Vik by Belle Aurora

11

Nastasia

I knockedfor the third time and waited. Again, no one answered, but when I checked the side of the house, both of their cars were in the driveway. I could have used my key, but they were trying for a baby, and I didn’t want to be traumatized by the sight of my brother’s bare ass while he tried to implant a magic bean into Mina’s belly.

If they weren’t here and their cars hadn’t moved, there was only one other place they could be.

Sasha’s.

Did I want to take the short hike over to my eldest brother’s? Not really, no. But regardless of how broody his ass had been lately, I did love him, so I supposed it was only sisterly to stop by and give him a little shit.

I was kind of giddy over the fact that I’d slept the night before. Actually slept.

It was the second night Vik slept over. The first night, I was admittedly a mess. However, last night, I wasn’t so fearful. It was as though I’d been expecting him, like I knew he’d come. And knowing he would be there calmed my nerves, giving me the strength to ignore the decomposing corpse who fought desperately for a place in my psyche.

It was around nine o’clock when I saw the stream of lights sweep past my front window. I heard the jingle of keys, and I didn’t even want to think about how natural it felt for him to use them, as though he belonged here with me. I supposed there was a reason I never asked for them back.

He entered my house, and when he found me sitting on the floor in the living room, he approached guardedly. Once I lifted my face to greet him, his cautious gaze swept over my features, and I smiled feebly. Gingerly stalking over, he stood close enough that my shoulder brushed his knee, and when he placed his palm on my crown, I leaned into his touch, relaxing my weight against his strong leg.

Without a word between us, he took my hand and helped me up, gently tugging me along as he brought me up to my room. I stood in the open doorway, unspeaking, with a pounding heart and mild anxiety, but ultimately, the longer I spent out of my room, the more likely it would become a trigger for me. And so, I grew a pair and took a single step inside.

The second I did, I felt heavy. Pressed down with the weight of a ghost. But still, I endured.

We dressed for bed in silence, and although Vik brought the spare blankets upstairs, I found I didn’t want him away from me. Not tonight.

I climbed under the covers and sat up, looking unsure of myself.

Vik noticed.

Pretense forgotten, he waited patiently at my bedside for the invitation he knew was coming, and when I lifted the covers, he looked relieved. Taking in a deep breath, then exhaling slowly, climbing in behind me wearing nothing but black boxers, he wrapped his arm around my waist, pressing his steely chest into my back. He stroked the bare skin of my stomach soothingly. I closed my eyes, taking in his warmth, craving the shelter he provided. With a gentle kiss to my shoulder, he sighed into the pillow, and we drifted off to sleep.

I couldn’t remember a time I slept better. Hence my good mood.

Now, with a sly smile, I readjusted the box I was holding under my arm and made the walk over to Sasha’s. It didn’t take long. That was one of the most convenient things about living on the same block of land with my brothers. We had always been close, even as kids. The fact that we all agreed to live in such close proximity to one another told you everything you needed to know about how well we got along.

Well, most days.

And because Sasha never brought women home, it was safe to use my key here. I unlocked the door and let myself in, shuffling the box I held from arm to arm. I followed the sounds of conversation coming from the back of the house, and when I strolled into the kitchen, I peeped Ada preparing dinner.

I prowled over, looking over her shoulder before resting my chin on it and letting out a pathetic-sounding, “Ada, I’m hungry.”

A long wheeze of a chuckle left her, and she lifted a hand to stroke my hair. I closed my eyes and breathed in her sweet perfume.

“I’ve got a batch of blueberry muffins cooling, but I can whip you up something else if you like.” Her white, coiffed hair tickled my nose. I wrapped an arm around her middle and cuddled her a moment. I felt the words vibrate through her back and into my chest. “Are you staying for dinner, baby?”

Ada was more than just a cook, more than the property’s caretaker. Having worked for the Leokov’s for more than twenty-five years, she was family. I loved her dearly; we all did. But to me, she acted as a stand-in to the mother I lost. Many times during my teenage years, poor Ada had borne the brunt of the flurry of hormones wreaking havoc on my body. Having no other women to help me through it, she sat me down one day and talked to me about it.

She took my hand in hers and held it tight. “Your body is making some changes, honey. Those changes are making you into a woman. The problem is, you have the mind of a girl, and it’s finding it hard to deal with these big, womanly emotions you’re feeling. And, baby, I am so sorry for that. No one said becoming a woman was easy.”

