Page 70 of Scarred (Russian Sinners 2)

“Are you okay?” That didn’t sound good at all.

“Don’t make me laugh,” she answered, although I could tell she was still smiling. “We already consummated everything. So marriage will just be taking vows.”

“Olivia, who are you talking to?” Tasha came out dressed in her pajamas and sat next to me.

“I’m talking to my friend, Anastasia. Remember, I told you about her.”

She nodded.

“Who is that?” Anastasia asked.

“It’s Nikolai’s niece, Natasha. She has helped me settle in at the house.” I winked at Tasha as her smile grew.

“That’s great,” she exclaimed. “Does that mean everything went okay with Nikolai?”

“Yes, sure did. And thanks for sending him to save me.”

“Well, it was either he or I. I thought chances were better with him.”

I had to agree. “I missed you so much. I’m so glad you called. Have you heard from Scarlett?”

“No, I haven’t. But I know she is in St. Petersburg,” she answered. Wow, she was in the same city as me. “There is some trouble with this guy, Vlad. And Sergei, the third friend, is handling it. So I don’t want to call him to talk to Scarlett because I know he’s busy.”

“Are you in St. Petersburg?”

“No, I’m way out closer to Siberia.” If this Vlad guy was here, it was probably better she stayed there.

“I am so happy you called, and I want to stay on the line. I just don’t want to piss anyone off. Is it safe that we stay on the phone?”

“Dimitry said it is okay, but probably better we don’t risk it.”

I agreed although I didn’t want to let her go. It was so good to hear her voice. “Okay, love you.”

“I love you too,” she spoke softly. “Everything will be okay. Trust Nikolai, he is a good guy. I’ll call you in a few days.”

“Sounds good. Give a kiss to Dimitry,” I teased her. “Tell him he better keep you healthy. Otherwise, we’ll hunt him down.”

She laughed again, and it was immediately followed by a painful groan. “I will. He’ll be so scared.”

Now, it was my turn to laugh. If he was anything like Nikolai, we probably couldn’t even push him over. “Later, Anastasia.”

As soon as I hung up, I glanced at Tasha who curled herself up next to me. Her eyelids were heavy.

“Want me to read you a story or straight to bed?” Although I had a feeling I knew the answer, I wanted her to have a choice.

“Bed, please.”

I lifted her and tucked her in before leaning to place a kiss on her forehead, just the way my mother used to do it when we were little. Before my father sucked the life out of her.

After leaving Tasha, I went to my own bedroom. Anastasia sounded so happy despite everything. If she could do it, so could I. I glanced at the blank pad of paper and grabbed a drawing pencil.

It was worth a try. If it helped to get it all out, it was worth a try. As soon as I started drawing, I lost myself in it. I didn’t analyze it. I just focused on putting images out of my head and onto the paper. Maybe they’d stay on the paper and leave me alone.

And that was how Nikolai found me hours later. Hunched over, with my knees crossed over, drawing pad on my lap and working on the eighth or ninth or tenth drawing.

“Olivia,” his voice was soft.

I reluctantly stopped and tilted my head to meet his gaze. My throat was tight and it was impossible to speak. I just watched him, my eyes burning from unshed tears. I’d stopped crying a long time ago. Sometimes life just sucked and you had to roll with the punches.

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