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"Smooth," I forced a smile. The smug in his face was annoying and I wondered how Audrey had been able to put up with the bastard for that long.
"Well, that's not what I hear with the whole Bianchi affair," Jeremy said as he watched Audrey's reaction.This prick!He was trying to reveal my identity and see if Audrey knew about it.
"I'm sorry but you and I are actually not associates," I corrected them, pointing to the fact that I didn't know them.
"Oh, but we are. Your brother Vlad met with us. In fact, you could say we'rebrothersnow," Hamilton said as he sipped his drink.
"Do you know what brother is in Russian, Audrey?" Jeremy smirked. This had gone on too long.
"Is this a way to treat your associates? Would you like for me to end our relationship and address this discourteous way you both have been talking to us?" I stepped closer to them and placed my hands on their shoulders before whispering, "You both should know what I do to those who misbehave." I tightened my grip on their shoulders, "Don't make me address this."
They shuddered and apologized. "Would you look at the time? We should be leaving, dad. See you, Audrey," Jeremy said.
"No, you won't. Don't come close to her or else," I said to him as I shot him a deadly glare.
He gulped and bowed, "Yes, Boss." When they left, I turned to Audrey. She was still in shock from the encounter.
"Hey, are you okay?" I gently touched her soft chin. She jerked back to reality.
"I-I never thought I would ever see him again," her eyes were still widened with terror, "What was all that they were talking about? All that Bianchi and associates talk?"
"Come on, you're dazed. You need to get some fresh air," I wrapped my arms around her and led her to the balcony. I couldn't let her learn about my double life as the leader of the Bratva in here. She wasn't ready to handle the truth yet.
We stood in silence against the balcony railing and watched the quiet night sky. Beneath and behind us, Vanya's party raged, but here, we were alone, cut off from any of the drama. She tugged at my shirt like a cute child and lowered my head before she suddenly pulled me in for a kiss.
Chapter 16 - Audrey
There was something about the air that pointed to my suspicion that the people gathered in the room were united by more than the conventional business bond. It felt like there was something more, something... darker. I could feel it the moment Ivan and I walked into the room and the guests fell silent before him. He held a sinister power over them but I couldn't quite figure it out and I wasn’t sure why he wouldn't reveal it to me.
My mind drifted to two nights ago when Ivan found me sauntering around the compound.
"Don't worry, I'm just taking a stroll. Not plotting an escape or anything. God, that sounds awkward as hell," I had blurted suddenly.
Ivan laughed, "It's not like you would be able to find your way seeing as we're far from town. After the announcement though, you'll be free to leave the compound as you please."
"And calls?"
"And calls too," Ivan assured, "I know you've wanted to reach your friends for a while now but I'd just like the news to be broken to the world at once."
I sat on the newly trimmed grass and kept the novel I had in hand by my side. "What is it you do, Ivan? You've never really told me that," I managed to ask. A part of me knew it was an answer I didn't want to know but I had to know regardless. His face stiffened and he became defensive.
"I told you. I do contracts and favors for people," he tried to offer a reassuring smile, but it wasn't enough. I wanted to know but he had a look that said, "Stop asking these questions, Audrey. I promise to tell you all there is to know soon enough," and I yielded.
Now here I was in this dinner party with everyone staring at me like I was the queen of some dark emperor.
“Hello there, Audrey,” Vanya, Ivan’s older sister, approached me again with a warm smile that belied the curiosity in her eyes. Her words held the unspoken question,“Who are you?”
I took a big gulp and smiled as best I could, attempting to reassure her that I meant no harm to her brother and that I cared deeply for him. Vanya was incredibly refined in speech, taste and manners, and her presence became suffocating and tense. Or it was me and this place. Before Vanya could respond, another guest claimed her attention, and I was left to gather my thoughts.
The unspoken whispers and the lingering stares started to gnaw at my confidence. The room felt like it was closing in on me, and suddenly, I was drowning in paranoia and self-doubt.
But before I could catch my breath, Vlad, Ivan’s younger brother, appeared before me.
“Well, well, well, Ivan really outdid himself. He certainly has good taste,” Vlad said with a smile. His appearance was striking, with his hair slicked back like Ivan's. His posture did give him an informal and approachable air. His smile was disarming, and I felt a hint of danger beneath his playful demeanor. His presence however seemed to drive the diva away from me so that was a warm welcome.
As he introduced himself, I tried to remain polite but distant. I had seen this in so many cliché romance novels—the girl falling in love with both her fiancé and his brother. No way was I going to be caught in some stupid love triangle.
My efforts seemed futile as he continued to flirt with me, his words and gestures too familiar for my comfort. Not wanting to come off as disrespectful, I forced a giggle to his words, hoping he would leave. Just as I felt a sense of unease settling in,Ivan returned to witness the scene. I could tell he was jealous as he drove Vlad away from me.
