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“Despite what I may or may not feel for Samara, I’m no fool, Maksim,” Avgust replied. “Unlike many, I learn from my mistakes, and I’d be stupid to believe that Samara is any different than she was fifteen years ago.”
I couldn’t listen to their conversation anymore.
I didn’t want to hear how marrying me sounded ludicrous to Avgust’s ears.
I didn’t want to hear about him screwing other women.
I also had no desire to hear about his wife and kids, which made me the other woman, something that was enough to make me dry heave.
As I left to go find the guard that Avgust had assigned to me last night, I felt stupid for never considering that Avgust might be married with children. I mean, why wouldn’t he be? He was the Pakhan of the Russian Bratva, and family had always meant everything to him. It’d made sense that he’d marry and have children to ensure that his legacy lived on. It was the height of arrogance to believe that he’d been in love with me enough to sacrifice his entire future. Avgust had always been a practical man, and he’d always spoken of having a family, even when we’d been teenagers.
When I finally found Viktor, he was outside, patrolling the driveway up the property, and I never thought that I’d be so happy to see one of Avgust’s men. He felt like a lifeline as my heart had no business feeling broken over what I’d overheard. If anyone’s heart deserved to be broken, it was Avgust’s wife for him not honoring his vows. Worse than that, he’d told another woman that he loved her, and that other woman had believed him.
“Ms. Andreev,” Viktor greeted. “What are you doing out here?”
Though I didn’t relish manipulating the man, I knew that I had no choice if I was going to get out of here. “I’m ready to return.”
He cocked his head a bit. “Return where?”
“Back to my cage.” I deliberately used the word ‘my’ to help sell the story. “My wounds have been tended to, and Mr. Kotov is satisfied that I am well enough to return to the research facility.”
“He did not mention you returning to the facility to me,” he remarked, his brows furrowed with suspicion. After all, he’d only met me for a few seconds last night, so he shouldn’t trust me.
“Well, you can call or go ask him, but he’s in a meeting with Mr. Barychev, and they’re behind closed doors,” I semi-lied. “I’m not sure if it’d be wise to interrupt them for something this simple.” Before Viktor could question me some more, I added, “Mr. Kotov also mentioned that you will be the one responsible for my dietary needs, so I think that makes you still assigned to me, even if I am in my cage.”
“I think I should speak to the Pakhan first,” he replied, still eyeing me.
“Of course,” I quickly rushed out, seeming agreeable. “However, he told me that he and Mr. Barychev were headed to Erato’s after their meeting, and I’d hate for you to bother him when he’s obviously busy with more important matters.” My heart started beating faster with each semi-lie out of my mouth, but I needed this to work. “At least, that’s what he explained to me when he informed me that you’d be the one taking me back to my cage when I was ready.”
“I still think I should speak with Mr. Kotov first,” he insisted. “This direction should come from him.”
I pinched my brows, looking up at him. “Did Mr. Kotov explain to you who I was?”
“No, he did not,” he admitted. “He simply said that you’d been assigned as my charge.”
I let out a deep sigh, pretending that I was on his side. “My sister witnessed something that she wasn’t supposed to have,” I told him. “I’m…I’m the insurance that she won’t speak of what she saw.”
His face softened a bit as he gave me a terse nod. “That makes more sense.”
“The only reason that Mr. Kotov saw to my wounds was because he did not want them getting infected,” I went on. “If they did, then I’d be no good to him. I could easily die, and then he’d have no leverage against my sister.” I let out another dramatic sigh. “Of course, if you’d still prefer to bother Mr. Kotov with matters of a prisoner, then I understand.”
Viktor gave me another nod, then asked, “Do you have all that you need?”
I gave him my best pathetic smile. “I’m a prisoner of the bratva, Mr. Galkin. I’m lucky to have what I’ve got on.”
Without another word, Viktor escorted me to one of the many black SUVs, and neither of us said a word as he drove me back to the research facility. While that wasn’t how I wanted to spend the rest of my days, living in that cage by myself was more preferable to being Avgust’s mistress. It’d be different if I didn’t still care for him, but I did. I did, and he was married to someone else.
God, I’d been such a fool.
Chapter 23
Avgust~
After Maksim left my office, I made myself another drink before going to check on Samara. While I understood Maksim’s concerns, they were unnecessary. Fifteen years ago, I’d treated Samara with kid gloves, granting her request for happiness. However, I wasn’t about to make that same mistake twice. I was not going to allow her to lead me around by my heartstrings this time, especially when you considered that I no longer had a heart.
Now, ideally, she’d marry me, give me children, allowing me to live in relative peace. However, I was not foolish enough to believe that she’d ever willingly marry me, which was why I’d told Maksim that his suggestion of marriage was ridiculous. Then, true to Maksim form, he’d gone on to chastise me about my future wife and kids sharing a home with my mistress. Honestly, the man was insolent on a good day, and anyone else would have killed him by now.
There was also the fact that marrying Samara would solve the problem with Masha. I’d no longer have to worry about her trying to save her sister once marriage appeared in the picture. Masha knew enough to know that Samara would have the world at her fingertips as my wife. Both sisters would want for nothing, and I’d have Masha’s loyalty as a wedding present for my bride. Nevertheless, Maksim wasn’t wrong when he’d said that Samara would not struggle between stabbing me or having a nice dinner with me. Samara was in a feral state of mind right now, and I knew that she was going to need some time to calm down and reassess her situation.