It was so simply put, but I would never forget it. The kindness she showed me while managing to explain the whole puberty thing in a way I could understand was beautiful. Ada really was a wonderful person.

“I wasn’t invited,” I muttered, feigning hurt.

Ada laughed before leaning back to look at me. “Remind me when that has ever stopped you.”

I grinned, and she half-heartedly shooed me away.

“Help yourself to a muffin.” I took three. “And don’t think I don’t see what you’re doing, young lady. Dinner is at six sharp, and if you ruin your appetite, I’ll be very disappointed.”

The moment I walked into the back yard, juggling muffins and the box I’d been carrying, I spotted Lev sitting at the outdoor setting with Sasha while Lidiya ran circles around Mina, who was blowing bubbles much to the enjoyment of the almost four-year-old.

I did the obligatory thing and greeted my brothers first, leaning down to their proffered cheeks and pecking them lightly before placing everything on the table and heading out to my niece at a full-blown run. Once she spotted me, she did that gorgeous little gasp-laugh she always did when she was excited and shrieked, running in the opposite direction.

“Where are you going?” I damn near snorted when she tripped and rolled but righted herself and kept on running.

Shit, she was quick.

Mina called out, holding back a laugh, “Faster, Lidi. Faster!”

I was huffing and puffing by the time I caught up to her, and when I scooped her up in my arms, the ear-piercing squeal she let out almost burst my ear drums. I growled and snorted like a monster, kissing her chubby cheek a thousand times before putting my nose to her dark-brown curls as she wiggled in my arms, trying her hardest to escape and have me chase her again. Her scent was baby powder and strawberries. It had been since the second she was born. It was something that was forever etched in the deepest pits of my brain.

I honestly didn’t think I could love anyone as much as my little chubby dumpling, Lidiya.

Sitting her high up on my hips, she continued to wriggle until I said, “I got you something. You want a present?”

Lidi stilled immediately and peered up at me with wide eyes the color of gooey caramel, framed by the longest lashes you ever did see. Her squeaky little voice was enough to make me ovulate. “A pwesent for me?”

Lev frowned. “Nastasia, must you spoil her?”

What a question. I shot him a puzzled look. “Uh, yeah. I must.”

I walked Lidi to the table, then set her down by the edge, taking the box and handing it to her. It was too big to fit in her hands, so I held it while she took a good look at the pictures. The moment she saw what it was, her mouth rounded in a comically round O, and she gasped none too quietly, looking around the table to see if everyone else was seeing what she was seeing.

My smile was gargantuan. Nothing made me feel the way I felt when I spoiled my niece.

“Fairies,” she whispered, and her eyes sparkled. She looked up at me, and her squeaky voice enquired, “Dey live in dis one?” Her stubby little finger pointed at the box.

I nodded at the image of the toadstool fairy house. “They sure do. And if you’re really quiet and watch very closely, you might even see one. But you have to be quiet, or you’ll scare them away.”

Lidi breathed in deeply, her expression full of awe, like she’d just discovered the meaning of life.

“Oh my. A quiet toy.” Mina’s face was reverent. She placed her hands together, the image of the Madonna herself, then spoke a soft, “God bless you, Nas.”

I winked at Mina and just couldn’t help myself. I hurled Lidi back into my arms and held her tight, melting as she giggled. This time, she put her chubby arm rolls around me and hugged me back, resting her head on my shoulder. There really was no greater feeling in the world than being trusted by a child in this capacity.

I dared someone to hurt my little fluffy doughnut. God help the person who tried. They’d have to answer to me, and I didn’t give a shit if you were five years old or fifty.

I would cut a bitch.

The back door opened, and believing it was Ada, I didn’t turn to see who it was. But then he spoke.

“What the hell? Y’all are having a party? I guess my invite was lost in the mail.”

Lev uttered, “You’re family, Viktor. Your invitation is implied.”

“Not one of you rang the doorbell. You realize that, don’t you?” Sasha scowled. “I think it’s time I changed the locks.”

I spun just in time to see Vik approach, and when he did, he said, “Hey, baby.”

Call it habit.

“Hi” was my breathy response, because he looked like sex in gray sweats worn low on his hips and a black tee that hugged every muscular ridge of his torso in an obscene way.

He stopped a foot away and watched me with sly eyes, as if searching for any sign of my falling apart. When he was satisfied that I was okay, he reached out and took my niece out of my arms. Without falter, Lidi went to him, and when he held her fast and looked down at her with love in his eyes, he said, “Hey, baby,” a second a time, and my stomach dropped right out of my asshole.

