At this, Kat’s brow furrows. “You haven’t told her anything about the family? Where does she think the money comes from? You took her to the beach house, right?”
“I told her I wasn’t a good man, but I never got into specifics. I was hoping I could stay distant, and that eventually she would see she could do better. Maybe I should have tried harder, but it’s too late now. I can’t let her go.” Clenching my jaw, I will my tears away and sit up straight. There’s no reason to continue to feel guilty about what’s already been decided. Lucy is mine, regardless of how I feel about it.
My sister wraps an arm as far around me as she can, squeezing tightly. “I can’t wait to meet her. And I know you think you don’t deserve to have love like this, Sasha, but you do. I’m not fully aware of the dangers like you are. But just because Dad and Pavel had shitty experiences doesn’t mean you have to. I know Dad will support you if you’re in love. He doesn’t want the same future for you that he dealt with, you know.”
The warmth of Kat’s hug soothes the sting of her ignorance a bit. She’s been sheltered from the worst of our reality. It won’t be as simple as she thinks for Lucy and me to be safe and happy, but there’s no reason to burden her with that right now.
“You’re right, KitKat. I’ll try not to focus on the worst-case scenario. Besides, we’ve really just decided to make things official. I might be getting ahead of myself.”
With one more squeeze, she grabs a cookie and curls back up in her seat. “Don’t downplay it. You’re obsessed with her. Any woman would be lucky to have you. Now tell me everything!”
By the time we’ve finished catching up, I feel lighter than I have since I started worrying about how to make a life with Lucy work. Kat’s descriptions of her travels with Henry were infectious, and I can’t wait to travel the world with my Sunshine. The details of their security were even more thorough than I anticipated, and with similar measures, I might be able to relax and enjoy myself. Henry came in to check on Kat at least three times, and seeing them so happy convinced me that my relationship with Lucy is worth fighting for. There won’t be roomfor anxiety or fear to cloud our relationship. I deserve to be loved and be happy, and I’m claiming it, bratva be damned.
Leaving Kat’s house with promises to see her much more often now that they’re back from their travels, I head to Lucy’s new favorite café to pick up some dinner for her and pastries for me. I promised Kat I'd bring Lucy over for brunch in a few days, and I sent Dad a text asking if we could find time to meet in person in the next few weeks. It’s time to figure out what he’s been up to with the family business, and what he expects from me in the next five to ten years. I owe it to Lucy to have a solid plan in place. Once I know more from him, I’ll sit her down and explain the less savory parts of life that allow us to afford beach houses. Maybe I can take her to meet Dad during the same trip…
Lucy? I’m wrenched from my future-planning daydream when I see my Sunshine already at the café. I’d recognize her hair anywhere, even if she’s sitting at a table with…fuckingLawrence? What the actual fuck?I’ve taken three quick steps to approach them at their table and rescue her from this scumbag before I see that she’ssmiling.She looks like she’s here of her own accord, and like this isn’t the first time they’re meeting. When she smiles again, even wider this time, without a care in the world, I’ve seen enough.
I fucking knew it.Peeling out of the parking lot, I race for the curviest backroads that I’ve found since moving here. I can at least take the edge off my anger as I spiral. My thoughts come too quickly to be healthy, but there’s nothing to do now but let rage wash over me. I knew it was too good to be true. Iknew, in the deepest parts of my soul, that love and domestic bliss weren’t in the cards for me. I swore, for years, to avoid this bullshit, knowing that it would inevitably be painful one way or another. And after goddamn years of success, I took my eye off the prize and letherin. She was every exception to every rule I had ever made for myself, and in the end, she was just the same.
Gregory Lawrence.One of the nastiest motherfuckers I’ve ever had the displeasure to come across. I had no idea he was in the area, which goes to show that I’ve let myself lapse into softness since I’ve been spending so much time around…fuck,I can’t eventhinkher name. Lawrence has owed me money for years, and I’ve been growing increasingly annoyed with his schemes. It’s not even about the money anymore, but he’s a thorn in the side of the business, popping up like a cold sore at the most inopportune times.
And now,she’sat lunch with him. How could he even find her? Nobody except Blanche knows about the truth of our arrangement, and even then, she doesn’t know the depth of my feelings. The crew could have their suspicions, sure, but why would any of them know Lawrence? Maybe someone was planted here to feed information back to him, and that’s how he mether.Or…
Nausea slams into me as I consider another option. Thatshe’sbeen in cahoots with Lawrence the entire time, and this job with Blanche was a ruse to get close to me.There’s no way she could have faked what we shared.She’s not that good of an…actress.She’s an actress. She said it herself that she’s taken classes. It’s possible that she downplayed her experience to make me less suspicious.
