Twenty three | Ekaterina
"This is so disgusting." Vladimir holds up Alexander's black leather jacket and throws it away, and the horrific expression that transforms his face is priceless as he hurries and picks it up again.
Patting any dust that caught it away, "This stays between us." He states and makes a 'hush' motion with his hands, I hold back a laugh as Kiara comes in view, holding up a shirt of mine.
I eye her and raise a brow, "do you have normal clothes?" She complains and I glare in her direction, she just laughs and shrugs "Yes I do, they're in a drawer beside the bed," I get defensive and she widens her eyes.
"Not attacking your...taste in clothes, I've lived with it my whole life, don't worry." She squeals and walks away, I narrow my eyes and avert my gaze on the other asshole, Vlad's expression faltered a little, making him look more serious.
"What is it?" I finally ask, thankfully no one but us is here which makes this the perfect timing as I walk towards him, hands crossed over my chest, "what?" He asks as if he's clueless.
I huff out an impatient breath and glare at him, "You and Kiara, why are you acting like that?" I snicker in his direction and he holds up his hands as if he's innocent, "what do you mean?" Goddamnit.
"I mean that you've been acting weird since she showed up." I grit out, annoyance spreading through my veins at how he's acting, he clears his throat and meets my eyes, "Nothing—she's pretty okay but it just-" he starts but Alexander's footsteps cut off his words and i let out a breath.
Both annoyed and relieved by his presence, I turn around and my eyes clash with his, he's not wearing a shirt, as usual "Are you allergic to shirts, Alexander? This is disturbing." I protest and try to stop my gaze from descending down his sharp muscles.
"Afraid you'll like it too much if you continue seeing me like this?" He asks calmly, a smirk tugging at his lips, heat spreads through my body, and my cheeks turn crimson as I avoid his gaze, "oh get over yourself." I offer and Vladimir's voice interrupts this tension.
"You both are making me gag, please stop." He states dramatically and strides out of the room, leaving me with the asshole who's now studying my every movement, "You said you wanted to tell me something." He changes the topic and I let out a breath.
Relieved because whenever our talks take a turn like this, it doesn't end well, "my painting was sold!" I hurriedly say, all the earlier anger forgotten as I jump excitedly,
A small smile tugs at his lips, "I told you it was beautiful." He says sternly and I roll my eyes "Is everyone gonna use the 'I told you so' shit on me?" I complain and drop down on the soft black mattress.
Alexander's room reflects a whole image of him, and so does mine, "yes." His dry response doesn't surprise me and I roll my eyes again, he stares at me for a beat before he turns around to grab some clothes from his closet.
My lips part and I suck in a horrified breath, "What happened to your back?" The words barely sound audible and I watch as his body stiffens, muscles tensing as he turns around, but it doesn't do much to erase the image that has been printed deep in my mind.
Burn scars, scattered all over his back, and if I'm not mistaken those are some kind of cigarette burns, "some life lessons my mother taught me." His reply causes my whole body to still, hundreds of emotions clouding my mind I can't differentiate which is which.
His mother?
He slips a plain shirt over his head and I swallow hard as he takes a couple of steps towards me, his expression unreadable and closed off, it's obvious that he didn't want me to see them.
He didn't think it through, "She—hurt you?" I stammer and his expression darkens, brows furrowing as his frown deepens, "It was a long time ago, Ekaterina, don't get all emotional on me." He forces harshly, trying to push me away as he always does.
But I can't stop the tears stinging my eyes as I try to comprehend how a mother would do this to her child, I imagine a small hopeful young Alexander going through this shit, and it breaks my heart.
I step closer to him, hesitating as I look into his eyes, his jaw clenches and he looks like he's on the verge of snapping, but I don't think twice as I spread my arms, stand on my tiptoes and pull him to me.
He doesn't hug me back, which shouldn't surprise me but I can't ignore the pint of disappointment itching through my skin, however, his hand comes up, supporting my back as I continue drowning in his scent.
When I pull back, his expression falters, softening a bit as he breathes out "I didn't need that." His voice is tougher than usual and I shrug it off as I smile "I did." I lie through my teeth but it's for the best and he knows it.
He won't admit it, he can't admit that sometimes he needs emotional support, everyone does, "Will you tell me more?" I ask cautiously, not wanting to step over a line but as much as I'd like to deny it, this is the best time for him to tell me about himself.
"What do you want to know?" His tall frame hovers over mine as his eyes bore into me, his gaze full of intensity that I avert my eyes away, "anything you're willing to give." I reply honestly.
He sighs and runs a hand through his coal black hair, dropping down on the mattress, "let's say that the old woman didn't like me." His response doesn't exactly clarify much but I hold my breath as he continues talking.
"She favored my brothers—brother over me, and back then when I was stupid, I would do anything to satisfy her, anything just to make her notice me, it never fucking worked." He breathes harshly and even as he talks, his words are devoid of emotion.
I don't push on the whole "brothers" thing but I know there's more behind it, everyone has his secrets after all, just as I won't ask him if he has more siblings, I hope he doesn't bring up any of the words I said about my brother when I was drunk one day.
"She's an addict if you're not aware already, alcohol has always been her closest friend, and well every now and then she'd be so fucking drunk to the point where she'd let out all the rage that was bubbled inside her on me." His expression takes a darker turn as he rambles on.
I clench my hands, anger boiling through my body, "she'd say how I ruined her Beauty, how I'm a failure, but most of all she hated me because I reminded her of my father." He lets out a humorless laugh, "How convincing of her." He arches a brow and I shrug.
Not giving him any pity, because I don't feel any pity towards him, I feel fucking rage towards the woman "She'd let out that anger in different ways, maybe by burning me with her cigarettes or cutting up my skin with any of her knives." He says and holds up his arm, my lips part, and I don't stop the tears that fall down my cheeks.
"I'm sorry," I whisper as I take his arm in my hand, leaning down as I kiss his scars, just like he did with mine, his thumb brushes my cheeks, making me look up at him, and he brushes away my tears and rests his forehead against mine.
His breath hitching, "Don't cry for me, sweetheart." His voice is gentle, way more gentle than before, he curses under his breath "what are you doing to me, Ekaterina?" He pleads, his voice sounding desperate,
I release a breath, wondering what the hell I'm actually doing, every now and then I get distracted by him, something is happening between both of us, but if Alexander knew what I'm hiding from him, it might as well be my downfall.
My phone ring startles both of us as I pull away, my heartbeats picking up speed as I quickly snatch the phone away, "Answer it." His tone is no longer gentle, he's clearly ordering me and it takes me aback.
I try to push my nerves away and do something I'd normally do if I'm not under so much pressure, so I glare in his direction, he just arches a brow, no lip twitching, no hints of a smile, nothing.
I know he doesn't entirely trust me, which is why I don't do something that'll make him suspicious as I pick up the call, "Where the fuck have you been?" His harsh voice meets my ears and I swallow hard.
"How did you manage to call me Mom, I missed you!" I feign excitement as I grin, hoping it looks fucking convincing as my gaze stays on Alexander who seems to relax, walking out of the door to give me privacy.
I let out a breath as the fucker continues ramming through my ears "Shut up." I hiss under my breath and I hear him cursing, "If you don't give me the information I need soon, I'll kill him myself, Katrina, I won't wait until you fall in love with the fucker."
Fucking fuck.