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“I promise,” I assure him before leaning up and kissing his cheek. “I will see you around. Be careful on your way home.”
The drive back to my house is spent screaming music at the top of my lungs, getting all my frustration out. I miss my brother, and I can’t even see my best friend because of this stupid rival family shit.
Upon my arrival back home, I head straight to my bedroom. On my bed, I find two black dresses with matching jewelry and shoes, my mother’s doings, no doubt. I run a hand through my hair as I contemplate the dresses. We aren’t having a visitation for Dmitri. My father is too paranoid, so we are only doing the funeral.
After picking out the dress I liked the best, I take a quick shower and get ready. Instead of the jewelry my mother picked out, I decide to wear the necklace that Dmitri bought me as a gift after my very last dance recital. It was a tiny silver pair of ballet shoes on a delicate sterling silver chain. The ribbon on the slippers were diamonds. He told me that he had the jeweler special order it for me.
The hem of the smooth black dress comes to rest at mid-thigh, with lace sleeves. I frown as I pull at the fabric slightly, trying to get it to stretch slightly so the dress isn’t hugging my curves, but there’s no give. It isn’t what I would pick to wear to a funeral, but since I didn’t want to rock the boat today so I can grieve for my brother, I decide to pick the lesser of two evils.
Looking at my reflection in the mirror, I frown and make my way to the foyer where my parents are waiting.
“You look lovely, Natalia,” my mother says. She’s wearing a black dress almost identical to mine, and has her hair done up in a fancy updo. A string of pearls hang around her neck, matching the ones in her ears.
I give her an incredulous look and shake my head. “Yeah mom, that’s what I want to hear on the day we bury my brother.” My father gives me a warning glare, and I roll my eyes. “Let’s just go.”
The service passes in a blur, and I hardly hear anything that’s being said. All I can focus on is the fact that after today, I will never see my brother again. Tears fill my eyes, and I blink, trying to hold them back. Unfortunately, it doesn’t help, and they end up spilling. Once everyone has left the gravesite and it’s just my parents and me, they go to lower the casket into the ground. Stepping closer, I raise my hand for them to wait.
Sniffling, I place my hand on Dmitri’s casket and look up at the sky, tears streaking down my face. “I will keep my promise. Wherever you are, I hope you’ve found peace. Don’t worry about me, I will be fine,” I whisper so low I know my parents couldn’t hear. Giving the elegantly decorated wood one last look, I wipe my tears with my tissue and take a step back from the casket.
When they lower it to the ground, I take in a shaky breath and square my shoulders.
Chapter eight
Declan
Leaving Natalia this morning was harder than I imagined it would be. Seeing her for the first time in two years was like a breath of fresh air. I can’t count how many times I stayed up at night thinking about her and Dmitri. They were more family to me than my own father.
As soon as I’m far enough away from the safe house, I pull my phone out and turn it back on. Navigating to my contacts, I scroll to Finn’s number. He’s my best friend and right hand man. He will do anything I ask of him. I can only imagine what his reaction will be when I make my request.
He answers on the first ring. “Yeah?”
“I need you to keep tabs on someone for me,” I tell him as I turn onto the freeway.
“Alright, who?” He asks, and I hear him thumbing through papers.
“Natalia Belov.” As soon as the words are out of my mouth, everything goes silent on the other end. “Finn?” I question.
“I’m here, boss. It just surprised me, that’s all,” he replies after clearing his throat.
“If she starts going out on dates, I want to know. If men even start to ask her for dates, I want to know.” I tell him as his pen resumes scratching across the paper.
“You got it. I will keep you updated. Is that all?” He doesn’t bother to question me. Once I confirm I have nothing else for him, he disconnects the call.
As I drive, I recall my last memory with Dmitri.
Two months ago was Natalia’s final ballet performance, and I refused to miss the ending of such an important chapter in her life. Finn tried to talk me out of going, but I knew that if I wasn’t there, I would regret it. So I went and hid in the back of the auditorium on the opposite side of the Belov family.
My eyes followed Natalia as she danced across the stage. I could never get over how graceful she looked. Dancing was her outlet. She spent countless hours rehearsing, never stopping until her art was perfect. Her big dream was to open a ballet studio and teach.
It was almost intermission, and I knew that I stood a better chance of not running into anyone if I went to the concession and the bathroom now. So, I slipped out of the auditorium and headed towards the men’s room. While I was washing my hands, the door opened, and my eyes locked with a familiar pair of dark blue eyes.
"I thought that was you," Dmitri said as he leaned against the wall. “You are a brave soul..”
“You think I was going to miss this?” I asked, raising an eyebrow as I propped myself against the sink.
“We miss you, man.” He sighed, looking down at the floor. “I’ve caught Natalia looking at photos of the two of you. She doesn’t think I see it, but I can tell that she is still hurting.”
“I wish there was something I could do about it.” I shoved my hands into my pockets. I wish I could convey to him how much the loss of both of them affected me too, but there were no words to truly portray the feeling.
