Page 43 of Viripotent

“What the fuck?”

My laugh is light as I wince at the huge spot on someone’s back. Both of us watch in fascination and we ignore the footsteps coming closer. Valentin has the same reaction and Viktor’s voice fills the room.

“It’s like a volcano.”

The dysfunctional family surround me as we keep watching them and I can feel Valentin’s eyes pinging from my neck to the tv. I didn’t think to cover my neck with not leaving the house and I won’t lower my head to make them feel better. Until I’ve spoken to Vlad and found out why he tried to kill me, I’ll let them think it was their father.

We’re deep down the rabbit hole of pimple popping when Misha turns up. He doesn’t bat an eye, used to my viewing choice, but his brows go up at the men surrounding me, adopting my guilty pleasure. He must be close to Valentin because he greets Viktor knowingly and passes me everything Iasked for. Signing the documents needed for Mara, I go through and check the masks he brought.I miss being at home and hiding in my room, but I’ll be able to recreate the loneliness now.

Taking time off isn’t something I get the privilege of often and I’m going to use it to pamper myself for once. Getting up to go back to my self-assigned cell, three sets of eyes lock on to me with the same question.

“Where are you going?”

I hold the berry face mask up dumbly, and my invite is playful.

“Do you all want to be pampered too?”

I don’t expect there to be anything other than disinterest, but Vitali proves me wrong and holds his hand out for the tub. He grabs it out of my hand and reads the label with genuine interest. I’m stood like an idiot watching him and trying to work out why he’s invested when he shrugs. He unscrews the cap and puts his nose inside, taking a deep inhale. His head pops up with a dopey grin and he hands me it back with an instruction.

“It smells like a smoothie, pamper away big sister.”

Maybe Vlad did actually succeed in killing me and this is some weird ass limbo. I don’t run and hide and check that it’s safe for Viktor’s skin when he moves closer, inspecting the contents. Valentin is behind me, and he doesn’t seem to think this is weird either.

“He’s not allergic to anything in it, but don’t get anything near his eyes, they always sting him,” he says.

I nod and move mechanically, applying it to the youngster first and his little giggles come out at the cool paste touching his skin.

“It feels weird.”

He relaxes, sitting beside his uncle and maybe this isn’t so weird. He’s a little prince and crosses his ankles with his hands behind his head like he’s at a resort spa when I’m done.

Doing the same for Vitali, he closes his eyes doing the same and acting like a spoilt prick.

“We need cucumbers for our eyes. I’m going to be glowing and get Vik another aunt, might be able to get him one for every day of the week.”

Valentin rolls his eyes, stalking away as I apply my own mask and rest back against the sofa between the other two.

He hasn’t been gone long when the footsteps come back, and he tells Viktor to keep his eyes closed. The little giggle by my side has a genuine smile lifting my lips and then it falls when something cold touches my eyes.

“Ease up, they’re only cucumbers,” he warns after placing them on my eyes.

I nod and he moves behind the back of the sofa to his brother and teases him.

“Your cucumbers, princess.”

We’re all laughing trying not to move our faces much as Valentin walks away.

The silence is comforting, and I can feel the drying edges of the mask pull at my skin as Viktor softly whispers, “I like you living here Nessa.”

No one says anything and I know I’m going to miss him when I get out of this marriage before it’s even begun. I hope Vlad lets me be in his nephew’s life or, at the least, doesn’t attempt to control it. I ask my question quietly, hoping it won’t be picked up by little ears as I turn my head in Vitali’s direction.

“Where’s Vlad?”

I expect to hear Vitali, not the devil himself as he strokes along my tender neck and whispers ‘boo’in my ear. I jump at his arrival and the soft caress disappears. My sight is covered, and he removes one cucumber slice from my eye. My nose scrunches seeing him bite into it and he nods his head, gesturing to his office.

I have pink paste all over my face, my hair is up in a knot at the top of my head, and I’m dressed in sweats. There’s nowhere for me to hide with him stood behind the sofa looking down at me with one fucking cucumber slice over my eye. Taking it off so I can at least see, I straighten my shoulders like this is a normal occurrence. Sitting with his brother and nephew playing spa is totally normal — even I don’t believe the lie I’m trying to convince myself of.

It gets worse as I follow after him, avoiding Vitali’s injured leg. Both uncle and nephew remain unmoved with their heads back and the pink mask over their features. But Vlad is in another well-tailored, should be classified as indecent, suit while I’m in sweats and fluffy socks. My t-shirt has seen better days and has holes around the collar from wear. He’s only twelve years older than me, but it could be forty-two with the glaringly obvious differences right now.

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