Dimitri sputters, clearly not knowing what to say. “You want to be with Alek? Have you lost your mind?”
“He has made me feel like a woman. That’s what I want. I’m tired of being in my room all day.”
“Then you can stay in a different room. You don’t have to hide.”
“But you’re going to keep me in your house all day and I cannot stand for that. I’ve learned that I what I truly want is freedom and I can get that with Alek. I can’t get that with you. I want to go back to him. I only came back here because I felt pressured to do so.”
“Katya, you are not making sense. Get inside the house. Now.”
“No. Because if you force me inside the house, then you’re no better than Alek. You will keep me as a prisoner. I love you, Dimitri. I want you to be happy. But I want to be happy too.”
“And that’s with Alek?” He scoffs. “He’s gotten into your head. Brainwashed you.”
“No. He’s helped me see clearly. So I’m going to return to him. That’s what I want.”
“I won’t let you.”
It’s at that moment that another car pulls into the driveway and Alek gets out. He has his gun pointed at Dimitri’s head.
“Don’t!” I scream, jumping in front of my brother. “Don’t shoot him.”
“Katya, you are coming with me,” Alek says.
Dimitri grabs my arms. “She’s not going anywhere.”
“I will kill you,” Alek warns.
“Don’t!” I rip away from Dimitri and run back to Alek. “I came back to your house but you weren’t there. Susanna and Nina wouldn’t let me inside.”
“You came back?” There’s awe in his voice.
“I did.”
He gives me a soft smile before nodding at the car. “Get in. I’m taking you back.”
“Don’t go with him,” Dimitri says. There’s a pleading desperation in his voice. I love my brother and I don’t want tohurt him but I get in Alek’s car because it’s what I want. It’s what I need.
Alek doesn’t shoot Dimitri, thankfully. He gets in the car and drives away. The last thing I see is Dimitri standing alone in the driveway, looking utterly dejected.
Chapter Seventeen
Katya
“You chose to return to me?” Alek asks as we drive away from my old house. From my family. It’s a mixture of complicated emotions. I want to be with Alek, I know that, but I want my brother to be happy too.
“I did. I’m tired of hiding myself forever. But Alek, is there anyway you can make peace with my brother?”
He keeps his eyes on the road but I can see the tenseness in his jaw, telling me he’s not happy about my suggestion. “I kidnapped you, Katya. There’s no chance at making peace with your brother.”
“Not even for me? I’m choosing to stay with you, even though it means hurting my brother. I love Dimitri. He’s helped me myentire life. But I can’t be the little girl he still thinks of me as. I know that now. But I also can’t go without seeing him forever.”
“Your brother will never make peace now. Not until I’m dead.”
I know that Alek is right and I have no way of changing things. Dimitri will not just step aside because I made this decision. My brother is stubborn. He’s going to come back for me again and Alek is going to get caught in the crosshairs.
We arrive back to Alek’s house. He storms inside to where Nina and Susanna are chilling in the living room, scrolling on their phones like they don’t have a care in the world. They both jump to their feet however when they see how angry Alek looks. I remain standing a little ways behind him. I don’t need Susanna’s wrath right now.
“Katya came by and you didn’t let her in?”