Oh God.

Oh God.

My brain gasped with realization.

He wasn’t talking to me.

My neck heated with mortification.

Was there a hole nearby that I could crawl into? Perhaps a cliff to punt myself off?

You moron.

He winked at me and very obviously held in a laugh, like he knew exactly what happened.

Too embarrassed to speak, I bit the tip of my tongue and held my breath for a full minute to stop the deranged shriek that threatened to escape me.

Vik moved to sit at the table with Lidiya in his lap, and she was happy to sit there, peering up at him with a sweet, toothy smile. I joined the rest of them, parking myself at the opposite end of the table, far, far away from the man who turned me into a simpleton with nothing more than a greeting.

While Sasha got into conversation with Vik, I picked up one of my muffins and nibbled at it. Lev reached for one, and I smacked his hand, shooting him a glare. He glared right back, and after a short standoff, I reluctantly handed him one. He peeled off the wrapper and shoved the entire thing in his mouth. As he chewed slowly, trying not to choke, I took another bite and garbled out an amused, “Oink, oink.”

Crumbs flew out of my mouth as I spoke, and I covered my lips, chuckling.

Lev narrowed his eyes at me but softened the admonishment with a twitch of his lips. Mina heard me and rushed to her husband’s defense. She stood behind him and hugged him close, cradling his head awkwardly to her small bosom. “Don’t listen to her, sweetie. I like the way you eat. Go ahead and finish your muffin.”

Lev’s hand came up to caress her shoulder, and they really did make me sick sometimes. It was unnatural to be as cute as they were.

My gaze was slowly being drawn to the tall, built man currently pretending to eat my niece’s round fist, and it took everything I had to feign boredom, when really my ovaries were throbbing. At this point, distraction was a good call.

I took an empty muffin wrapper and threw it at the couple across from me. Lev caught it without trying, and Mina poked her tongue out at me. I flipped her the bird, and Lev lightly smacked my hand with a frown. “I don’t like that, Nas.”

Mina laughed damn near hysterically at the death stare I was lobbing at my brother. Her laugh turned into a scared giggle when I leaned forward and got into my brother’s face.

My eye twitched. “You don’t like that?”

“No,” he insisted. “I don’t.”

Okay. All right.

My hand came out slowly. With my thumb holding my middle finger, he stared at my fingers as they came closer and closer. He flinched mildly when I flicked his nose. “What about that? Did you like that?”

Mina snorted, and the hands at Lev’s shoulders shook.

But Lev wasn’t amused. He glowered at me, rubbing his nose. “Not at all.”

“And yet—” I grinned. “—it didn’t stop me from doing it, did it?”

Lev’s lips thinned. “No. I suppose it didn’t.”

I slapped a hand to his knee good-naturedly. “Pick the battles you can win, moy brat.”

“Surprisingly good advice,” uttered Sasha from the other side of the table.

My nose bunched at the surprise in his tone. “I do have a brain, you know.”

“Then it stands to wonder why you rarely use it” was the smartass response I got from my eldest brother.

Lev snuffled while Mina barked out a laugh so hard she wheezed. Vik coughed to cover his mirth, turning away so I couldn’t see his face.

My eyes narrowed dangerously. A slight smile lit Sasha’s mouth. I didn’t want to find it funny, but it was, and when my lip twitched, his brow rose in victory.

“Kakashka” was all I managed to say, because he really was a piece of shit sometimes.

The mood was light and breezy… until it wasn’t.

Sasha’s phone rang, and when he saw who was calling, he answered right away. “Hello.” Then, “Yes, I’m home.” He sat up straighter. “Look. Not that it’s any of your business, but he came to m—” He glared down at his phone. “Fuck.” Sasha cleared his throat. “We’re about to have company.”

Sasha stood, bracing, and the vibe around us changed dramatically. A few minutes passed, and my heart stuttered as Philippe Neige, my ex-fiancé, strode into the back yard. I sat up taller at his unexpected entrance.

His dark-blond hair was no longer set in unruly, surfer waves that you wished to run your hands through but cut short in a business do. His green eyes always seemed to smile, but they were hard as stone at present. His nose was crooked, but it hadn’t always been.

Oh no. Vik helped with that.

From the looks of things, Philippe had a bone to pick, and it was with my brother.

“How could you?” His French accent was heavy. He stared unblinkingly at Sasha. “I thought we were friends.”

