Page 8 of Darkest Game
She motions at me. “You’re out here, all alone, crying to yourself. Why aren’t you making the most out of it?”
Because I still want to be left alone, despite being alone for the past two years. But Ana will never understand this. She’s always been extroverted and desperate for friends.
“I am,” I force out. “Now, just give me some space, ok? Go have fun at the party. Make the most out of it. And don’t do anything stupid tonight, Ana. Please?”
She looks like she wants to disagree but she eventually nods. “Fine. I won’t do anything stupid. I’ll be good. I’ve just never understood you, Irina. Why don’t you like to have more fun?”
“Our ideas of fun are different.”
With a huff, she heads back inside. I try to not let my sister’s words sting. We haven’t always gotten along with how different we are. There were times in the past – before Denis came into our lives – when Ana would make fun of me for being shy and not having many friends, including the other dancers at my studio. She’d always say, ‘why is it so hard to be friends with them when you see them every day?’
I never had an answer for her.
I would go to the studio and talk to the other dancers politely but I never went to any of their houses for sleepovers or spent any time with them outside the studio. I’m not sure why I didn’t. I just… didn’t. It’s not like they were mean to me. In fact, they were always nice and yet, I would still struggle to push myself to socialize. It’s just not natural for me.
I take a few more deep breaths to steady myself, knowing I need to head back inside before anyone wonders where I am.
And that’s when I hear someone grunt from the other side of the house. A grunt of pain. With a frown, I head in the direction of the sound. When I turn the corner, I see that one of Mikhail’s guards is on the ground, a knife sticking out of his throat. And standing above the man is another man dressed all in black. A ski mask covers his face.
My throat seizes up and my body freezes. My brain knows I should call for help but I can’t get the words out. Fear has me locked in place.
The man pulls out his phone and looks at something on it before looking back up at me. “Are you Natalya or Sasha?”
I can’t speak.
“You look like them but…” He glances back down at his phone and then back up at me.
Run, I tell myself. Yet, I can’t make myself move no matter how desperate I am for it.
“Fuck it,” the man says. “You’re one of them, yes? Fine.” He runs at me and before I can move, clamps his hand over my mouth. “If you scream, I will cut you. Now, you’re coming with me.”
That’s when my body finally moves.
I try to tug and pull at him but his hold on me is too strong and he drags me away from the house. A quick glance at the front of the house shows me that the two guards on duty also have knives in their necks. Whoever this man is, he’s stealthy.
He takes me to a car down the street and throws me into the backseat and runs around to the passenger side.
“You were supposed to get two of them,” the driver growls. He turns around in the seat and I’m struck by how handsome he is, which is an incredibly weird thought to have given the situation I’m in. “And that’s not Natalya or Sasha. You were supposed to grab them. I gave you a picture of them and everything.”
The ski mask guy scoffs and holds up his phone. “But she looks exactly like them. Are you sure she’s not one of them?”
The driver rolls his eyes. “I’ve met Natalya and Sasha before. I know she isn’t one of them. She’s…” He looks at me with more interest. “She does look familiar.” His eyes widen. “She’s one of the sisters. One of the Petrov sisters.”
“So, did I do good?”
The driver smacks the ski mask guy in the head. “No. You were supposed to grab Natalya and Sasha.”
“Well, she was outside. Easy for the taking. There’s a party going on inside, Liam. Too many people take on to grab the other two.”
Liam, the driver, growls, running his hands down his face. “All right. We knew this was going to be a tough mission. But Jack wants Natalya and Sasha. He doesn’t want…” He turns to me. “Which one are you? Irina or Anastasia?”
I can’t get my mouth to work.
“Irina or Anastasia?” he snaps, making me flinch. With a sigh, he turns back to his friend. “You have to get at least one of the sisters Jack wants. At least.”
“But I could be killed if I go back in there! You do it yourself.”
“Why do you think I sent you in there? So I wouldn’t have to die. I’m your boss, Mark. You have to do as I say. So go back in there and grab either Natalya or Sasha. Preferably both.”
