I arrived at Precious Nail Salon right on time. Tatiana walked up just as I was getting to the door.
"Sasha!" she said, and we hugged. She pulled away to get a good look at me for a minute.
"You look different."
I smiled. "You look the same."
That much was true. Back in school, Tatiana had been full-figured, with a round jolly face and expressive lips. The woman in front of me now had a few extra highlights in her hair, but that was about it.
"Who would've thought we would both end up in New York City?" Tatiana asked with a laugh.
"I know,” I said, looking up at the faded sign a bit dubiously. “You said this place is good?"
Tatiana opened the door and gestured me inside. "The best. Her prices are a little steep, but I'm telling you, my nails are gorgeous perfections for a good month after she touches them. And the colors!"
"And the gemstones," I said, catching a look at Tatiana's current nails.
"You'll see," Tatiana said confidently.
Minutes later, we were sat side-by-side while the owner, Rosa, tended to our nails.
We talked business for a while, which even turned out better than I'd expected. Not only was Tatiana's business booming, but as soon as she saw samples of my clothes, she wanted a whole batch of them.
"That's going to take me some time," I said.
Tatiana gave a dismissive wave of her hand then pursed her large lips. "Then hire outside help of course. I can help with that."
"We’ll see." I was about to say more when my phone rang.
I answered it, fearing Adrian calling ten times in a row if I didn't pick up. That wasn't something I wanted to explain to Tatiana.
As soon as I picked up, Adrian's loud voice blared over the line, "Your hubby and I just wanted to make sure you got there safely."
“I did,” I ground out and hung up the phone, scowling. Had Tatiana heard?
Judging by the interested smile on her face, she definitely had.
"My, you have changed," she said.
"It's not what you think," I said.
Tatiana was silent.
"Oh, screw it," I muttered silently to myself.
"I got into some trouble back in Moscow," I admitted to her in a low voice. "You remember Aleksi?"
Tatiana's face darkened, and her upper lip curled. "You stayed with him?"
I nodded. "Far too long. Anyway, I tried breaking up with him about a week ago when things got complicated. So, Adrian had this crackpot idea that my only shot at getting in the US was to marry his best friend."
Tatiana chuckled appreciatively. "That sounds like Adrian alright."
Even back in school, my brother had been something of a legend. He was constantly joking, getting into trouble, and driving the teachers crazy. But the rest of the students had loved him.
"It's all fake," I insist.
"All fake?" Tatiana smirked.
I could only stare at her knowing smile. “It is,” I tried to convince her.
Her smile broadened as she patted me appreciatively. "Don't fret. I know love when I see it." She sighed dramatically. "If only I could remember what it felt like. It's been years. Even though I do have a beau in the wings."
"It's not love," I said immediately, feeling my cheeks heating up. I didn't know what it was, but it wasn't that. "Pierce and I just made a mistake."
Tatiana just laughed. "Whatever you want to tell yourself, honey. Though, I think you should go for it."
I shook my head. "Adrian-"
"Will come around," she finished. “After all, it was his idea. You can blame him.”
Already, her words were ballooning into hopeful possibilities in my chest. I couldn't afford to let that happen.
"I don't know if this guy is relationship material anyway," I admitted. "I don't even know how he really feels. One minute he's all over me, the next minute he goes ice cold. It’s not going to work. Not to mention, it’s barely been a week. It can’t be love. It’s just infatuation or relief from being away from Aleksi," I rationalized.
Tatiana was utterly unfazed. "Of course, you don't know how he feels – you two are too busy trying to convince yourselves that it’s a bad idea to figure that out. The only way you'll find out is by giving it a real go."
I sighed. "You make it sound so simple."
"It is simple. You have to learn how to walk before you can run."
When Tatiana left to go to the bathroom and admire her new rose gemstone encrusted nails under the bright fluorescent lights, I sat there, thinking about Pierce. I wondered about the possibilities and things that I shouldn’t.
33
Pierce
“So you guys are going to have to make an appointment with Immigration soon,” Adrian was saying.
I nodded in agreement. “Ugh, I’d almost forgotten about that part.”
“Yeah, you’ll have to play the happy couple a few times so Sasha can apply for her citizenship. As soon as that’s taken care of, we can work on getting you two divorced.”
“Good, that’ll be good,” I said, though I didn’t sound convincing even to myself. Luckily, Adrian didn’t catch it.
“I’m thinking a few months, a couple of interviews, convince them you’re happy and that Sasha has gainful employment, and then you’ll be off the hook. No sense in dragging it out longer than need be.”
It made logical sense. So why, right now, do I want to see the goddamn woman so much?
"You sure you're good?" Adrian asked me for the fifth time. "Have you been overdoing it at the gym again?"
"No, Grandma," I intoned.
Common sense told me that the last thing Adrian wanted to hear was the truth.
"Seriously though," Adrian insisted, taking a savage bite of his pancake and patting me on the shoulder at the same time. "I'm a concerned friend. And as your concerned friend, I would truly like to know what the fuck is going on in that head of yours. You’ve been in a daze all damn morning."
I eyed him. Adrian was really asking for it. "You're sure?"