The tension was thick enough to carve with a knife.

My brother responded a mild “We are.”

Philippe shot back, “Bullshit! Friends don’t prey on family, Sasha.”

What the hell?

I turned to face my brother and asked, “What is he talking about?”

But Sasha didn’t bother to look at me. He merely said to the angry Frenchman, “Listen to me, Philippe. He came to me. He seemed desperate. I just gave him what he needed. No harm, no foul.”

The face Philippe made was one of a man who couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “He is a twenty-one-year-old gambling addict, you inconsiderate prick. Why didn’t you call me?” His tone rose. “I would have called you!”

Frost lined Sasha’s words. “If he wanted you to know, he would have come to you.”

Looking back and forth between them, I was so confused.

Philippe rounded on him, and Vik stepped in his way, handing Lidiya to Mina. “Cool it, Frenchie.”

“Lidi, let’s go inside and see if Ada’s got a yummy snack for us,” Mina told the little girl with a feigned smile, but when her anxious eyes shot to Lev, he simply gave her a curt nod.

Philippe waited until the little girl was out of sight before he snarled at Vik, “Get the fuck out of my way, you second-rate mall cop.”

From the way Vik looked at him, a slow but vicious smile stretching his lips, I could tell he badly wanted to add another scar to the man’s face as he’d done the first.

Holy hell. This was escalating quickly.

I had to step in. This man had once meant something to me, which was why he and Vik would never get along. They would take any excuse to lash into each other. I stepped into the middle of them, putting my hand on Philippe’s chest. “Stop it.” When neither of them moved, I pushed at Philippe and said, “That’s enough!”

Philippe looked over my head, rage seeping out of every pore, smirking at Vik. “You always need a woman to protect you?”

If only that were the truth. But no. Rather, I was protecting him from Vik, because Vik would tear him apart. I witnessed it once before. It was utterly terrifying.

“Hey.” I cupped Philippe’s face in my hands and pulled at his cheeks. “Philippe.” Finally, he looked down, and when his eyes regained focus, I said gently, “Look at me.”

Philippe lost some of his steam. His quiet words were spoken just for my ears. “’Allo, mon ange.”

“Hi.” I smiled softly, and when his rough hand came to rest over mine, his fingers tightened on my own, and I returned the squeeze. Now that things were a touch calmer, I stepped away and looked around at the men around me, ready to pounce at a moment’s notice, and asked, “What the hell is going on here?”

No one spoke for a while, until Philippe let out a hostile, “What’s going on is that a person who I considered a friend went behind my back—”

“I did not go behind your back,” Sasha exhaled, very clearly frustrated. “He came to me.”

“—and decided to loan my younger brother a hundred and fifty large.”

My chest ached.

I slowly turned to look at Sasha, my expression stoic.

From somewhere behind me, Lev asked, “Is this true?”

Philippe went on, and his gaze on my eldest brother was unwavering. “Oh, it’s true, all right. Imagine giving an addict that amount of money. You may as well have put a bullet in his brain. How was he meant to pay that back, let alone the exorbitant interest? Huh?”

“Sasha.” My brow lowered, the disappointment I felt palpable.

My brother simply watched Philippe closely. “He’s a grown man.”

Philippe thundered, “He’s a child.”

When Sasha had nothing to say to that, Philippe reached into the back of his pants and took out two five-inch stacks of crisp hundreds, throwing them onto the table. “This is a hundred and sixty grand, for the inconvenience, and you’ll not get a cent more from me. Understand, asshole?”

“Easy,” muttered Vik dangerously, taking a small step closer in warning.

Sasha sighed then, and for the first time in forever, he actually looked contrite. “Philippe—”

But Philippe simply shook his head as he cut him off. “No. You had your chance to talk to me.” He took a step backward with a passing glance to my brother. “You will get no other.” His voice rough, he stated, “We’re done.”

And I could tell he meant it.

“Wait.” My heart broke for him as I watched him go. “Philippe!” I turned to face my cold, unfeeling brother. “Sash, you’re just going to let him go?” I blinked in disbelief. “Apologize to him!”

“For what?” was Sasha’s empty reply.

My heart beat a little faster. “Are you kidding me?”

Sasha picked up the money on the table, peering down at the heavy stacks in his hands. His blunt statement made me wonder if my brother really was the monster he made himself out to be. “It’s just business.”

And my gut sank, because after what I just witnessed, there was every possibility he was.