Chapter eleven | Ekaterina
It was our last day on this goddam train and I was grateful for that, I can't feel any bone in my body, and I can't complain.
I know I shouldn't, I'm the one responsible for all of this suffering because of my phobia, and I won't forget this, and neither will my body.
"So? Have you thought about it?" Alexander asks as he strides inside, I blink a couple of times and sigh, two days ago I asked him for a favor.
Or a deal, that's how I worded it, but I'm not sure what he'll offer in return for helping me market my art, "you didn't tell me what you want." I state and shrug.
Rubbing my eyes as I stand up, stretching my arms, and yawning, he crosses his arms and leans against the wall in the hallway,
his eyes holding mine as his tongue pokes the inside of his cheeks, and I have no doubt that he's glaring at me.
"I need you to attend a couple of events with me, it's necessary for my wife to be there, since you not showing up will be disrespectful, and the pakhan won't like that." He says and shivers run down my throat.
Meeting the Russian mafia boss definitely hasn't been on my wishlist lately, so I swallow a couple of times before nodding,
"I'll be with you, there's nothing to fear." He assures but let's say that Alexander isn't very good at doing that.
"Okay, just that?" I ask, my brows furrowing as confusion grows inside me, "no not just that, but that's it for now." He says and my lips tighten.
"I can't agree to something without knowing what you want in exchange," I say and grit my teeth, a part of me knowing this won't be a smart thing to say.
And sure enough, the glare he gives me answers all my questions.
"Trust me, Ekaterina, it'll be in your favor." He says and walks towards me, dropping in the chair beside mine.
"I hope so," I mutter under my breath and curse, this can't be a good decision, the literal meaning of making a deal with the devil.
But I want to do this, I want to take a risk for my dreams, and maybe it'll be worth it after all.
*:･ﾟ✧*:･
"Woah." I say as I watch from the window, the sight is incredibly stunning, "look." I say excitedly as I pat his shoulder.
His annoyed expression looks up to mine and I motion at the window as his eyes invert there, the annoyed expression turns into a blank one.
I'm beginning to question if he can feel human emotions normally, "what?" He asks dryly raising a brow.
I narrow my eyes and cringe "can't you see how beautiful it is?" I ask shrugging as I take another look at it,
"majestic." The dry tone matches the bored expression on his face as he blinks a couple of times before going back to his laptop,
The prick.
"How long till we arrive?" I find myself asking after a beat, he takes a moment to answer as he searches for something in his bag.
And this something turns out to be glasses, I definitely didn't expect him to wear those, "two hours." He says and I let out a relieved breath.
Stretching out my legs in front of me as I yawn again, he eyes me, and his lips Twist as if he's disgusted as his eyes roam all over me to my stretched legs.
Embarrassment flushes my cheeks and I can feel the heat rising up my spine, but I narrow my eyes at him, not letting his look intimidate me.
"Is something wrong?" I ask bluntly and his eyes narrow as he pulls up his glasses, making him look hundred times sexier, which isn't fucking helping, but it's not surprising either.
The asshole is good looking, I just choose to ignore it, he's decent as he said.
He curses and closes his eyes for a moment, blowing out a long breath and when he opens his eyes again, surprise, he's glaring at me.
I tighten my lips to stop the sudden urge to laugh that's rising up my throat, what the fuck is wrong with me?
What am I even laughing at? Who am I laughing at?
My earlier question stays unanswered when he rolls his eyes and looks at me one more time before going back to his endless work.
"There's an art museum back in New York, you can share one of your paintings there," his sudden voice surprises me as I let his words echo through the air.
I clear my throat, "that fast?" I find myself asking when my pulse increases, as hundred possibilities run through my mind.
He turns his face to me, and I find his brows furrowed as he studies my features, then moments later, his expression morphs into understanding as his eyes meet mine.
"You're scared." He says gently and I reply way too quickly for him to not suspect my lies "no." I say and he pulls down his glasses.
Taking a couple of seconds before he replies to my lies, "Being afraid isn't something to be ashamed of, Ekaterina, it's normal until that fear drives you away from what you want, don't let it consume you." He says and my eyes widen in surprise.
His words sink slowly into my mind as I contemplate if I should tell him what I'm actually thinking, "what if I fail?" I speak my deepest thoughts out loud for the first time.
For someone who's almost a stranger to me, I wait for the regret to come, but it never does, I just stay like this, waiting for his reply.
"Then you're succeeding." He says and my brows furrow as confusion rattles through my veins, "elaborate." I say when he stays silent.
"Do you think successful people just succeeded from the first time? No, they failed thousands of times, what differentiates between them and any other person who's going after the same dream, is that they didn't give up, they fell and went through hell and back to be where they are, they didn't give up after the first failure and I won't lie to your face and tell you that you won't fail, you will, but don't let that failure push you down, let it be the reason you want to push for more and more." He says and my lips part.
I'm both surprised and impressed by his words, he doesn't seem like the type who'd say such meaningful stuff normally without being extremely rude.
And I find myself wondering if he's talking from experience, because someone like him, extremely successful with his business, believing what he just told me, then he definitely went through it.
A small smile spreads on my face as I let his words wander through my mind as my heartbeats start to slow again, I look up to find him staring at me, a rare glisten in his eyes and I don't miss the amusement on his face.
"What?" I ask when he doesn't make a move to do so, "you look beautiful when you're acting like a human." He says and brushes a strand of my hair away from my face.
I glare at him and his lips twitch as if he's trying to hide a smile, "you have a way with words, Alexander." I say dryly and he shrugs, "so I've been told." He recalls my earlier words days ago in a sarcastic tone of his.
Which just uncontrollably spreads a smile on my face, "okay....so I'll have to paint something while we're here? So I can put it in that art museum?" I ask and sigh,
I can do this.
"Yes, if that's possible, if not then you'll wait a couple of days so you can create an art piece when we return to New York." He says and I nod,
Contemplating how many days I have to do so, we're staying with his family for two weeks as he said, which is great for me, I'll have lots of time to get myself together.
"Okay...I'm in." The words are barely audible but I know he heard them because the smile that's spreading on his face is unmistakable.
The corner of his eyes crinkles as he winks at me, "that's my girl." He says and heat floods my belly as I contemplate if I heard him correctly.
I let out a long breath as I stare at anything but him, however I hear his chuckle as he speaks his next words "aren't you adorable when you're flushed like this?" He says and heat creeps up my spine further.
If he was a gentleman, he would've just shut the fuck up and let me be, but of course, he loves making me embarrassed further,
It's just the man he is.