When I Love (Vassi & Seri 3: Russian Stepbrother Romance)

by Marian Tee

  Vassi joined in the celebration, clapping with everyone else, but inside him the feeling of hollowness only grew. If his life had been a movie, something dramatic could and would have happened by now.

  Something like him turning to Seri, kissing her and forcing her to see the truth, which was that she loved him more than she loved the security she could get with her fucking Plan B.

  Vassi’s grip on his script tightened.

  He could do that, but at what cost?

  Because that was the thing about movies.

  Actors and actresses were able to say whatever they wanted to say, do whatever they wanted to do, knowing that at the end of the day, the people in their real lives wouldn’t be hurt by it.

  In real life---

  Some words cost too much to say, and it was why, five minutes later, Vassi found himself working side by side Seri like nothing had ever happened between them.

  Seri.

  The girl he had loved almost his entire life – and the girl who had only needed minutes to break his heart, over and over.

  “Good job, everyone,” Marshall said jovially at the end of rehearsals. “How about one last run?”

  Unsurprisingly, the question was met with tired groans. It was already ten in the evening, and they had only been given a thirty-minute break for lunch and then an hour-long break for dinner.

  “Kidding, kidding. You all did great, and I’m counting on you all to impress tomorrow’s crowd. That’s it, pack up and go. See you at the press conference.”

  Vassi forced himself to turn to Seri. “You did a good job.”

  “You, too.”

  There was something in her eyes, something he knew he could decipher if he wanted to, but he deliberately ignored it, saying with a charming smile, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Something died in her eyes. “See you.” He watched her smile at someone behind him. “See you, Daniela.”

  “See you.” Daniela’s voice was cheerful enough, but because he had known the other girl for some time, he knew right away something was wrong. Turning his back on Seri, he asked Daniela without preamble, “What’s wrong?”

  She showed him her phone wordlessly.

  His gaze narrowed when he saw her boyfriend’s message about waiting for Daniela at her place.

  “You can’t go home.” His voice was flat.

  “I know. And I don’t want to go to any of my friends’ places. I don’t want to get them involved.”

  Vassi nodded even though half of his attention was still attuned to Seri. In the corner of his eye, he saw her head to the couch, where she had placed her bag and a couple of graphic novels.

  “Can I ask a favor, Grachyov?”

  As Daniela spoke, Seri looked up and he swiftly turned away before Seri realized he had been watching her.

  “What is it?”

  “Could I crash at your place tonight?”

  He saw Seri stumble almost right after Daniela’s question, and something inside of him felt…glad.

  Vassi heard himself say, “Sure.”

  Seri walked out of the recording studio in a daze. Had she heard them right? Had Daniela asked if she could stay at Vassi’s place, and had Vassi really said yes? Granted, she knew that Vassi was still staying in the family home, and that meant they wouldn’t even be alone.

  But even so---

  It wasn’t like not being alone had ever mattered to Vassi, she thought numbly as she pressed the up button for the elevator. Shelby was proof of that. Oh God, she herself was proof of that.

  Behind her, Seri heard Vassi and Daniela’s voices, and she quickly pressed the button again even knowing it wasn’t going to do any good. A few moments later, the doors finally opened, and she nearly threw herself in it. She reached for the down button---

  Vassi suddenly appeared in front of her---

  D’err mo.

  He grinned. “Hold it for us, will you?”

  Never. She grinned back at him. “Of course.”

  “Ladies first,” Vassi said as he turned towards Daniela.

  The other girl unceremoniously shoved him inside. “Stop pretending you’re a gentleman. It’s just making my skin crawl.”

  Vassi chuckled. “You always did have a way with words.”

  As the doors slid close, Daniela rolled her eyes. “No, Grachyov. It’s just that I’m the only girl who tells you the truth.”

  Seri stared hard at the elevator doors. Why couldn’t she have superpowers? Why? Why? Right now, she just needed something simple, like being super deaf, so she wouldn’t feel she was about to puke at Vassi and Daniela’s banter, which was oh so cute and witty.

  The elevator reached the lobby and she stepped out, but the two stayed behind.

  “Basement parking,” Daniela told her with a smile.

  I didn’t ask. She smiled back. “Oh.”

  “She’s driving me home,” Vassi added unnecessarily.

  Like I said, she wanted to scream, I DIDN’T ASK. But out loud all she said again was, “Oh.”

  Walking out of the building, she wasn’t surprised to see Max’s limousine already waiting for her.

  Max put his phone away as soon as Seri climbed inside the car. The door shut, and a moment later, the car was speeding steadily down the building’s driveway. He took one look at her face and asked sympathetically, “That bad again?”

  She managed a smile. “An understatement.”

  “I always have a shoulder for you to cry on if you want.”

  Slowly, she shook her head. “I don’t want to cry anymore.” Wry humor flashed in her eyes. “I’m sure you’re sick of the sound of me crying, too.”

  Never, Max thought. What he did feel was anger – not at her, but at Vassi Grachyov for being so damn blind.

  He told her, “If my shoulder’s not what you need, then maybe this is?” He patted his lap, hoping to tease a smile out of her, but to his surprise, she inched closer towards him---

  His eyebrows shot up.

