Page 22 of Escaping the Bratva

12 Years Ago

The front door to the apartment opens and shut before heavy footsteps approach the door. I glance at the clock on V’s nightstand. Three a.m. He invited me over at eight. I’ve been sitting here since ten o’clock. All of my text messages and calls have gone unanswered. I would have been freaking out if I hadn’t opened his computer. His text messages are synced to the laptop so I was able to see how his friend Alek needed him to do a “job”. The text was sent just an hour after he’d texted me, and I’d told him I’d come over after leaving the library. I’m not stupid. I know something has been going on, but I’ve kept my head in the sand. He opens the door and steps inside. His shoulders slump forward with exhaustion, and since it’s dark inside the room, he doesn’t see me sitting on the bed. He closes the door and flips the light switch on. It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust to the sudden change, but when they do, V is staring at me with those grey-blue eyes filled with regret.

“How was your night?” I ask, trying to keep my voice level.

“Kitten—”

“Don’t call me that,” I snap. “You made me a promise. Does that not mean anything to you?”

“I didn’t have a choice.” He takes a step towards me, and I stand up from the bed and walk to the other side of the room. I can’t be near him right now, not when my heart feels like it's been ripped from my chest and thrown onto the floor. That’s when I noticed the red smudge at the bottom of his khaki pants.

“Is that…is that blood?”

He follows my eyes to where I’m looking before he starts to pull his pants off as if that will help the situation. What the fuck has he been doing where he’d have blood on his pants? Oh yeah, that’s right. He’s running around with the Russian mafia.

“Just let me get in the shower and we’ll talk,” he pleads.

I shake my head. “There’s nothing to talk about, V. You made your choice. I can’t be with you like this. I won’t throw my future away for a boy.”

His eyes flash between hurt and anger. I can’t tell which one.

“I didn’t have a choice. I don’t have a way to pay for the rest of my tuition. It was just one more job. You were never supposed to find out.”

“And that’s supposed to make it better? That you wanted to keep this from me?!” The tears that flooded my eyes now roll down my cheeks, making my vision blurry. I try to keep my voice in check, but I’m sure his roommates have already heard me.

His jaw clenches and I can see the fire in his eyes now. “I’m sorry I don’t have a guardian to pay for my education! It’s just me. Everything is on me. Do you know how that feels? I can’t throw this opportunity away, or I’ll be right back to Russia.”

I hear his words, but they won’t sink in. I can’t see past the fact that he lied to me and he has blood on his pants. My chest tightens with every single breath as we stare across the room at each other.

He runs a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry—”

“Save it,” I bite out. “Did you forget that you texted me to come over?”

The answer crosses his face. Of course he did. I grab my bookbag from where I’d put in on the ground and sling it over my shoulder. I quickly wipe at my face to get rid of the tears.

“Don’t leave. Just talk to me.”

I head toward the door, but he grabs my arm before I can reach it. His hold is desperate.

“I fucked up, alright? Just hear me out.”

My heart pleads with me to listen to him, to think about it, but if I listen to my heart, I’ll be cuddling in bed next to V right now. My mom thinks with her heart, and I know that’s not something I can risk. I listen to my brain, and my brain is telling me to run far, far away from V.

I tug my arm from his grip and leave.

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