She was as perfect as the last time I had seen her.
“Alexei,” she cried out and rushed into my arms, almost knocking me off of my feet. At the last minute, I caught her and wrapped her in my arms. And God, she felt so familiar except for the tears that were already soaking my shirt.
“Oh, Alexei, thank God you are here. I’ve been so scared.”
Over her narrow shoulder, I met my grandfather’s eyes. His face was an unreadable mask. Lifting an eyebrow, he waited for me to push her away. But how could I do that?
“Violet.” I smoothed a hand down her back. “What are you doing here?”
She didn’t answer me. She just clung to me tighter and sobbed like her whole world was falling down around her shoulders.
“Shh now, it’s going to be OK.” I tried to console her. What else was I meant to do? She was Violet! “Tell me what’s going on?”
The look my grandfather was throwing at her was full of hatred. I’d never seen that look on his face before. I tore my eye away from his accusing look.
“Violet has come back to beg for our help.” He sounded every bit the old mob boss he was. Cold and deadly like a Siberian winter’s night. “Or more specifically, your help, Alexei. You see. Violet has found out she is in the family way.”
My head snapped up. Violet was pregnant? My whole world shifted.
Taking a stumbling step back, I held her out at arm’s length and really looked at her. It was subtle, the slightest curve of her belly.
“You are pregnant?” I couldn’t help it. My voice shook with the shock of seeing her again. And not just that, but being punched in the face by the fact that she had clearly spent the year since I had last seen her in the bed of another man.
“I—” She clawed at my shirt front, her makeup still perfect even if she was sobbing so erratically. “I know I shouldn’t ask you to help me, Alexei. I know I hurt you.”
That was putting it lightly, the woman in front of me had ripped out my heart and shredded it in her pretty manicured hands. I felt nothing after she left. Well, not until Amy came into my life, anyway.
“But I need help, and I don’t have anyone else to turn to. Please, Alexei.”
Amy, her face flashed before my eyes. She would be waiting for me, excited and happy. I wanted to see her as well, but Violet was a massive part of my past, and she needed help.
“Of course, I’ll help you, Violet,” I said softly. “I was just about to go for dinner, and you look like you could do with a good meal.” I let my eyes scan her again and felt the old wound of her leaving open back up. It felt as raw as ever. “We can catch up after dinner.”
She smiled at me with her perfectly straight white teeth.
“Alexei,” my grandfather snapped. “Your wife—”
“It’s fine,” I told him firmly. Amy would understand, I knew she would. She was such a loving and giving person. She would want meto help Violet even if she was my ex because it was the right thing to do.
Amy would understand.
Right?
“So.”Opposite me, Violet sipped her sparkling water, her eyes sparkling in the light of the hundreds of candles. “The old man mentioned a wife?”
I had been waiting for her to bring that up. Part of me had hoped she hadn’t heard my grandfather, but then the hostess had mentioned the table was booked for my wife and me, and I had seen Violet’s eyebrows slam upwards in shock.
“Yes,” I said, trying to keep my voice even. “Amy.”
“Amy.” She said the name as if it were poison in her mouth. “And you love her.” She lifted accusing eyes at me. “You sure did move on fast.”
Under the table, my hand closed into fists. “That’s a little hypocritical, don’t you think? You’re sitting opposite me, pregnant with another man’s baby,” I speared her to the spot with my eyes, and she had the good graces to look away quickly. “You left me, Violet.” I reminded her.
“I guess I deserved that, and yes, I did. But I’ve regretted it every day since.” Her pink lips pulled up in a smile. “Tell me about her. She must be a special woman, indeed, to get your love. I know you don’t give your heart often, Alexei.”
Often? I almost laughed. I’d given exactly one woman my heart, the woman opposite me, and she had shredded it.
“Come on, Alexei, tell me something. It’s been over a year, and I want to know all about your life now. Is your wife very beautiful?”
