Page 22 of Born into Sin

“If there’s a hell, I’m pretty sure everyone in the Melnikov family is headed that way, so at least you’ll be with family.”

I wrap my arm through hers and laugh. “Very true.”

She checks her phone and then picks up the pace, taking me with her, and I nearly trip over my heavy rain boots. “Come on, Nat. The driver’s almost there.”

“How does he even know where to stop?”

“I told him to park on the side of the road by the mile marker sign. I’m planning on giving him a very nice tip for his trouble.”

“He’s gonna need one,” I tell her.

After we’ve walked for several more minutes, she points the flashlight at the trees on our right. Happy with what she sees, she moves us off the path and through a denser part of the woods. I’m just about to ask her if we’re lost when we step out near the paved road. Giving a satisfied huff when she sees the car parked on the side of the road about thirty feet from us, she gives him a wave and then uses me for balance while she steps out of her rain boots and slips her heels back on. I do the same and then we stash our boots and flashlight behind one of the larger trees and make our way to the waiting car like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

The driver looks like he’s only a few years older than us, and when Svetlana opens the back door and we slip inside, he gives us both a wide-eyed, confused look.

“Do you two always hang out in the middle of the woods at night?”

Svetlana gives an easy laugh. “We just came from my boyfriend’s house. His driveway is kind of hard to see at night, so we thought it’d be easier to just meet you here.” She points back behind us. “It comes out over there, but it’s hidden from view at this angle.”

Content with her answer, he only nods and puts the car in drive, easing back onto the deserted road. “Okay, well we’ve got about an hour of driving, but I’ll get you there as soon as I can.”

I switch to Russian and ask her, “Did you tell him where we’re going?”

“No, I gave him the address to a restaurant that’s close by. It’ll be easy for us to walk there, and the less people who know where we’re going, the better.” She reaches over and squeezes my hand. “Relax, the hard part is over.”

“The hard part is over?”

She laughs at my expression. “Yes, we’re out, and look around.” She does a dramatic turn of her head, looking out the back window. “No bodyguards. We’re completely on our own.”

“Yeah, that’s what worries me.”

She nudges my arm with her elbow. “Just think about Dominic. I bet he’ll be there tonight.”

“He can’t see us, Sveta. He’ll tell our dads.”

“We’ll watch him from a distance,” she assures me. “He’ll never be expecting us there, especially not dressed like this.”

She’s not wrong. He definitely won’t be expecting us to just show up at his club, and the chances are pretty high that he won’t even be there tonight. I’m surprised by how badly I’m hoping he is. I want to see him again, even if it is from across the room.

The drive feels impossibly long, and by the time our driver pulls up to the curb of the restaurant, I’m tapping out a crazy rhythm with my foot and trying like hell to not sweat through my dress. Svetlana pays the enormous fee and slips him a large tip.

“Damn, thanks.” He smiles and pockets the money. “You need me to wait around to drive you back?”

“No, that’s okay. We’re not sure how long it’ll be. Thanks, though.”

He’s obviously wishing he could get another tip, but he just smiles and says, “Maybe I’ll get lucky and catch you two again.”

Svetlana returns his smile. “Maybe.”

I give him a quick smile and then follow her out of the car. He waves before driving away, leaving us on a crowded sidewalk in the middle of a city that we’ve never once been on our own in. It’s thrilling and scary, and my heart races as I follow her towards the large club at the end of the block. La Dolce Vita is written across a sign on the front of the building in a tasteful, red script, and everything about this place screams high-end. This isn’t the type of club that lets just anyone in, and that’s when it dawns on me that we have no way of actually getting through the front door that’s manned by two very muscular bouncers. We’re underage and without fake IDs or a hope in hell.

I meet Svetlana’s honey-brown eyes. “Please tell me you have a plan.”

“Of course I do.” She hooks her fingers around my arm and leads me past the long line and around the side of the building. “Kind of,” she adds right before we step into a creepy-as-fuck alley that runs along the back of the club.

“I’m starting to seriously question whether or not we’re going to survive this night.”

“Of course we will,” she quickly says and then lets out a relieved sigh when she sees a man up ahead. He’s smoking a cigarette while leaning against the brick wall. The light above him is only bright enough to let us know he’s there, but it isn’t until we walk closer that we get a good look at his face. He’s wearing a suit, and when he sees us, his thin lips spread into a smile that has the hairs on the back of my neck rising.

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