Pulling into an overlook, I stop the car before I do anything stupid.More stupid than letting a snake weasel her way into your heart?
“Fuck!” I yell into the trees. Only birds respond, chirping in a cheerful tone that makes a mockery of my despair. It feels like the truth, that she betrayed me, because it’s the worst-case scenario. And that’s what I deserve. I huff a laugh because it’sso obviousthat nothing has changed. I’ve known this wasn’t meant for me, and the second someone dangled it in front of me, so close I couldtasteit, it imploded. One harsh sob escapes beforeit turns into laughter. I might be losing it, but fuck, it’s a little funny. It’s laughable that I allowed myself to fall.Fool me once…
The silver lining is that I caught her before she could sink her claws any deeper into my life.God, what if I had married her?I would have, too. Married her, built a life and family with her… I let myself feel all of it for five more minutes. The taste of salt onherskin at the beach, the high that I felt leaving Katarina’s today, and the hope for the future that I had fully accepted into my heart.
The crashing realization that it was all fake, that I’ve been played like a fool.Herbeaming smile at Lawrence, no doubt plotting the next phase of their plan. The urge to keep driving the backroads, away from here, toanywhereelse. I don’t leave, though. There’s something here for me, still.Revenge.Until Dad calls me home to take on more business, I have nothing but time. Might as well use it to have a little fun and ensure thatshegets what she deserves.
Chapter twenty-four
As upsetting as lunch was, I’m relaxed now that I’m home. I can tell Sasha about why I really moved here and about the threats that Lawrence made today. He’ll know exactly how to handle the situation, and he might even have an idea of how to approach Blanche for more information about my father. The sun begins to set as I make a cup of tea, enjoying the summer breeze through the open kitchen window. It smells like rain, and as if I’ve conjured it, a low rumble of thunder sounds from the west. Maybe I can convince Sasha to curl up with me when he gets back to listen to the storm roll through.
I feel foolish, trusting Lawrence when I was brand new to the city without knowing anything about him. The idea that someone would be so willing to take advantage of another person baffles me, which I guess makes me the most naive person in the world. Still, I’d rather think the best of people and be naive than be a pessimist and never trust anyone. I don’t think I’ll have to worry about anyone taking advantage of me ever again with how protective Sasha is these days. I pull out my phone to call him and see when he might be home from Kat’swhen I hear a crash of thunder and his car screeching to a halt outside the cottage.
My glass smashes on the floor as I jump up and rush to the door to see what’s wrong. He never drives like that on Blanche’s property, and I immediately worry that something went wrong with his sister. Or maybe with Henry. Based on what Sasha has said, they get along well, so I don’t know what could have possibly…
The front door bangs into the wall of the entryway, knocking picture frames to the floor, before Sasha slams it shut behind him. His chest heaves with every breath, and his hair looks as wrecked as I’ve ever seen it. Blood crusts on the knuckles of his hands as if he’s punched the hell out of something, orsomeone,and I gasp when I finally bring my gaze to his.Hatred.Pure, undiluted, terrifying hatred is all I see. The man before me is my Sasha only in the strictest physical sense. The playfulness, thelovethat I’m accustomed to seeing when those hazel eyes land upon me…they’re gone. All I see behind his eyes now is darkness. I have a feeling that I’m looking at thenot a good manthat he warned me about. But I don’t understand why.
“Sasha?” I whisper, afraid to approach or speak louder. I’m not sure what could have happened to make him so mad. Whatever it is, I’m sure we can figure it out. He doesn’t respond, just stares at me like I disgust him. I take one step toward him, but an accusatory finger lifted in my direction stops me in my tracks.
His hand shakes as he points at me. “You,” he growls.
“Me?”
Instead of an answer, he laughs, a low, dark, menacing sound that I’d prefer to never hear again.
“Yeah, you. You had me fooled. You almost got me.”
“Sasha, I don’t understand what—”
He laughs again, waving his hand at me dismissively and moving to the kitchen. Rummaging through a cabinet, he grabs a garbage bag and starts throwing away anything he sees of mine.
“Hey! What the hell is wrong with you? Don’t throw my stuff away like that!” I snap, losing my patience at his bullshit tantrum.
