Page 59 of Disgraced (Russian Sinners 3)

Sergei

When I woke up the next morning, I felt like I'd been run over by a train. My shoulder throbbed but I kept the pain to myself. Anja came to check on me, examining her handy work. She did a great job fixing me up and the other men. I forced myself to join the others for breakfast, Anja behind me ensuring I was safe on my feet. She was a good woman and an even better doctor.

After her cooking lesson with Dimitry and everyone’s full belly, she went outside to call her father. Listening to Anja’s conversation with her father made my anguish and self-disgust grow with each second. She worried about Scarlett. Her father must have told her she was kidnapped. Fuck, I wanted to tell her that Scarlett was safe. I wanted to tell her I had to kidnap her best friend to keep her safe because the same men that came after Anastasia knew about my Scarlett. And most of all, I wanted to come clean and confess to Anja that it was me that kidnapped her.

I detested the idea of becoming anything like my father. I’d rather Dimitry and Nikolai shoot me dead than allow me to become the mad and cruel maniac Boris was. It would be merciful to give me death rather than allow me to turn into the lunatic my father was.

Dimitry was in the woods with Anja and the moment we heard a gun, Nikolai and I rushed into the woods. Although I wasn’t in much of a shape to defend Anja or my brothers, I would damn well try. And die trying, if need be.

By the time we reached Dimitry and Anja, I was barely standing. Her eyes came to me and they flashed in annoyance.

“Sergei, I told you not to overdo it,” she scolded me.

“We heard a gunshot,” I told her, barely keeping my voice even. My breathing was heavier from the physical exuberation. I lowered my eyes to the gun she gripped, wondering why she had a weapon.

“Anastasia learned to fire a gun at the target,” Dimitry explained.

All the men’s eyes, including mine, shifted to the target, and I couldn’t help but be impressed. She fucking hit the target, only one shot, at her first attempt. Not even Dimitry succeeded in doing that. Although he was in his early teens when he first shot a gun.

“You hit the bullseye on the first try?” Nikolai sounded impressed, just the way I felt. I mean, how couldn’t I?

“I used to do archery,” she muttered, as if that explained it all. My heart actually constricted in pain for her. This world, the violence, was clearly not what she wished for or liked in life. Obviously, not too many people loved the violence. It must have been extra hard for her. She fought to save lives, not end them.

“Woman, you could give me a hard on,” I tried to tease her, hoping to make her feel better. If she wanted to smack me, that was fine too. I didn’t like to see her so upset. “If I wasn’t in this much pain, I would be so turned on.”

I wished Scarlett was here. It was time I came clean with some of this shit I had done. I might lose my brothers in the process but I couldn’t live like this. And I hated seeing Anja upset and worried over her friends. If I could ease her mind about one of her friends, it was worth it. She was too good of a person; I couldn’t let her worry herself. She had enough on her plate.

“I want to go home,” she announced and my mouth just about dropped. If she went home and left Dimitry’s protection, she was as sure as dead. “Let me rephrase,” she continued, her voice confident and sure although I got a distinct sense it was a farce. She was hiding her fear and worry. It was easy for me to see, since it was something I often did. “I am going home. I’m not staying here.”

“And what do you plan on doing then?” Dimitry was furious at her. He cared about her and would never allow her to endanger herself.

“I will work that out on my flight home.” Anastasia raised her chin in defiance. Why in the fuck did she remind me of myself at this moment? Usually, it was only me doing dumb shit. I guess I finally found someone to keep me company when on the shit list. Although I would love company on that list, I couldn’t allow Anja to get hurt.

“You hit a target and you think you can fight now?” I challenged her.

“I don’t think that. But I won’t be hiding here while my friends-” Her words came out strained. She kept swallowing hard, trying to keep herself together. “You three couldn’t possibly get it. I can’t hide here, safe while one of my friends has been kidnapped because of me and the other is forced to marry a narcissistic psychopath who will torture her for the rest of her life.”

Fuck.Now would be the time to tell her I had Scarlett. And who was the narcissistic psychopath that would torture her other friend? We couldn’t allow that.

“Calm down, Anastasia,” Dimitry demanded, his tone calm. “I know how you feel. My brothers and I would do the same for each other. But if you get yourself killed, you won’t be able to help them.”

Those two went back and forth, battling their wills.It’s like watching foreplay, I thought wryly to myself. My strength was seeping slowly but surely. I knew today would be hard, after losing so much blood. It wasn’t the first time I got shot; hopefully it would be the last time though.

Not likely.

My mind worked at possible scenarios and how to announce that Scarlett was safe. And to admit that it was me that handed Anja over to Boris’ men. Hopefully without getting buried on the spot.

Anastasia’s elevated voice brought my attention back to my brother and Anja.

She was pointing her finger at his chest. “I’m a grown woman. You have no jurisdiction over me, regardless of how well you kiss.” My lip quirked. So those two were already on to the kissing stage. She continued, probably unaware she announced in so many words that she liked Dimitry. I couldn’t be happier for my brother. “You can tell my father he has no say in what I will or won’t do either.”

And that was when I knew without a shred of doubt that if Anastasia decided she wanted Dimitry, she wouldn’t let anyone stop her. And to my absolute delight, I would bet my money that she wanted him.

“Anastasia, how about if we help?” I offered. I liked her. I wanted her for my brother. He deserved the best after everything he had gone through to keep me and Nikolai safe. I couldn’t be more proud to call him my brother, even if he buried me alive once everything came out into the open. Because I was sure it would all be revealed.

Anja’s head snapped to me, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. “How?”

Dimitry chimed in. “First we would have your word that you are staying with me until it is safe for you to leave.”

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