The Bratva King's Kidnapped Bride - Page 68

The unexpected visit from Nataliye had me reeling. The people who worked on the estate were my most trusted employees and had been with me for years. They would have done anything for my daughter, so it probably took little more than a smile to convince the men at the gatehouse to keep her arrival a secret so she could surprise me.

While looking for me, she’d come across the maid taking Katie’s clothes and other items from the guest room, to return them where they belonged. I was thrilled she had come out of her depression enough to speak to me and even leave the house for a little while. My bed had been empty for long enough, and I was confident I could convince her to come back and share it with me.

Nataliye found me in my office, scrambling to get some paperwork done before Katie’s spa day ended. It was a beautiful, balmy day, and I planned on having dinner served out by the pool, then maybe taking a little moonlit dip afterward. I was trying to keep my hopes at an even level so I wouldn’t put any extra pressure on Katie, but it was impossible not to want to spend time with her again. I missed my wife, and as hard as I tried, my hopes that we could completely reconcile soared.

Then my daughter burst into my office, demanding to know who was living with me. Caught off guard, and with my mind full of Katie, I could only gape at her. She was furious and, worse, hurt that she’d been left out. We were normally close, and if this had been a more conventional relationship, she wouldn’t have met the woman I was with by now.

The fact of the matter was, I hadn’t had a serious relationship since her mother left. There was no point, and it wasn’t like I ever lacked companionship when I felt it was necessary. I used my father’s demands for a male heir as a convenient excuse to indulge in my instant obsession with Katie. It was much deeper than that, and there was no turning back.

I hated seeing Nataliye so upset and hearing her unwittingly spew terrible names about her best friend. I’d been pushing Katie’s fears about how Nataliye would react to the background, not wanting to believe it would be as bad as she seemed to think.

In fact, it was worse. Much worse. Nataliye stormed off, vowing never to come back, and now neither of the most important women in my life were answering their phones. Fed up, I finally called Katie’s new guard and told him to get her home no matter what she had to say about it. Then I called Nataliye again, and once again, it rang through to voicemail. This time I left a message.

“I’m very sorry you’re upset. That’s the last thing I want. But if you want to keep your apartment in Milan, your tuition, and your clothing allowance, you’ll get your ass back home.”

That was adding fuel to the fire, but if there was to be any peace at all in my life, the entire truth had to come out.

Katie arrived first. Her skin glowed, and her hair shone from whatever treatments she’d had at the spa, but her face was twisted with despair when she saw me.

“You told her?”

“How could I not?” I said. “Everything will be fine. She’ll be back soon.” She hadn’t answered me, but I was certain my ultimatum would get her home.

Completely distraught, Katie started to pace, talking about packing a bag and hiding out at the apartment.

“Don’t be ridiculous. We’re facing this like adults.”

She glared at me for a second, and I was so happy she was interacting with me at all that I would have taken an even worse death stare. With a groan, she paced the living area miserably until I crossed the room and forcibly made her sit down.

“It can’t be good for the baby to be so upset,” I told her.

She patted her stomach and frowned, but stayed put, only bouncing her foot as I started pacing in her place.

“So, you’re nervous too?” she demanded.

“Of course I am.”

“So much for everything will be fine.”

I sighed. “Everything will be fine. It just might take a bit to get there.”

Katie snickered. “It’s going to—”

The front door slammed open, and my tornado of a daughter burst in. Katie’s face drained of all color as we heard her slam her bag down and stomp toward the back of the house.

“Well?” she yelled. “Where’s your bimbo? I’ll say hello, but then I’m out. So much for a nice visit.”

She slammed through the archway leading from the front hall. Her eyes blazed fire as she gave me her filthiest look. Then she noticed Katie huddling on the couch, and for a split second, she looked happy to see her. Relieved, like she might have someone on her side. I watched in real-time as it slowly dawned on her that her best friend was now my wife.

Which made Katie her enemy. Rage and hatred bubbled up on her face.

“Are you kidding me?” she asked in a small voice.

Katie started to cry, putting her face in her hands. Nataliye got so red that I feared she might have a medical emergency. My heart was torn, and there wasn’t a thing I could do for either one of them. I loved them both so much, and yet, I’d caused them so much pain.

There was a brief moment of calm, with only Katie’s soft sobs. Then the gates of hell opened, and all the demons were unleashed. Nataliye started yelling all manner of awful names at her. I tried to put a stop to that, hating the sound of the harsh words, and the way Katie flinched at every one.

“Let her get it out; I deserve it,” she said.