The Bratva King's Kidnapped Bride - Page 67

“When I asked what in the hell was up and why this stranger’s stuff is all over the house, he had the audacity to tell me he was happy and to not interfere with his life!”

I breathed out, feeling faint. What could I say? Any word I uttered would feed into the lie and I couldn’t do it. Not to her face, when she was so upset. My heart started to sink from the hopeful heights it had been at earlier in the day when I decided to get back to the land of the living. This couldn’t work. It had been impossible from the start.

Nat continued, her voice breaking as she told me the next part. “He said his new wife will be home later and they’ll explain things together.”

“Oh, shit,” I said, no longer feigning shock.

“Exactly,” Nat said, grabbing the sandwich and waving it at me. “This woman somehow wormed her way into his life and tricked him into marrying her, and I’m supposed to sit there and listen to anything she has to say?”

If I explained now, she’d overturn the table. Nat looked at me for more commiseration, but I could barely breathe. The secret was out. It was only down to the details now. I was so appalled I couldn’t move, even though my stomach was doing multiple flips and urging me to get to the bathroom.

Nat was too worked up to read anything into my silence. Why would she ever think her best friend would betray her like that, anyway? My throat clogged with tears as she railed about never being introduced to the mystery bimbo and not being invited to the wedding. Not a peep about a new relationship for three months.

“I thought we were close,” she said, a tear finally dropping to her plate. I thought she meant us for a second, and my heart clenched, but she was speaking about her father.

“Are you going back to the house later?” I asked.

She laughed bitterly. “I’m never speaking to him again, and it’ll be a cold day in hell that I ever meet that woman,” she fumed. The dam burst, and the lone tear was followed by a deluge as she sobbed over her cup of tea.

I reached over and patted her arm despite being a traitor. A real friend would have been offering words of comfort but I had none.

“There’s more,” Nat said, getting herself under control. She looked up at me with red-rimmed eyes that were full of misery. “It’s the final nail in the coffin for us. He said they’re having a baby. He’s replacing me.”

“He’s not,” I said, smacking the table. “He’s absolutely not replacing you.”

She nodded. “You don’t know, but he’s always wanted a boy. And he pretends it doesn’t matter that I don’t want to go into the family business, but it obviously does. Now he’ll get his second chance for a less disappointing kid.”

Now, I really wanted to puke, but there was no way I could leave her like that. This was what I had feared from the beginning, and it was worse than I had ever imagined. Aleks’s family was being torn apart because of my selfish wish to live out the fantasy of being with the man I’d had a crush on for so long.

My phone rang, and his name popped up on the screen. I rejected the call and turned my phone over before Nat could see it. A moment later, a text message alert pinged and Nat sniffled.

“Go ahead if it’s important. I feel a little better already, just from telling you.”

Shuddering, I slid my phone into my lap to read his message.

Get home. Urgent news.

Damn. I didn’t bother texting back that I knew all about it, but if I didn’t at least leave the spa, he’d send my new guard in to drag me out. He wanted us to face Nat together as a united front, but he was living in a dream world if he thought that was going to work out.

“I’m so sorry,” I said. “It’s a catering emergency. I still have a manicure scheduled. Why don’t you take it?”

“Thanks,” she said, getting up to hug me again. “Not just for the manicure. For being such a good friend.”

The words were like needles prodding at my skin, but I hugged her back. Maybe for the last time. She asked if I wanted to go out later and get stinking drunk, and I almost put my hand on my stomach before answering.

“Uh, let me see what’s going on with this job,” I said, fleeing toward the lobby.

On the very same day, I decided things were going to work out just fine, everything came crashing down around me. But what did I think would happen? Nat’s visit now was unexpected, but I knew she’d be home by Christmas. I’d always been operating on a timer.

I hurried Anatoly out so Nat wouldn’t wander past and notice I suddenly had a bodyguard. I didn’t breathe again until we were pulling out of the spa parking lot.

“Where to next?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” I said, lost in a whirlwind of thoughts and none of them good. “I’m just not ready to go home yet.”

Could I ever go back? Was it really my home or had I just wormed my way in like Nat said?

Chapter 37 – Aleksandr