to face me. “He is
dangerous.”
“So
are you,” she mutters as she lowers her eyes, eases out of my grip, and walks
out of the studio. Her words slice me to the core more effectively than any
knife could ever do.
Adriana
The nightmare rips through my mind like a
hawk devouring its prey. Mother, Alek, Nikolai and I are running through the
streets of Moscow, cowering inside the shadows, keeping to the edges of the
streets as gun shots pierce the air behind us. The port we’re trying to reach
is off in the distance, but I’m not so sure that we’ll make it. I’m only
thirteen years old, a baby, and a girl who is too frightened to do anything but
will her feet to comply. Sobs rattle inside my chest as I lean into my brother
first, and then Nikolai when Alek prepares to head out and look for Hagar’s
car. Alek runs out into the street. Someone has to find out what has happened
to our getaway driver. As I sit in Nikolai’s arms, I glance over at Mother, her
hair plastered across her face just before she screams and gun shots boom through
the air.
Bolting upright in bed, I glance
Similar Books