  But instead of curling up in it, she put her legs up on the seat and laid her head on his lap.

  Her eyes closed.

  And then she whispered, “I really wish I could be smart enough to fall in love with you, Max.”

  Ah.

  “Unfortunately for both of us,” he told her evenly, “you’re an idiot.”

  She laughed and choked. “Oh, Max.”

  Slowly, he started to stroke her hair, knowing that it was what a friend would do, and – in spite of what she had said – they both knew a friend right now was also what she needed him to be.

  Chapter Nine

  Daniela tossed him the keys when they got to the hotel’s basement parking. “Your turn to drive.”

  Vassi caught it without a word and after pressing the unlock button, he wordlessly opened the passenger door for her.

  As she got in, Daniela blew him a kiss. “Thank you.”

  He closed the door shut.

  Fuck.

  How the hell had his world turned upside down in less than a day?

  When Vassi got inside the driver’s seat and started Daniela’s car, she told him with a giggle, “This is kind of exciting.”

  “Is it?”

  “Sneaking around, making sure no paparazzi sees us,” she said ruefully, “With Andrew, it felt sordid, but with you – it’s like an adventure.”

  He didn’t answer, but she didn’t seem to mind as Daniela only smiled at him, saying, “That reminds me. Have I told you how handsome you are?”

  You have, Vassi thought as he drove out of the basement. Six times in the past five minutes, and he was counting every instance not because he was egotistical but because it was almost like a total stranger had taken over Daniela’s body. From a colleague who had been mildly entertaining, she had somehow transformed overnight into an incomprehensibly clingy woman who didn’t know when to shut up.

  She chatted almost nonstop throughout the ride, but Vassi nonetheless bided his time. When she finally paused for breath, he s
aid right away, “We need to talk about last night.”

  Daniela squeezed his arm, saying teasingly, “You were great, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

  No. It wasn’t. What did worry the hell out of him was the fact that he remembered nothing at all, and he couldn’t remember being this wasted since the night Seri turned eighteen and he had forced himself to hurt her.

  Daniela peered at him. “What do you want to talk about?”

  Good question, and one he could answer better if he could just remember the most salient facts.

  His fingers tightening around the shift stick, Vassi tried to recall what he could of yesterday’s events. The time he spent at work was clear enough.

  But after that---

  He remembered calling his driver to let him know he was no longer needed, remembered getting inside Daniela’s car. He remembered the two of them talking, and when they realized that they could be putting his own family in danger by taking her home with him, they had mutually decided that it was better for her to check in at a hotel instead.

  He remembered having dinner in her suite, followed by drinks---

  And then nothing.

  His lips tightened.

  Daniela’s smile faded at the look on his face. “What is it?”

  He said tautly, “I don’t remember anything happening between us.” Daniela fell silent, and he cursed under his breath. “I know that came out wrong, and---”

  “Vassi. I’m five-foot-five, and I weigh one hundred and ten. Do you really think I could have carried you all the way to the bedroom and have my wicked way with you?”

  Vassi had no answer to that.

  “We had some drinks last night, and clearly it was more than what was right for you, if you can’t remember anything that happened---” She broke off all of a sudden, and when he saw hurt flashing in her eyes, he knew he only had himself to blame.

  “I’m sorry,” he forced himself to say. “None of this is your fault---”

  She said in a small voice, “I didn’t ever think it was.”

  He stilled.

  “I’ve always liked you, Vassi. I just didn’t let you know because I thought I never had a chance, and it’s why I keep dating bad boys. I was trying to look for someone like you.”

  Vassi forced his face to stay expressionless even as her words made him feel sick inside. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Looking at her now, he knew every word she spoke was true, just as he knew that all these years, he had only deliberately blinded himself to it.

  “Last night…you kissed me, and it was the happiest moment of my life.”

  Fuck.

  She raised her gaze to his, saying sadly, “But it’s not the same for you, is it? You still love Seri, don’t you?”

  “No.”

  “Vassi, it’s just the two of us in the car. There’s no need to lie.” Her voice shook as she said, “You don’t love me. You can’t because it’s Seri you love---”

  “Daniela.” She was right. It was just the two of them in the car, and seeing how much it had cost Daniela to say the words, guilt made Vassi say, “It’s not what you think.” Inhaling sharply, he forced himself to continue, saying, “You’re right. I don’t love you. But I don’t love her either.”

  “I don’t believe you---”

  “Have I ever lied to you?”

  Her gaze turned uncertain. “No.”

  “Then believe me when I say I don’t love her. I might have thought I had, but I no longer do.”

  “But I’ve seen the way you stare at her when you think she’s not looking---”

  “If you’ve seen me staring at her,” he grated out, “it was because I couldn’t understand why I could fall for someone like her. That’s all.”

  Daniela looked down. “I see.”

  Vassi tightened his hands on the steering wheel. “I’m sorry I didn’t notice all these years, D.”

  Lifting her gaze to meet his, she said with a strained smile, “T-that’s not your fault either.”

  Silence reigned, tense and painful, for the remainder of the ride. When they made it to the hotel, Vassi went around to open the car door for her, but he was too late.

