Chapter 7

ANASTASIA'S POV

He comes up behind me, with a smile.

“Oh, you must be the fiancée. Hey, I'm Nikolai Sokolov,” He offers his hand, “I'm fucking your girlfriend and there's nothing you can do about it.”

I rear back from the shock of what he just said.

Just for that, fuck him. I'm taking the Buick.

“Andrei, what are you doing here? How are you here?"

Nikolai slings his arm around my neck, eyeing my now ex-fiance.

“Oh, looking at your face, you think you can do something about it?” He chuckles. “How optimistic! I hate that trait in people."

He straightens up, removing his arm. “Alrightie. This was fun. Doc, if you could...move your shit from my doorway, I'd appreciate it. I'm gonna go take a nap.”

That damned criminal.

“All that talk and you're gonna walk away?” Andrei goads.

Nikolai pauses. “Frankly,” He starts lowly, “You're waste of my energy. And if I really hit he, I might hurt you. So get outta my house, kay?”

“Sounds to me like your scared.”

He scoffed. “What are we, children? Are you going to make chicken noises now, to provoke me? I've had a long night, fucking your girl and all, so, I'm gonna go—”

Andrei brushed past me before I could even stop him.

To be honest...I kinda wanna see what happens.

Even though Nikolai is big and seems strong in my professional experience, it doesn't necessarily mean that's true.

Andrei can fight. I...I'm interested to know if this

Nikolai is truly who I think he is. Because if he is…I'm most definitely keeping the Buick.

Oh, and never coming back here, but definitely keeping the Buick. The son of bitch can afford it.

Andrei comes at him with a solid punch as he walks away.

Kinda a bitch move so I deduct five points for bitchassness, but there's strength and speed to the actual hit.

Or would it have been—if it connected.

Nikolai sidesteps it, grabbing his hands in a weird way. He puts his fingers in the grooves of his knuckles and holds.

“That was cute,” He murmured. “Try it again and this hand will never be the same.”

So he is Nikolai Sokolov. The real Nikolai Sokolov.

Which means...he's the heir to the Sokolov Family mafia.

Which means I picked the wrong guy to have sex with.

Oh God, if my father knew I slept with a Mafioso, let alone Nikolai fucking Sokolov—

No one can know this. Andrei has to go. The first thing he'll do is run his mouth to my father, who would start a war just for this single incident.

Oh shit. Oh shit. Shit! Why!

Cause he's hot and can last all night?

Yes...that is why. Technically. Shit! I'm in deep trouble.

Andrei starts squirming.

“Let go of me,” Andrei snaps, struggling uselessly.

His eyes flick to me, and something ugly twists in his smile.

“Oh wait—this is about her, isn’t it?”

Nikolai doesn’t respond.

Andrei laughs. “You think she’ll stay with you? A whore like her?”

He jerks his chin toward me. “She was mine yesterday. Yours today. Tomorrow she’ll be on her back for someone else.”

The grip tightens.

I feel it before I see it.

“And when she’s done using you,” Andrei continues, voice rising, feeding on his own stupidity, “she’ll crawl back to me. That’s what girls like Anastasia Korovin do. They spread their—”

“That’s enough,” Nikolai says quietly.

Andrei grins. “Or what? You’ll hit me? Kill me?” He scoffs. “Go on then. Prove you’re nothing but the animal everyone says you are.”

That’s it.

That’s the line.

I don’t stay.

Whatever happens next isn’t my business — and it definitely isn’t my fault.

I turn on my heel.

I don’t run.

I don’t look back.

The door shuts behind me.

I hurried home. If I can just get back before the meeting I won't have to hear my dad bitching.

And Lord does he bitch.

I can hear him now. He'll start with fawning, crying and patting my head. Then, he'll move to yelling.

It's a wonder anyone still respects him after he throws his dignity away almost every day.

I walk in the door, hoping—just hoping—

“My little peach! Daddy was so worried darling, come here let me hold you!”

I cringe. Oh God, he's already crying.

I turn around and smile.

“Daddy,” I look at the people in the room.

“Gangsters.”

They nod.

“Princess.”

Oh I do love being a princess.

“Come here," I sigh, letting him engulf me in a smothered hug, his tears dropping on my head as he laments in Russian.

Sometimes I wish he’d act like an adopted daughter.

“Daddy I'm fine. It's just...I was out a little longer than I should, I was with Darya, you can call her.”

I haven't talked to her yet, but she's my best friend. She doesn't have to volunteer to be my alibi. She's implicated by relation.

Dad sighs. “It was a boy wasn't it? Have you gotten rid of that Andrei yet?”

I smirk. “I did. And I bought you...this,” I pull the flash drive out of my pocket, handing it to him.

He frowns. “What's this?”

“All the Sedona Clan’s contacts, financial records, enough to take them down. Of course, I want my 25%...”

His frown deepens. “Anastasia, I told you I don't want you doing this. You don't have to pay me back, you're my daughter and I love you.”

I smile. That old fool. Someday someone's gonna knock him off his throne with all the emotion he shows.

“Dad, I love you too. But this isn't just about paying you back. One day the gang will be mine. I can't let you ruin it with all your crying."

He stares at me stern-faced before barking out a laugh.

“Alright! Fine! But no more of this, okay? You stick to recruiting and conditioning inmates where you are safe.”

I roll my eyes. “Daddy, I know how to protect myself. Besides, I’ve gotten rid of Andrei.”

He narrows his eyes.

“You killed?”