Page 48 of No Longer Safe

Carina blinked down at her phone and swayed slightly on her feet. We’d slowed down on the alcohol to focus on the movie, but I could see it was still affecting her. She’d encouraged me to let everything go, but I couldn’t drink myself into oblivion in these people’s home. It was one thing that she was marrying into the family, I was just Carina’s chosen sister, nothing more. I couldn’t get as shitfaced as her and feel comfortable. She could lose the contents of her stomach, pass out somewhere and it wouldn’t be that big of a fuss. Me on the other hand? Nah, I was good.

“Bowling?” She swayed again and I wrapped my arms around her to keep her upright.

“Probably not a good idea while drunk.”

She nodded, over enthusiastically. “What about finding the guys?”

“Also probably not a good idea while this drunk.” I wasn’t as bad off as Carina, but I didn’t want Alexei to see me like this. Hell, I didn’t want him to see me at all. I couldn’t stand the thought of him ridiculing me over Brian or at least making fun of me for his early departure. With Alexei anything was possible and I wasn’t ready to even put up with him.

The thought of dinner made my stomach hurt. We’d eaten so much junk food all day, but now it was time to pay the piper. Somehow everyone left us alone to wallow and have a girl’s day, but the girl’s day was done now. It wasn’t allowed to slip into the night, much to my displeasure. I thought for sure Carina would have felt the same but one look at her smoldering face and I knew she was going to sneak into Ace’s room as soon as the grannies went to bed. I pushed the envy down because even if things went well with Brian and he hadn’t turned my face black and blue… it wasn’t like he was good in bed and I craved it. What I craved was the affection and touch of a manstarvedfor me. Which I’d never known.

Ugh.

I hated it here.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Alexei

Much to my displeasure,I stayed away from Carina and Audrey. I knew she needed her time with her friend but I was itching to see her. I didn’t know why, I couldn’t even tell myself. But I knew if I didn’t see her at dinner, I would go up to her room and bother her until I saw her smile. Even if it was a ghost of a smile, that’s all I needed. I knew it was dangerous to see what Brian did to her because I didn’t think anyone could stop me from hunting him down after. Ace had muttered something about too much makeup when he went to retrieve them from the theater room.

I was early to dinner, scared I would miss her if she snuck down for just a moment. So I sat there and waited for everyone to come down the stairs. Grandmother and Nana were first. They glared daggers at each other in show, but we all knew they were secretly besties. Grandmother didn’t agree with Nana’s approach to fun as we were supposed to bekingsbut she respected her for killing off her husband too. What a family we were from. Ruthless killers all around. It made for interesting stories, that was for sure.

Ace and the rest of my brothers trickled in. Ace sat catty-corner to me while the other brothers were scattered about, trying to avoid sitting by our parents or the grandmothers. I satin the middle of the table like I usually did. By the time everyone sat down, there were two seats left. One across from me, next to Nana, and the other next to Ace. At least I knew where Audrey would be seated if she ever made her grand appearance.

When I heard them suffering down the stairs, their hushed whispers echoing in their wake, I sat up straighter. She was a free woman now—I hoped—and that meant she was game to any of my brothers. I was surprised they hadn’t left an opening beside any of them for her to sit. But I knew they were focused on not sitting beside our grandmothers. They knew better and would try to get to Audrey some other time on this trip. I would have to watch carefully at the bridal party tomorrow or they would make a quick move. They weren’t good enough for her and I wouldn’t let them come on too strong or get too close. She needed to heal now.

No one else,besides Ace, cared about the girls coming into the room. Everyone was too focused on the food being placed in front of them or the conversation they were trying to avoid with either Nana or Grandmother. I’d spent the day with Nana trying to shadow Dimitri to keep him away from the girl’s day. We’d been successful most of the day until he pretended he was drunk and ran for the golf carts. He slashed all of the tires but his own and went on a drinking spree. When he finally found Carina and Audrey, he was plastered. It was an interesting show and I was sure it made the girls smile. That was all that mattered, so I left him alone to it. I knew better than to try to get him to behave and he had some weird obsession with a stripper. The last thing he wanted was Audrey, even though he acted like he was interested. I knew better. Dimitri was a good liar, but not when it came to love. I’d watched him fall in love many times since we were little.He had psychopathic tendencies and a big heart. I wasn’t sure how both of those things fit with him but they did.

Nana got her words in with me on settling down and starting a family while we walked around the grounds. I nodded and pretended to listen but all I could think about were ways I was going to make Brian pay. Audrey was the only thing on my mind and I didn’t know how to get her out of it. I didn’t know if I wanted to.

I’d expected a face full of caked-on makeup but as Audrey came into the room, I was stunned. Not only by her natural beauty but by the fingerprints marring her skin. Her eyes flitted around the room as she squared her shoulders and walked to the seat across from me. She wore it proudly and unashamed. The girl’s day must have done her some good.

My mother’s face fell as she looked between the girls. I couldn’t tell you what Carina was wearing or how she looked because quite frankly, I didn’t give a damn. All I cared about was the woman seated across from me.

“How are you feeling, Audrey?”

The conversations around the table slammed to a stop and the room focused on the battered woman before me.

“Much better than I would have if I’d been at home and dealing with this alone.” Audrey’s voice was confident and sure. It was the first time I’d seen her completely comfortable in her skin, despite the imperfections there.

“What on earth happened to you, dear?” Nana looked at her with so much concern, I felt like my heart was going to explode out of my chest.

Audrey tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and her cheeks turned pink. “My fiancé didn’t like how attentive your grandsons are.”

Nana blinked slowly as she raised a tattooed brow. “Is he still alive?”

Before Audrey could answer, my mother gasped, “Mother!”

She didn’t take her eyes off of Audrey. “Well?”

Audrey nodded her head, all of sudden unsure of herself.

“Why the hell is he still alive?” Grandmother chimed in at the other end of the dinner table. She reached for her cane and Dimitri very casually kicked it away from her. We all watched it roll across the floor. Grandmother narrowed her eyes at him, all while he looked at anything but her. Griffin sunk down into his chair while Ivan scrolled on his phone. He didn’t care about these family events and hated that he was forced to attend them. He gave answers when spoken to but other than that didn’t contribute.

Audrey’s golden eyes met mine and she looked panicked. I went in for the rescue but a smirk still curled my lips. “It wouldn’t be wise to spill blood during someone else’s wedding festivities.”

Both grandmothers scoffed. Nana patted Audrey’s hand on the table. “Is he still your fiancé, if he’s still alive?”

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