Adrian flung his hand to his chest. "Certain."
"Okay." He’d asked for it. I was tired of tiptoeing around. "Sasha and I have been together. Several times. I don't think it's just a fling. At least, it doesn’t feel like it for me."
Adrian's face stayed frozen in his expectant, interested expression, with his hand on his chest, for several minutes. Then, gradually, the expression gave way to one of complete horror.
"You're joking," he said in a very dangerous voice.
"I wish I was," I said. "This is really messing with my head."
The screech of a chair as Adrian stood up. "Messing with your head? Pierce Rowlings, tell me you are joking." He leaned in so that our faces were close, the deep V of his eyebrows and slits of eyes hyper-focused. "Tell me you are not fucking my baby sister."
I’m officially the worst friend ever.
"I'm sorry."
Laughter crowed out of Adrian, but it was anything but joyful. "You're sorry? So, Judas is sorry?"
His loud voice was already attracting attention. Not that I cared. I deserved it.
"There's no need to call me Judas," I said reasonably.
"And there was no need for you to screw my sister," Adrian said, getting to his feet. "I can't believe you. Did I not specifically state to stay away from her? Here all this time, I thought you were helping me out. Being my friend."
I stood up too. "I am doing this to help you. I am your friend. Adrian, I didn't mean for any of this to happen."
"But it did." Adrian's gaze cut through me. "It did."
He walked away without another word, leaving me standing there with his unfinished pancakes, my not-even-started eggs, and a giant helping of regret.
At the climbing gym, while working, things went from shitty to shittier.
"You told my brother about us?" Sasha demanded over the phone when I picked up.
"I'm sorry," I said. "It just slipped out."
"Just sli
pped out? That we’ve been fucking right under his nose? You do realize he's flipping out right now?"
"Let me talk to him."
"Oh no – you’re the last person he wants to talk to. He wants to beat the living shit out of you, Pierce."
"That's a bit over the top."
"I don't know if it is. How could you tell him? Especially when you didn’t even ask me first if it was ok!"
"I need your permission to tell the truth now?" I said.
A stunned pause. Then, "And what is the truth, Pierce? Do you want me? Or am I just a fling? Do you want to be with me? Or am I supposed to stay away from you? Do you want to try for something real? Or are you just helping out my brother? Make up your fucking mind because I’m getting whiplash over here!"
A beep and once again, I was alone, by myself with my regrets.
I flung myself further back in my office chair. Sasha's and Adrian's voices were still ringing in my head, battling with my own thoughts. Because really, what had I been thinking?
That was probably the problem. I hadn't been.
But the whole sneaking around business with Sasha was so tiring, and maybe, I wanted to give us a real go.
I’d been thinking of just myself. Selfish. Stupid. Just like me.
34
Sasha
"We need to talk," Adrian said, standing in the doorway.
I didn't even bother to ask how he found me at Marauders, one of the stores I was going to do business with. Instead, I just said, "Okay."
We were barely out the door, when he said, "How could you?"
"You already yelled at me about it over the phone earlier today," I reminded him. "My answers aren’t going to change now that you’re standing in front of me."
"After all I did for you," Adrian continued. "And you sleep with my best friend?"
“Listen, it wasn’t my idea to marry the guy,” I reminded him.
“Yeah, fake marry him, Sasha! Fake!” he bit back.
I blew out a breath. "I'm sorry, okay?" I said. "Not that that changes anything. But I didn't expect to be so attracted to him."
"And with Aleksi tailing your ass, you’re this close to making things even riskier by being with someone right now. If he is here and he sees you with another guy, he’s going to flip his shit, and things could get even more dangerous for you. Not to mention, are you even in a position mentally to move on and start over with someone new anyway?"
I swallowed. Adrian had hit the hail nail on the head, not that I wanted him to know that.
"We keep trying to stop it," I said weakly.
"Well then try harder," Adrian snapped. "Stay away from him. I meant what I said. I love Pierce like a brother – at least I used to – but he hasn’t had a relationship that lasted more than three months. He doesn't think relationships can work."
"So maybe it can’t. But after everything I’ve been through, would a rebound be that bad?" I asked bitterly.
Adrian considered my question. "Pierce said it wasn't just a fling for him."
My heart stirred in my chest. He'd said that?
"I don't know what's going on," I said miserably.
"Well, I do," Adrian said. "You guys are staying away from each other."
"You're not the boss of me," I said.
Adrian gaped at me like I’d just said fairies were real. "Are you kidding me right now? I'm trying to protect you. Why won't you let me protect you?"
"Maybe because I don't need protection all the time!" I yelled back. "Maybe because I want the freedom to make my own mistakes, even if they'll hurt me."
"That's what I tried to let you do with Aleksi," Adrian said quietly. "I left you behind when I moved here because you said he was a good man. And look how that turned out."
I was silent. He had a point.
Adrian stared at the ground. He looked like a balloon that had all the air taken out of it. Deflated. "Still, I can't control you."
"I'm sorry," I said again, touching his shoulder.
Adrian shrugged off my hand and stormed away, saying nothing.
