Viktor’s men.
But they all drowned out once more as I stared down into Nik’s face. He blinked up at me, the light in his eyes fading in and out.
“Nik,” I sobbed. “Please, Nik…”
Nik smiled, and then his features fell slack and his eyes closed.
I screamed, the agony and pain raw in my chest. He couldn’t die. He couldn’t…
“Alexander!” I screamed for my brother as I looked around for someone,anyone, to help. “Alexander, help me,” I sobbed as I cradled Nik’s head in my lap, my wedding dress slowly turning crimson. “Please.”
*
“Katya,” my father began, but I glared at him defiantly, cutting off whatever it was that he had been about to say to me. He turned to my mother, his gaze beseeching and she nodded, patting his hand and gestured for him to leave.
He turned and left, the soft click of his dress shoes on the warm tiles of my condo signaling his retreat.
“I’ll never forgive him,” I said quietly.
“In time, you will, daughter,” my mother assured me, but I shook my head unwilling to hear it. “He only wanted the best for you both.”
I directed my fury at her now. “No, he wanted the best for business. This had nothing to do with me. And it almost certainly had nothing to do with Nikolai. He has been in our livesforever.You and father said you loved him, but you were both ready to discard him for something better. I’ll never, never, forgive it.” I was speaking out of anger, out of a hurt so deep that it was replacing my marrow.
She came close, her features soft. Her hair was unkempt around her shoulders and I noted the spatter of blood on her dress. The wedding had been a bloodbath, one that we swam in and Viktor and his men drowned in. It was another complication for the family. Viktor had connections back in the states that might haunt us. But I couldn’t care, let my father’s business burn.
Mother reached out and cupped my face in her hands, forcing me to look at her. “He loves you so much, Katya. More than any of this, but he is stubborn. He couldn’t see what was in front of him until it was too late. Forgive him, please. Forgive him if not for him, but for me.”
My mother’s words swam through my heart and I sagged, my anger dissipating. She caught me and held me to her, her lips on the top of my head.
“You are so loved, Katya,” she soothed. “And you did us proud today.”
I looked up at her, blinking back the tears. “Really?”
Mother smiled. “Oh yes, very proud. You defended our honor—our name—and for that there can be no greater pride.”
I swallowed and nodded. “I handled this badly though.”
My mother laughed. “Yes, you did. But love makes us do strange things, Katya. Look at your brother.”
Her words settled between us and I thought of Nik and I and where we had come from and where we had ended up. A thousand images came to my mind. A thousand touches, and smiles, stolen glances...it was always there, but neither of us had seen it.
“Was it worth it?” she asked.
I nodded without hesitation. “Yes.”
“Good.” She smiled. “I hoped that was the case, otherwise this would have all been for nothing.”
“There’s always hope where love is concerned. There has to be,” I replied.
“Katya?” Nik called from the other room and I glanced towards the closed door.
“Go to him. I’ll arrange things here.”
I looked down at my bloodstained dress. “I’ll need a new dress.”
Mother smiled. “I’ll sort it. Now go to Nikolai. He needs you.”
She turned and left, and I headed to my bedroom, to where Nik was lying beneath the comforter. A white bandage was wrapped around his shoulder and his skin was paler than I ever could have imagined, but he was alive. Thank God he was alive.
