After making sure I was okay, Xavier left me to make a quick run to the pool house. I straightened my back and turned to scan the sea of faces when that recognizable smell hit me again. My skin prickled with awareness. I knew he was nearby, I didn't know where, but I could feel him watching me. Before I could take another step, I recoiled at the sound of my name being called out.

Drawing in a confident breath, I turned around.

"Yes, Mom?" Mommie Dearest was more like it, but I wouldn't push too far today.

"Ana," she said in a honeyed voice that churned my stomach. She gave me a condescending smile as she tilted her head. Cupping my arm, she stepped close to my face. "Make me look like a fool in front of your father again, wear something like that scrap of white trash fabric you call a dress, and you will regret it. You are a Rossi. You come from money and class. Act like it." Her nails bit into the underside of my arm and I flinched. "If you don't, I'll take away the one thing you love most." Blood drained from my face and her nails dug deeper into the back of my arm. I tried not to make it obvious, but it hurt and my face contorted into a pinch of pain. Mom glared. Any harder and she would break the skin.

"Mom," I whispered a plea. My heart was pounding a mile a minute. She gave me a toothy grin and stepped closer to pat my cheek with a tenderness aimed for a baby.

"Do you like the life I give you? Being able to do gymnastics and live on your own with a credit card you don't pay for?" Her eyes hardened. "Then you'll do as I say."

She let go and walked away without a care in the world. I held my arm where she dug her fingers into my flesh and felt the half-moon imprints she left behind. Steadying my breathing, I needed a moment to myself, but I'd already left my friends alone longer than I anticipated and needed to find them.

As I made my way toward the backyard, my steps slowed, and I cupped the back of my neck. I skimmed the guests, faces of entitlement and wealth, surrounded in that citrus and cinnamon fusion I associated Kova with. I didn't see him, but I had a notion he saw me.

Shaking it off, a black-tie waiter wearing white gloves ambled toward me carrying a tray of champagne flutes. I plucked one off and kept walking, adding a little sway to my hips. I downed the bubbly and placed it on a counter before I stepped outside, allowing the crisp air to cool my cheeks.

Scanning the crowd, I found my friends and watched them from the veranda. They were laughing and smiling, having a good time. My heart was lighter as I took in the moment.

I walked across the pool deck filled with twinkling holiday lights, passing friends of my parents until I reached the circle. All eyes were on me.

"Everything okay?" Hayden asked.

"Are you all right?" Avery asked at the same time.

I gave a careless shrug. "Oh, you know. Typical Joy having a coronary."

Avery frowned. "She flipped out over the dress, didn't she?"

"Flipped out is an understatement. She was a raging lunatic. Luckily my dad and brother both sided with me and backed me up." I glanced at Holly and Hayden and smiled. "Sorry about that, guys. I don't want to talk about it anymore, it’s finished. Let's just have fun and enjoy the night."

"We're here for you," Holly offered with a gentle smile, and then added, "Let's make this the best New Year's ever!"

"Yes! Let's!"

The band began playing a light tune in the background. They were calling up my family one by one to the stage. I groaned inwardly. I didn't want to go up there and pretend to be the perfect family, especially after what just happened.

"You best get moving. We'll be here."

I rolled my eyes at my best friend. "Do I have to? Can you step in for me?"

"And stand next to Dragon Lady and not kill her? No way, Jose."

I turned to Holly and Hayden with an apologetic expression. "Sorry, guys. Duty calls. I'll be right back…again. This should be it for the night, after that, I'm all yours!"

Carefully, I made my way to the stage on four-inch toothpicks with three glasses of champagne streaming through my blood and loosening me up. I smiled, feeling good. Now that was a drink I could get on board with, unlike that disgusting vodka. I shuddered at the thought. Not that I had time to drink or anything, but it was delicious and went down easy, which wasn't a good thing.

Xavier held out a hand and guided me up the steps. One would never guess he'd been drinking and smoking from the way he held himself, but stand two inches from his face and look into his eyes and the evidence was plain as day. He must've filled up in the guest house after he left Dad’s office.

I stood between him and Dad, with Mom on the other side, thankfully. With the microphone in hand, Dad spoke to the crowd like a well-versed politician. He thanked everyone and meandered on about something so boring in the real-estate world that I lost interest. Xavier became fidgety next to me. I stood poised and graceful, exhaling as I browsed the crowd of regulars. Roughly one hundred people were dressed in dark attire or glittery colors, except one person who caught my attention.

Katja.

She was wearing a virginal white cocktail dress that accented her curves. She was all wide hips, narrow waist, and heavy breasts, which were about to spill over. The dress stuck to her like glue and I was instantly filled with envy when I noticed a flat hand sitting low on her pelvis from behind.

I tried to balance my nerves as I studied her. Huge, full lips, the kind women in Hollywood paid for. A straight and sharp nose, high cheek bones, sparkling eyes, and tousled waves—Katja looked fresh off a runway.

It wasn't long before my gaze shifted upward. Locking eyes with Kova, all air left my lungs. Sound faded, twinkling lights disappeared. Faces dissolved into thin air and all that was left was us. I couldn't stop staring at him. His eyes were on me, though uninterested, like he was looking through me. I swallowed back hard. I hated that look. It was one I knew all too well, given to me by my mom. It conveyed that I was as insignificant as a fly on a wall. It was a you don't matter look.

