Page 86 of Alexei (Belles & Mobsters 4)

“Oh.” She grew silent for a moment before speaking again. “How come you only came into the picture five or so years back?” Aurora’s questions were all over the place. I didn’t think she was doing it on purpose, but I’d admit her mind worked in mysterious ways that didn’t make sense to me.

“I didn’t know who my father was.” It was the truth. Half-truth. I didn’t know who my real mother was either. Until Vasili told me.

“Sorry,” she muttered, her eyes shifting to my hand. I noticed she did the same earlier when we shook hands. “I know who my dad is, but I don’t know him at all. If that makes any sense.” I nodded. I guessed as much. “He has had other women too, even when he had a steady girlfriend. Or whatever you call that at his age. And I’m pretty sure he had them all along, even when my mother was alive. My brothers tried to keep me shielded from all that, except I kind of wish we’d meet the other two. I always wanted a sister and then found out that I had one. But then, do I really want to disrupt her life? She seems happy.”

It didn’t surprise me to learn she knew her family’s secrets. Her mind was too curious and inquisitive to leave things alone and live in oblivion. She stared into an empty space, chewing on her lower lip and her thoughts somewhere far away.

“Of course, if Dad was my husband, I’d leave him.” There was no doubt in my mind that she would. “And I’d take the kids,” she added, her gaze coming back to me as if she wanted to ensure I agreed with her. I nodded because I did. If the man was dumb enough to cheat on her, he didn’t deserve her. “My brothers remember Mom. She made them promise to take care of me.” Her voice lowered, thick emotions in it. No wonder she was so close with her brothers. “My four brothers,” she paused, realizing her mistake because only three were in her life. But then continued, “... they always took care of me. They kept their promise for sure.”

“Vasili took care of Sasha and Tatiana.” I tried to share. “Their father was absent.”

She chewed on her bottom lip nervously. “What about you?” I remained quiet. I didn’t think my history would be the right thing to calm her down. “Their father was your father, right?” Her voice was cautious as she threaded lightly.

“Yes, but I wasn’t around.” She waited expectantly for me to explain. It was more than I shared with anyone in my entire life. Vasili found me and gave me the information I had been searching for my whole life.

I sat on the balcony of my villa in Portugal, the view of the sea stretching for miles. It was meant to be a view that offered tranquility. At least that was what the realtor said when I looked at it.

It didn’t.

Just ask the visitor who just left, the turmoil of the sea, reflected inside me. The ripples caused by winds across the surface become unstable when reaching shallow water and begin to break.

If that wasn’t a metaphor for my life, I wasn’t sure what was.

On the inside, I was broken. On the outside, scarred. Though, ink covering my skin hid all the ugly. There was only one man who understood the hell constantly brewing inside me, and he needed more help than I did.

Another wave crashed against the rocky shoreline, breaking it into a million droplets.

Unlike Cassio and his gang, I didn’t feel a strong connection to any of them. Though they hadn’t failed me yet. Even when I didn’t ask for their help, they came through. Like in Russia.

If Nico, Luca, Cassio, and Alessio hadn’t come, I would have died on that rescue mission. But I lacked in forming connections.

I knew it; they knew it.

It made them wary to trust me initially. I couldn’t even blame them, considering I experienced firsthand when it came down to two human beings, instincts always prevailed. We were no better than animals. Actually, we might be worse.

A shadow covered part of the balcony, signaling someone behind me. I was up on my feet in a blink, a knife between my fingers. A tall guy in a tailored suit stood there, his hands casually in his pockets.

“The door was open,” he said, as if that explained why he was in my home.

I didn’t recognize him. Instinct warned me he was ruthless and dangerous, but not to me. Our gazes connected, and the familiarity of his eyes washed over me. They looked like the eyes I met in the mirror every morning.

Except ghosts and demons didn’t lurk in his eyes.

“Alexei?” he asked, when I said nothing.

Still untrusting, I gripped my knife, ready to deliver a stab into his gut. Though I suspected this guy, despite his suit, was just as capable in combat as I was.

“I see this will be more difficult than I thought,” he muttered. “You speak English?”

I finally nodded. The families I was left with often spoke English and Russian, so I was fluent in both.

“Can we talk without the knife?” he asked, both of us still standing and facing each other.

“Nyet.”

Something flickered in his pale blue eyes. “You speak Russian?”

I nodded again.

---