Chapter 22
Samara
Time moves fast. I’m on the mend and I haven’t seen Anton since that night at dinner. His sister I’ve seen on a regular basis. I have great respect for her, even if she does try and push me to see her brother. Anton’s been in trouble, Alyona told me, his temper has been getting the better of him. Tonight though, I’m expecting to see him because he will be at Elina’s birthday party. Trying to decline the offer to attend didn’t work, the girls turned up on my doorstep to formally invite to me and not giving me the option of saying no.
It’s now been a total of two months since I last spoke to him, and that’s a very long time for someone you harbor feelings for. But I haven’t reached out to him, and he hasn’t reached out to me. He’s more than likely moved on, and would be fucking around again, while I can’t stand to look at other men.
“Hurry up,” Raven yells.
The place we’re heading is fancy. We bought new dresses to wear and mine has a low dip in the back which means I can’t wear a bra, but thankfully it’s a nice shade of deep blue, so it covers my nipples from showing through the fabric.
I walk out of our room. We’re still sharing the same apartment, I haven’t had the energy to search for a new one, but I know Raven has been checking out other places. I’ve been trying to occupy myself and keep busy.
Jamie’s partner hasn’t been around much lately which is good. I still see him, lurking, there’s no denying that. He hasn’t spoken to me since he took me in for questioning, and since then, he lets me know he’s there watching me. He never hides the fact and is quite open about it. Mitchell makes me feel trapped. How did I escape one and gain another?
Every time Raven sees him parked on the street, she goes down there and asks him to leave. Mitchell takes notice of Raven, but to be the smartass he is, he never leaves straight away. Jamie’s face has been on the news as a missing person. Raven asked me outright if I knew what happened to him, but I lied through my teeth. Who knew I was good at fabricating the truth? Lying isn’t something I’ve practiced until now. I’ve always tried hard to be that person—the one who’s law-abiding, and who holds conviction and veracity in her words. But I realize now, sometimes not being completely honest is the right way to go. I know Raven suspects something because she knew what he did to me, but she doesn’t push it because she understands what kind of man he actually was.
“Oh my God, a limo is here,” her voice screams through our apartment.
I met with her boyfriend last week, he’s quiet and very unlike Raven. They make a beautiful couple, and I’m determined now to start looking for somewhere new to live so she can have him stay over, because as of right now that will never happen in this tiny apartment. She grabs her clutch, pulls my hand and starts toward the door. We move through, and I lock it behind us. Freya is dressed in a long soft purple dress. Alyona is sitting next to them inside the limo, and she’s dressed in gold. She smiles and waves as I climb in.
“He’s going to talk to you tonight. Just a word of warning,” Viktor says quietly as the limo pulls out into the busy traffic.
My head starts shaking. “He won’t.”
Freya’s eyes roam me up and down. “Have you seen yourself? He will! Shit, if I was a lesbian I would so fuck you right now.” Freya laughs and nods her head, her words causing Viktor’s eyes to go wide. “Your quiet beauty is something I want,” Freya continues, making my cheeks red.
“You’re fucking gorgeous, babe,” Viktor tells his wife.
Freya’s hand goes to his thigh. “And for that you will get laid tonight.” She winks at him, and it’s cute as shit. Viktor’s head goes to Freya’s neck, and he kisses her there.
“Who wants to bet? I give him five minutes once he sees her to make his move,” Freya says, clapping her hands.
Viktor tsks. “I say ten. Give him time to warm up.” Viktor tsks again, and all eyes go to him. “How the fuck did I end up in this car?” he asks us.
“You stayed late because you were hungry…” Freya pauses then continues, “… for something between my legs.”
Viktor smirks. “I say the moment he sees you, he’ll make a move.” He ends it at that. His hand rubbing Freya’s thigh. She told me her story, and who she is. How she wasn’t meant to be his. How she was to be married to Kazier, because her family is Bratva royalty in Russia. She is basically a Russian Mafioso princess.
