So I’m waiting. But dammit, it’s driving me crazy.
Every time I’m sitting with her, I want to tell her everything that’s in my heart. That she means the world to me. But I can’t. She must choose based on her wants, needs and dreams.
Not mine.
It’s late afternoon on Thursday, but Katerina is not going to be home for another hour or two. I’ve been working out my frustration and energy in the workshop. Now I’m standing at the open doors, staring out into the garden, wondering what I’ll do if Katerina says she wants to leave. How will I manage things if she tells me she is going to honor her brother’s wish and marry this stranger? I don’t envision myself taking it very well.
Even now, the thought of her being with another man has my skin burning with anger, and I want to tear the guy apart, even though I have no idea who he is. Maybe I should look into him. Just in case. It’s better to be prepared than not.
My phone rings, and I glance back at the workshop, where it’s lying on the bench.
I can’t see the screen from here, but I walk over to it to answer. It’s not a number I know.
“Yulian,” I answer sharply.
“Yulian, my name is Artur Krolik. I believe you are very well acquainted with my sister, Katerina?”
I let out a surprised chuckle. Acquainted. An amusing way to put it.
“What can I do for you, Artur?” I ask, friendly and professional.
“I want to meet, face to face, to discuss the fact that you married my sister behind my back,” he huffs. “And where we go from here.”
Oh, he thinks we already got married. Is that what she told him, or is he just misunderstanding something she said?
I could correct him. But if he thinks we’re married and it’s making him want to meet with me, this is a good thing. I wonder what his plan is ‘from here.’ Maybe he wants to discuss an alliance between our families, in which case this can all be over. We can settle this and be done with the back-and-forth unpleasantries.
“I’d be happy to meet you. Let me know when and where,” I reply curtly.
“Now? I’m free if you are. I don’t see any point in delaying this any longer.” Artur is a confident man. He speaks with authority and pride.
“There is a cafe on the line between our territories. Cafe Lenova, do you know it?” I ask.
“I’ll be there in thirty minutes.”
“I’ll see you there, Artur.”
Katerina might have been right after all. Her brother is coming around. She knows him well enough. I should trust her and see this as a positive move. I glance at my watch and suddenly panic.
Shit. I should have said an hour. I need to shower.
Bolting inside, I take the fastest shower of my life, then throw on a black suit and run out to the car. He might not be a more powerful man than I am, but being late is just plain disrespectful, and I have no intention of disrespecting Artur today.
I drive like a madman and reach the cafe right at the thirty-minute mark. Not bad. By the time I get inside and find Artur, I am all of two minutes late.
He stands to shake my hand with a solemn expression on his face. “You came alone?” he asks in surprise.
“I wasn’t aware I needed backup?” I chuckle.
Artur smiles tightly. I watch every movement, every twitch of his expression. While I’m here under the assumption that this meeting is going to be positive, I will never let my guard down in situations like this. Men give a lot of information away without saying one word. And considering I have no idea what he has planned for me today, it was risky coming here without backup, but it’s a risk I’m willing to take for Katerina’s sake.
I sit down at the dark wood coffee table near a window on a stainless-steel artisan chair.
He has his back to the wall. The position I prefer to sit in, but I can at least see what is going on behind me in the reflection of the giant glass-framed artwork behind him.
As soon as I’m settled in my seat, he gets straight to the point.
“So, you married my sister,” he sighs heavily.