  Daniela had already stepped out, and she was smiling brightly at him. “No need,” she told him with false cheer. “You never used to open doors for me before.”

  Feeling even guiltier at the way she was obviously forcing herself, he said curtly, “Nothing happened between us then.”

  She waited for him to finish signing the slip for valet service before muttering fiercely, “I just want you to stop giving me unnecessary hope. Okay?”

  Ah.

  He said with a sigh, “I’m sorry, D.” It was unlike him to commit one mistake after another.

  As they walked inside the lobby, members of the media tried to rush towards them before being quickly held back by security.

  He pulled her close to him immediately, not wanting Daniela accidentally jostled or shoved.

  As she burrowed into his chest, he heard her say, “Can I ask a favor?”

  “Another one?” he managed to say lightly as he led them towards the function hall where the press conference was being held.

  “Don’t treat me differently. Please. I know you can’t ever love me, but we can at least stay friends, right?”

  His arm around her shoulders tightened at the request. “Right.”

  They entered the function hall through the back door then, and waiting production assistants immediately escorted them up the stage. The rest of the cast was already seated, together with the sound and art directors.

  After pulling a chair for Daniela, he forced himself to turn to Seri and ruffled her hair, knowing it was what was expected of him. “Hey.”

  Seri managed a smile. “Hey.”

  She tried not to think about the fact that Vassi and the other girl had arrived together – again.

  Inching forward, she looked past Vassi to smile at Daniela. “Hi.”

  “Hi.”

  She blinked at Daniela’s strained smile. Was something wrong? She immediately looked at Vassi, but he kept his gaze straight ahead, deliberately ignoring her.

  Slowly, she turned her gaze back to the crowd as well. Had the two of them fought?

  Almost half an hour passed before the press conference began, and it couldn’t have come earlier for Seri. Those thirty minutes had been the worst, with Seri unable to stop listening to the way Vassi and Daniela continued with their cute and witty banter.

  The first part of the conference involved a short introduction from the two directors followed by a ten-minute Q & A for each member of the cast. The third part of the conference allowed the press to ask questions of the cast as an ensemble, and the first one had everyone either smiling or hooting outright.

  “Any real-life romance between any cast members?”

  Everyone, including Seri, although it was taking everything for her to continue smiling.

  Vassi did his best not to react at the question. Beside him, he sensed more than saw Daniela stiffen, and he reached for her hand without hesitation. He squeezed her fingers, telling her without words that he wouldn’t do anything to embarrass her.

  “I think you should ask our dear Daniela about that,” Malinda was saying. “Right…D?” The other actors grinned at her deliberate use of Vassi’s nickname for Daniela.

  The moderator turned to Daniela with a grin. “Well, Ms. Martin?”

  “I’m…” Daniela’s voice faltered and she turned towards him helplessly.

  Without missing a beat, Vassi said, “In one of our rehearsals, Malinda says I’m every girl’s type---”

  The girls in the crowd cheered.

  “So as far as romances go,” he drawled, “I think every girl in the cast, with the exception of my sister, is in love with me.” He looked at Malinda. “And that includes you, Malinda, even if you won’t admit it.”

  Malinda only rolled her eyes even as the crowd of reporters laughed.

  The questions cont
inued, with one reporter asking the inevitable question about how awkward it was for Vassi and Seri to play lovers when they were siblings in real life.

  Vassi answered first. “Work is work, and it makes no difference to us.”

  Seri shook her head at the crowd. “To be honest, my only complaint is that I have to spend even more time with the most arrogant guy in the world.” She turned to face Vassi to smirk at him---

  Or at least that was what she wanted to do until she saw Vassi holding Daniela’s hand under the table.

  She quickly faced the crowd, saying brightly, “Other than that, it’s not a problem.” The reporter next in line came forward, his question about voice acting techniques, but Seri barely heard him at all.

  Right now, there was only one thing she could think about.

  Vassi was holding Daniela’s hand in secret.

  “And Ms. Devereaux? Any tips you wish to share about voice acting?”

  She heard herself answer, feeling all the while that the words were coming from someone else’s mouth.

  Vassi was holding Daniela’s hand in secret.

  She couldn’t stop thinking about it.

  Vassi was holding Daniela’s hand in secret.

  Did it mean he was starting to fall for the other girl? Did it mean he would start being indifferent to her? Did it mean---

  Vassi was holding Daniela’s hand in secret.

  “And now,” the moderator said excitedly, “it’s time to unveil the trailer. Without further ado---”

  Vassi was holding Daniela’s hand in secret.

  “Here’s the world premiere for Drawn!”

  All the lights in the function room went out.

  And without even thinking, Seri reached for Vassi’s dick under the table.

  Vassi stiffened.

  Swallowing, Seri leaned towards him, pretending to accidentally brush her breasts against the side of his arm. Squeezing his dick, she whispered, “It’s me.” Even though it stung her pride to have to say the words, what would be even more unbearable was Vassi mistaking her touch for Daniela’s.

  Vassi said under his breath, “I know.” Never in his wildest dreams had he thought Seri could ever do something like this, and if it had been any other time, he would have been damn glad about it.