AllFreeNovel
Share Us
As we drive, I turn to him. “Tell me the whole story. What happened?”
“I’ll tell you what I’ve figured out so far,” Nikolai proposes, keeping his eyes on the road. “But I can’t guarantee it’s the whole truth.”
“Fair enough.”
“Your brother went off the rails. He was seen in Solanum drinking and who knows what else. As luck would have it, Anastasiya Gargarin also decided to go out that night,” Nikolai relays, giving me a good idea where this story is going. “Igor went after her again, but this time not as a lover. They had a heated argument. It was bad, and the police showed up.”
“Fucking Igor,” I mutter under my breath.
“When Igor came home, the Gargarins were waiting for him,” Nik continues. “Yakov led a group of men who attacked your brother in front of the house. They beat him up and did quite a number on him. That’s when things get a bit fuzzy. It could be that after Yakov did his thing with Igor, the Gargarins left. Or your father came out with his men and began shooting left and right.”
“Dear God,” I breathe. “Those idiots will kill each other!”
“Once again, Igor lived up to his family name.”
“What about my mother? Is she okay? And Aleksander and Mikhail?” I ask.
“Everyone’s fine and accounted for,” he assures me. “I know that they’ll love to see you.”
It gives me hope, and I start fidgeting in the passenger seat. I try to remain focused on the story, even though there’s a tinge of impatience bubbling inside me.
“The Gargarins’ feud is with your old man and Igor,” Nik explains. “They’re Bratva, and they have their own sense of honor. The only reason Yakov went after you is because the women became fair game after what Igor did to Anastasiya.”
“Fucking Igor,” I mutter again. “If he wasn’t such an idiot, none of us would be in this mess.”
“It also means that you wouldn’t be pregnant with my child,” Nik points out. “Bad things followed his actions, but I like to think that they were good for something.”
“You mean me?” I murmur softly.
Nikolai gives me a pointed glance and smiles gently, though he’s still vigilant. Every corner is treated as a potential place for an ambush, but so far, we’re safe.
“We’ll count our chickens once this is over,” he mutters before turning his attention back to the road ahead of us.
“This is all so confusing,” I whine. “I once thought you were the bad guy for taking my freedom away, but that’s changed. Who’s the problem now? Is it my brother? After what he did, I can’t blame Yakov, but I do hate him for drugging me. Is my father the bad guy for betraying you? Am I one of the bad actors in this story?”
“It’s not that black and white,” Nikolai whispers, his hands tightening on the steering wheel. “Right and wrong is relative. It’s a matter of who’s pulling the trigger and the reasoning behind the action. We think we know who’s in the right and who’s in the wrong, but that’s just blind hubris. We’re all villains in someone’s story.”
“I’d rather be the heroine,” I muse, and gaze out the window.
The world passes by me in a blur, no one minding my presence or my problems. Here in New York, the lives of ordinary people carry on without the taint of our underground world.
My attention shifts and rests on Nikolai.
Where would I be now if Igor hadn’t made the Gargarins angry? Would Nikolai and I have found our way to each other despite everything that separates us?
I would’ve definitely gone for him if I’d seen him in the club. He’s handsome and classy. His entire presence screams power, and his gray eyes hold a promise of infinite pleasure. Those strong hands of his are skilled like no others. His entire being speaks of experience. He carries himself with confidence I haven’t seen before.
Yes, I’d definitely want to be with Nikolai. But that’s my body speaking. Does my heart agree?
I don’t have time to follow that train of thought, because we’ve arrived. Hopefully, we’re in time for me to say goodbye to my father. While I’ve never been known for my punctuality, this is the one thing I wouldn’t forgive myself for being late for.
THIRTY-FIVE
NIKOLAI
I get out of the car first and walk around to open the door for Katarina. All the while, I keep an eye on our surroundings, but no one seems to notice or pay any heed to our presence. It’s doubtful that anyone will be foolish enough to attack me. Not when we’ve been asked here.
Igor’s the first one to come out, no doubt warned by the many men surrounding the house. The gun in his hand makes me frown in disgust. It makes him look unhinged.