The meeting with the store owner didn't go as well as I had hoped since she wanted my items heavily discounted. Luckily, I had had enough success with other store owners that I could turn her down.
Back at the apartment, Adrian wasn't home. Something told me he was off drowning his sorrows somewhere, which was fine with me. It would be nice to have a chill night alone. I hadn't had one of those for a while now.
I did some sewing I'd been putting off, then watched an episode of Breaking Bad. Adrian still wasn't back when it was time for bed, so I brushed my teeth and tucked myself in.
I woke up to more creaks in the night. Reaching for my phone instinctively, I stopped myself at the last minute. No, I told myself, you are not calling Pierce.
The next second though, it was ringing. When I saw who it was, I picked up.
"Tatiana?"
"Sorry, I know it's late, but you have to know. I'm here at a party with my cousin, and he says he saw Aleksi, just the other day. At the shooting range."
"At the shooting range," I repeated.
My heart fell to my stomach. "Could they have made a mistake?"
"I don't think so," Tatiana said. "He was certain. Just be careful, okay?"
"Okay," I said. "Thanks for letting me know."
"You're somewhere safe, right?"
"The building I'm in has a security guard," I said, "I should be fine. But thanks."
"All right, we'll talk later in the week. Bye."
"Bye."
I sat there in the dark, staring at my cracked-open door, I heard more creaks.
It's just Adrian's wooden floor; I told myself although I wasn't so sure this time.
I creeped out and peered out into the darkness. Adrian’s shoes still weren’t by the front door. It was just me there.
Before I could think better of it, I was dialing Pierce's number.
He answered on the first ring. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah, I think so," I said.
"Sasha, talk to me."
"My friend Tatiana called me up," I said. "Said her cousin spotted Aleksi at the shooting range a couple of days ago."
"Is Adrian there?" he asked, suddenly on high alert.
"No," I said. "But he'll probably be back soon."
A long pause, then Pierce said, "I'm coming over."
"No-" I began, but he'd already hung up.
I sat in my bed, wrapping my arms around my legs and waited for him to show up.
35
Pierce
On the road, I dialed up Adrian at least ten or so times. I left messages and texts, but he wasn't responding.
He is obviously still pissed at you.
The important thing was that I got to Sasha ASAP. I weaved in and out of traffic, speeding insanely, but I didn't care. I needed to get there now.
If anything happened to Sasha…
My hands clenched on the steering wheel. No, I wouldn't think about that.
At the apartment, luckily the security guy knew me, so he let me in. Although Sasha took her time coming to the door.
She opened it, with tired eyes and a frown. "You didn't have to come."
"Yes, I did," I said. "It's not safe for you to be alone."
She said nothing to that, just opened the door and let me in.
I tore my gaze off the round, firm shape of her ass I could see through her sleep shirt. It was definitely not the time for that.
Sasha lingered in the kitchen. "Want anything?"
"I'm fine, thanks. About before --"
"It's fine," she said stiffly, cutting me off. "I’m beyond exhausted. I’m just going to go to bed. Thanks for coming."
She left me standing there, wondering what on earth I'd even been going to say.
I slept on the couch and hours later, awoke to the delicious aroma of pancakes.
With the light spilling into the kitchen on Sasha in an ivory white dress that fluttered around her knees, sh
e looked like a vision.
I rubbed my eyes, looking around. "Where's Adrian?"
"Don't know," Sasha said, not looking up from her cooking.
"It was really shitty of him just to run off," I said. "Even if he is pissed at us. Something could've happened to you."
"He didn't know about Aleksi being in town," Sasha said. "Want some?"
She lifted the frying pan my way. "Definitely," I said.
"They’re my mom’s special recipe," she said, "Apple cinnamon. She always used to make them on Sundays after she dragged us to church. Even Adrian would live through the minister’s droning sermon just so he could get some of these pancakes. She used to make a huge amount too. Something like forty or fifty, so we’d get ten each. I’d even keep eating them once my stomach started hurting." She suddenly closed her lips tight. "Sorry, I'm babbling."
Her red cheeks were painfully adorable as she served the pancakes onto my plate.
“Don’t apologize. I like learning things about you.”
Sasha froze for a moment before a small smile played on her lips.
36
Sasha
I didn't say anything, only served some pancakes to myself. We sat down, across from each other. I kept my gaze on my plate, although I couldn't control my thoughts as easily.
What was Pierce playing at, going cold and insisting that we couldn't be together one minute, and the next telling Adrian that he didn't think it was just a fling between us?
And now, did he think I couldn’t see the way he was looking at me?
"Your mom had something great going," Pierce declared as he finished the first pancake. "These are the best pancakes I've ever had."
I smiled a little. "She'd love to hear that."
He smiled at me. I smiled back.
It felt stupid, smiling that big and wide just because of the man who was sitting across from me.
A lump formed in my throat. I couldn’t help but think back to the early days with Aleksi before he got mixed up with the Mob and we could sit and talk as easily as Pierce and I were doing.
I rose.
"Just remembered," I said. "I have some shopping to do."
"Right now?"
I finished the rest of my pancake and hurried to my room. "Yeah."
Protecting Sasha Page 9
