Page 3 of Deceitful Promises

I cover my mouth with my hand. Then Aiden pulls over, and I burst from the car, keeling over at the side of the road as watery vomit spews from my mouth. The world is spinning too fast, making me feel like I do when I wake from sleepwalking.

Aiden stands nearby, watching me with his hand on his hip.

“Getting ready to shoot me?” I say bitterly.

“That isn’t going to happen. Ania, this is a good thing.”

I turn to him, pathetically self-conscious about the vomit clinging to my lips, but it doesn’t matter. He must be around Mikhail’s age, andhe kidnapped me. Why am I even worrying about what he thinks?

“A good thing,” I repeat.

“I’m not part of a rival Bratva. I’m not part of any criminal organization. This has nothing to do with your brothers.”

“What do you want with me, then?” I manage to say, even though my throat feels like it’s about to close.

I want to grab you again. I want to kiss you. I want to stroke my hands down your body and own you.

Shut up, stupid voice.

“I’m going to take you to your mother.”

When he says the m-word, my vision blurs, and I rush to him, driven by some insane instinct. I try to slap him, but he catches my wrists and holds them like it’s the easiest thing he’s ever done.

“You’re a vicious piece offilth,” I hiss. “You’re a disgusting pig. What a sick thing to say! My mother never wanted me!” I’m crying, ashamed of myself, but I can’t stop. “She never … never …”

“Your father lied,” Aiden replies, letting me go. “He beat the living hell out of your mother, took you, and left her for dead. She’s been too terrified to find you all her life, but Konstantin is gone now.”

Goneis a civilized way of saying he blew his brains out as a final middle finger to my brothers and the Bratva.

“If this is about my mom, why not just reach out to me?”

He looks at me like I’m nuts. “You think reaching out to the Bratva is a good idea? Politely asking them if you could meet your mother? Ania, if your brothers wanted to find your mother, they could’ve done it a long time ago.”

“That’s a lie,” I tell him flatly.

“With all their resources? With all their money?”

There’s a tense standoff, Aiden staring at me, hand still near his hip. Part of me wants to push him so that he has to do something. I can’t let myself believe anything he’s saying.

“Give me proof, then,” I tell him. “Call mymomright now.”

“She doesn’t know I’m doing this.”

“Why?”

“She’d disapprove of my methods. Nice, civilized people always think the world is nice and civilized, even people who should know better, but it’s not. It’s an evil, ugly place. It’s poisoned right down to the base layer. Every atrocity you can think of is happening somewhere to the most innocent people, all at the same time.” He grits his teeth, letting out a shaky breath. “My stepmother is a nice, civilized person.”

“Your … stepmom?”

“Your mother married my father,” Aiden tells me. “It was rocky at first, but it’s going well. In fact, they’ve just had a baby. That’s why I’m here. I’m taking you to your real family.”

A “little girl” sort of hope flutters into me, reminding me of my early childhood when I’d write stories about some dashing prince coming to rescue me and taking me to a new family. Then the Bratva instincts kick in. He’s given me no proof. I’ve got no reason to believe him.

“I’ll just take your word then, shall I?”

“Hmm,” he says, with that captivating smirk. No, it’snotcaptivating. “It’s good that you’re not easy to trust. Most people your age are very naive.” He nods at the car. “Get in, Ania.”

“What if I don’t,Aiden?”

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