Kova was devastatingly handsome, and I despised that he had the ability to make me feel two inches tall while my heart pounded for him. I was enthralled with this man and I had no idea why. A man who purposely set out to hurt me knowing full well I couldn't fight back. An underhanded move that was meant to hurt me. When I let myself think about the intention behind Kova's decisions, it hurt me, but what killed me the most was that even after all he's done to me, I was still spellbound by him in an obscene way I couldn't comprehend. An equation that didn't make sense. I couldn't connect the dots the way I could a sequence on the balance beam. It confused me more than anything because my feelings exceeded an emotional level so high I wasn't experienced enough to grasp the severity of them.

Another few minutes on the microphone, and Dad had finally finished speaking. As Xavier helped me down the stairs, my friends headed my way.

"Incoming, ten o'clock," Avery said from the side of her mouth. Hayden scowled under his breath when he spotted Kova and Katja as they made their way over to our small group. He walked to stand near me and placed his hand at the small of my back.

"Konstantin, glad to see you could make it," Dad said with a handshake. He moved to kiss Katja's cheek. "Katja, stunning as always."

My mother stiffened and dragged her sharp eyes down Katja’s body. If I hadn’t known any better, I’d have said Mom was envious of her, or intimidated, but that was ridiculous. Joy Rossi envied no one.

"Frank, forever a pleasure," Katja said with a husky lilt of her Russian accent.

"Yes, as always," Mom purred and plastered on a phony smile, her deceptive tone didn't slip past me. "Lovely dress. You and my daughter have the same taste."

Katja turned my way and I scowled at the wrong time. Confusion filled her eyes. No, my mom wasn’t jealous, she was just a bitch. She thought we both looked like sluts, meanwhile she looked like a suffocating uppity housewife. I wasn't sure which was worse.

Ignoring the backhanded compliment, Katja said, "Thank you for the invite."

"Please, make yourself at home. If you need anything let me know. Excuse me, but I need to speak with the caterer." Mom quickly left.

Kova turned his attention toward me, Hayden, and Holly, though not really looking at me. "I expect to see all three of you the day after tomorrow? Yes?"

We nodded in unison.

"Fantastic," he said, not daring to look in my eyes. He acted as if I wasn't even here.

"Will you be staying in our guest house?" Dad asked. He took a sip of his bourbon. Like father, like son, I thought.

"No, we need to be on the road early to be back at the gym, so we have occupied a hotel for the night. But thank you for the offer," Kova said.

"You know my house is your house anytime, Konstantin. Anything you need, let me know."

"Ah, your gratitude knows no bounds. Thank you."

"Which hotel will you be staying at?" Dad asked, taking another sip. I figured it was a good time for us to leave, but I wasn't sure how to make that happen. We all stood there so awkwardly since we weren't involved in the conversation. I shot a glance at Avery hoping she'd catch my drift, but she was staring off into space. I glanced in her direction and frowned, wondering what she was thinking about, or who she was looking at, but nothing caught my eye.

"It was one your wife suggested." Kova looked at Katja and he tugged her closer to him. His fingers pressed into her hips and I glanced away. "Which one was it, malysh?"

Malysh.

My eyes slowly closed, the organ caged behind my ribs pricked by his choice of endearment. Hearing Kova use the one and only word for Katja I begged him not to was a direct punch to the gut. He promised me he wouldn't call her that anymore. He looked me right in the eye and promised. Then he turned around and did it in front of me, knowing full well I couldn't say a word.

Something inside me died a little. I wanted to sink to my knees and hug myself. His apology, his words, they were nothing but hollow letters that held no weight. I was starting to think it was impossible for him to be faithful to anyone. The only thing he seemed loyal to was gymnastics, and himself.

"The Four Seasons," Katja answered. Kova's wide spread hand glided affectionately to her lower stomach as she spoke to Dad. He tugged her closer, her heavy breasts pressed into his chest. Kova looked at them. His eyes trained on the rise and fall of her chest with each word and breath she took. She was about to spill over her scoop neck dress.

"My wife?" Dad said.

"Yes. When I spoke to your wife she suggested the hotel," Katja said, her Russian accent just as strong as Kova's.

He sipped his bourbon. "Huh."

I cleared my throat, this was getting boring. "Dad, we're going to walk around. See you later."

Dad dipped his chin, then reached out to kiss my forehead. "No more champagne," he said, loud enough for the group to hear. I pulled back with wide, guilty eyes. My ears hot with embarrassment. "I can smell it on your breath. That's the last thing I want your mother to find out." I nodded, unable to find the right words. Dad wasn't disturbed I consumed alcohol, but I was surprised he could smell it.

"You look beautiful, now go have fun."

I turned around on my toes. Katja was staring at me but I avoided her gaze. "If you'll excuse us…"

"Was that not the most awkward exchange you've ever witnessed?" Avery leaned in my ear, looking around at the large crowd. It seemed her focus was elsewhere.

"It was, that's why I butted in."

Holly and Hayden stayed quiet. They wouldn't know any better.

"You guys want to get something to eat?" I asked, changing the subject. They nodded. "I hope you guys like tea sandwiches and caviar."