AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Stop it!” I ran over and placed myself between them, gazing at both in horror, fighting the urge to curl my arms around Dmitri, but it would only add fuel to the fire. “Don’t do this.”
“She’s not my sister,” Dmitri growled behind me. “Why don’t you explain your fucking obsession with her? Tell her how it wasn’t a chance encounter that she’s here. Tell her how the great Arytnom Popov may not be quite the refined gentleman he portrays himself to be with altruistic motives.”
“Zatknis,” Arty warned.
“Tell her the truth. Isn’t this why you wanted her here? Finally, after several years of keeping her in the dark?”
A sense of dread dripped over me, and I centered my attention on Dmitri and then at the man who I thought was a gentle father figure to me. “What are you talking about?”
Arty breathed heavily, and his always perfect blond, slicked-back hair fell over his forehead with each breath. “You have a lot of nerve after what you did.” His words were ominous as he glared over my shoulder at Dmitri.
“I’m not looking for your goddamn approval anymore,” he snarled back. “Tell her or I will.”
“What are you not telling me?” My mind was spinning, trying to piece this together. What was this secret? Why was Dmitri in on this, too?
Artynom sighed, closing his eyes briefly. “I knew your mother.”
My hands trembled at my side, not expecting him to say that. “You knew my mother? How?”
“I was in Bucharest on business, and I met Irina. You were just a baby. She was a waitress at one of the bars downtown I happened to frequent. It was love at first sight. She was a breath of fresh air. Unforgettable, she was. I spent every second with her and knew she was the one.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” My chest felt tight, and I peered at Dmitri accusingly, who stood stone still, and his face was filled with guilt. “Did you know this, too?”
He nodded imperceptivity.Why did he keep this from me if he knew?
“I never told you because...” Arty dropped down on the side of my bed and grabbed the sides of his head. “It was my fault.”
“Your fault?”
“Her life was my responsibility. I’m so sorry.”
“What do you mean?” Blood pounded in my head at hearing the words Arty said.
“I failed her,” he whispered.
“I don’t understand.” The room was starting to spin.
“I was driving the car!” he wailed and pulled on his hair. “I was driving the car that night. The night she died.”
No. No. No. This couldn’t be. I shook my head in disbelief. Dread curdled in my stomach, and I doubled over. “No.”
“It was raining that night when we were returning from dinner, and I was driving. We got into an argument. My temper got the best of me, and I was driving too fast.” He exhaled shakily. “It was dark, and the car started to hydroplane. I couldn’t gain control. I tried, God, I tried to right the car.” He glanced down at his trembling hands. “Then we hit a tree. And…she died on impact.” It was as if all the daylight was sucked out of this room, leaving a heavy darkness that threatened to smother me.
“You killed her.”
“It was an accident. I would’ve never hurt her.” He started toward me, and I stumbled away. “I loved her, Sorina. You have to believe me.”
“No.” I held up my hands. Tears rained down my face. “Stay away from me.”
Dmitri paced over to me, trying to stop me. “Don’t you dare touch me,” I threatened. How could he keep this from me?
He shook his head, and he clearly seemed stunned, or was it guilt?
“You knew.”
“Sorina—” He gripped my arm.
“No.” I shrugged away, but he clutched at my arms again.
