Page 6 of Beautiful Deception

He clings to me as he bawls his eyes out. “I just want you to be safe. I’m sorry I’m such a fuck-up.”

I can’t tell him that he’s not. I can’t tell him that what he’s done is ok. None of this is ok. “We’ll get through this,” I say instead.

“How? We have no money.”

“Is there any work you can get? I can call Elena. Ask her if Aiden or Dante have anything you can do for a job.”

“No.” He wrenches away from me. “I refuse to work with Dante Moretti. He’s the Mafia. I don’t trust the Mafia.”

Dante Moretti works hand in hand with Erik Koslov, the boss of the Bratva. They made an alliance after Dante married Nadia, Erik’s sister-in-law. His own wife, Anya, is someone I’ve never met but I’ve heard she’s kind. Elena is friends with her and has told me that she’s a good mother and wife and friend.

But once again, I’m not a part of that inner circle. Anya and Nadia and Elena are high ranking Bratva woman. I could never be a part of their circle even if I tried. As my friend, Elena can only do so much.

“Dad,” I sigh. “You have to do something. You have to earn money somehow.”

“Why don’t you get a job then if you’re so worried?”

“I would but I have no job experience. You made sure of that. You never wanted me to work. You claimed I’d get hurt somehow. So what are we supposed to do?”

“I’ll find work,” he says in a frantic tone. “I will. I’ll make it happen.”

The sad part is: I don’t believe him.

Even if he does manage to find work, he’ll spend it all on gambling. He’ll never stop.

Which means I do need to get a job for us to survive.

“You just stay here,” I tell him.

“Where are you going? You can’t leave, Inessa. It’s not safe.” He grabs my wrist and yanks me towards him. “You can’t go. I can’t bear the idea of you dying.”

“Then maybe you shouldn’t be gambling so much.” I rip my hand away. “Maybe if you hadn’t just tried to kill Viktor Smirnov, you wouldn’t be in trouble.”

“Please.”

“We need money. I’m going out to find a job.”

“It better not be as a whore.”

I flinch. “What kind of woman do you think I am? I’ve never even kissed a man because you never wanted me to date and I listened to you. So why would you think I’d go and do something like that?”

“I’m sorry,” he sobs. My dad used to be someone I was close to. But ever since my mom died, he’s been nothing but a mess. I no longer recognize him.

I leave him to cry as I take the car and drive to Elena’s apartment. She and Aiden live in a penthouse suite. Aiden makes a very good living working with Dante and Erik.

It’s been almost a year since I’ve seen her last. I miss my best friend terribly.

I have to ask the security guard in the lobby to let me up and he calls and gets permission. “Ok. Yes, you can go up,” he says, hanging up the phone.

Elena opens the door the second I knock. “Inessa.” The hug she gives me warms my soul. “Come in. Come in.”

“Is Aiden here?”

“He’s out at the moment. It’s been so long. How have you been?”

“We’re living in a motel now.” As soon as I say it, my own tears hit me. “We have no money. No way to get by.”

Elena’s eyes widen. With her long brown hair and brown eyes, she resembles a pretty deer sometimes. We always joked that we were two sides of the same coin. She with her dark hair and me with my blonde locks and pale skin. I was always a little jealous that she could tan easier than me.

---