Raven nods her head like she agrees with him then the subject is changed to Elina. Everyone is trying to guess what she’ll be wearing. She’s always the most vibrant in any room. So we make more bets on her dress color. I’m going with red to match her lips.
Pulling up to the venue, we all slide out, and a man offers us his hand. We walk along the red carpet. I wait for them to go ahead. Just before I start walking, I turn to the side and spot him—Mitchell is here, and he’s watching me with a smoke dangling from his lips. He looks like he wants to say something but refrains.
“Who’s that?” Viktor’s voice startles me, and I jump. I shake my head as the detective raises his eyebrows at us.
“Jamie’s partner, his name is Mitchell.”
“Detective?” he asks.
Freya is standing next to us now.
“Yes.” I turn away.
There’s only the three of us left out here now, and the music is blaring from inside.
“Didn’t Jamie stalk you, too?”
I close my eyes, his name said out loud causes demons to rise up in my mind.
“Let’s just go inside. He can’t come in there,” Viktor says, his eyes trained on the detective and not looking happy at all. Walking away, I can hear them whispering behind me. I don’t stop to listen nor care what they are talking about. The night hasn’t started out great, and what’s waiting inside will probably give me a headache, or worse than that, heartache.
As I walk through the door into the gorgeous room, I notice everything is in shades of gold and red. The tables are set up with red tablecloths and covered in fine glassware with gold trim. In the middle of the table is a tall golden vase which is filled with red flowers and tiny gold bows. The chairs are covered in elegant gold satin and tied in red bows. Shimmering fairy lights dangle from the ceiling in clusters over the large dance floor, and there’s a bar off to the left-hand side. Glasses of champagne are being served, and there are people here that scare me with just their look as they stare. Some you know instantly they belong with—what was it? The mafia or was it Bratva, I don’t even remember.
The music is loud, but not as deafening as a nightclub so you can still hear people speaking. I spot Elina in a red dress, a large split up the side. Kazier is attached to her side as she talks to people around her, his hand on her back as he stands there. Viktor and Freya walk past me and go straight to them, but I hang back, watching. Death and Pollie are off to the side, not too far away sitting down at the bar. There’s wine in Pollie’s hand while Death’s eyes are on her.
Scanning the room I spot him, his back is to me, and I know it’s him by the color of his hair and his stance. It’s sex. He’s sex on a stick, and he knows it. A woman is standing right next to him, looking him up and down, probably the same way I did the first time I saw him, with lust written all over her face. Turning away, I head in the opposite direction, and luckily enough I find Raven. She’s sitting next to Elina’s brother and is talking to him. He stands from the stool he’s seated at when I walk up and offers me his hand. I give it to him because his smile is kind. He kisses my hand, offering me his seat.
“Elina has told me a lot about you.”
I smile, despite how I feel on the outside. Elina is probably the most trusting and caring person I have met, so I’m not unwelcoming of his words.
“Same for you, Elina idolizes you.” She does, the way she speaks about her brother is beautiful, it reminds me of how close Raven and I are. “I see you’ve met my sister?” He looks between us then back to me.
“I see it now, I didn’t at first. I think the resemblance is in the eyes,” he says, pointing out the obvious. Where Raven’s are light, mine are almost pitch black.
“It’s always the eyes,” Raven says, sipping her champagne.
A hand lands on the small of my back as I’m facing Maso.
Maso’s stance straightens, and his eyes follow that hand. “Anton.”
My breath hitches as he squeezes just slightly on my bare skin where his hand is touching. Not having the courage to turn around, I wait for him to speak.
“I see you were invited.”
Maso nods his head. “She is my sister.”
Anton laughs then steps closer to me. “I have come to steal this lady. Excuse us. Otherwise you may get too excited by what you see.”
Raven chuckles at his words while I pale as he tugs me, just barely, to get me moving. Walking with him, I can smell him, his scent invading my senses. My nipples harden at his touch, and I try to not get excited because I haven’t let anyone touch me since him. I won’t allow anyone to touch me. We stop in the hallway with both our eyes now locked on each other.
“Sam.” My name drips from his lips. His eyes leave mine and he appreciates what I’m wearing, or just my body, I’m not sure which. “I could tear that off you, and have you against the wall in five seconds flat.”
My heartrate picks up, I want to squeeze my legs together, but I don’t. I take a deep breath and look at him straight in the eyes again. “Anton, how are you?”
He cocks his head to the side. “Are we formal now? You know I’ve seen your pussy, right? Tasted it even.”
My eyes bulge. Someone walks up behind us, looks then walks the other way. “We’re friends aren’t we?”
His eyes sparkle with mischief. “We playing the friends card, are we?” The amusement in his voice is entertaining.
“Whatever are you talking about?” I play with him.
My name is called, so I turn away from him and Elina is there. Looking back to him, I smile softly then turn away. I hear him curse under his breath, but I keep my head high as I walk over to Elina and give her a light hug.
She pulls back and looks behind me. “I see he’s found you.”
I nod my head, forcing my smile to stay tightly in place. “Happy Birthday. I just saw your brother,” I say, changing the subject.
She smiles. “Yes, he didn’t want to come, but I managed to talk him around. Being surrounded by Russian men when you’re Italian isn’t easy for him.”
“You’re Italian, and you make it look easy.”
“That’s because I was smart enough to fall for their leader.” She turns, looking for Kazier, and nods in his direction. I turn as well and see him talking with Anton. He has a hand to Anton’s chest and is holding him back. Anton’s eyes look wild until they fall on me.
“Maybe you should talk to him?”
“We just tried, it was… um… pleasant.”
Elina laughs, her red lips parting as she does.
“Ladies.” Both men are standing near us now.
Elina leans up to kiss her husband. “Let’s dance.” And he whisks her away onto the dance floor. It’s a slow song, and I try to watch them, not the person standing right next to me.
“Dance with me?” he asks, surprising me. I look down to his outstretched hand, placing mine in his, then he pulls me to the dance floor. His hands go to my hips burning them with his touch, while my arms circle around his neck. We aren’t glued to each other like some others, there’s a definite space separating us right now. “I think we should try again.”
“Three times,” I ask referring to his fuck rule with me. Three times was all he needed, wasn’t it? I gave him that, and more.
“No. How about we start with a lifetime and go from there?” He pulls me in by my hips, and now we’re touching, my mouth is next to his ear.
“I don’t think that would be smart, do you?”
His breath tickles my ear as he speaks, “Are you better? How are you?” Anton almost whispers his words, and I want to be truthful with him.
“The nights are hard, the days a little easier. The thought of sex is painful, unless…” I leave it at that, not wanting to finish my sentence.
“Unless what?” he asks, his lips now touching my ear.
“Unless it’s you,” I whisper. “You… I feel safe with. Funny, isn’t it?”
He kisses my ear then proceeds to my neck. The whole time, we rock back and forth, swaying to the music.
“Funny because that’s what friends are meant for, right?” I push back from him and he doesn’t hold me in place, his eyebrows pinch together as he looks at me.
“You kiss all your friends?” Anton asks, then just as I open my mouth to speak, his hands are gone from hips and are now on my face. He pulls my face toward him, so our lips meet, and he kisses me hard, forceful but passionate. My hands move and touch his hips. I cling to his shirt as he holds firm to my lips and face, our tongues dancing as they have done multiple times before. Each and every time there’s a new sensation, this one I can feel sliding all through my body, like butterflies are singing and finally happy for once and not being squashed down by me.
Someone coughs next to us, so he pulls up. My eyes are still closed and my hands still clinging to his shirt as I feel his stare on me. His hand brushes my cheek before he removes that too, which makes me open my eyes.
“So you kiss all your friends like that?”
I shake my head. No other words want to leave my mouth right now.