Aleksandr Read online

  It was a double standard that infuriated me, but if I was ever caught stepping out on him, he’d certainly have my head. I was just supposed to sit around and watch it happen, going out to parties and functions with a smile on my face as I mingled with the actual wives of underground business owners and thugs.

  There was only so much that I could take, and I knew it’d only be a matter of time before I grew too tired to carry on. I never knew what mood I’d get Edik in when he came sauntering in through the front door. There were times when he was absolutely calm, asking me about my day and pretending to care, and there were others where he’d slam expensive vases into the wall, cursing me as if he wished I didn’t exist. There was a part of me that wished I would’ve seen these signs earlier, and maybe if I’d chosen differently, I wouldn’t be so miserable all of the time.

  Regardless of my wavering feelings for Edik, I was still a pawn in his game, ready to be used whenever he called upon me. He’d had me do incredibly disgusting things to secure a payday, parading me around just enough to entice other men, while he’d swoop in at the very last second. I worried that people weren’t going to play by his rules anymore, and I’d eventually find myself in a rather compromising position that I wouldn’t be able to pull myself out of. The only thing I could do at this point was hold my head high, hoping that he wouldn’t need me to do his bidding for him for a while. I would much rather sit around in a glamorous closet, trying to decide what dress to wear, than strip down to distract a man while my lover put him in the ground.

  Edik was still in the process of building his empire, and I knew he was looking for new ways to take advantage of any opportunity that could arise. I could only hope that he didn’t dig himself too deep into something he wouldn’t be able to claw his way out of. He was a smart, ambitious man but there were times he was just so blinded by the promise of monetary gain, that every other concern would be thrown out the window. The more nights he came home with his shirt doused in blood, cuts and bruises across that perfect face of his, the more I began to worry that he was going to do something to get himself killed. If he wasn’t around, I wouldn’t have the kind of protection I needed to survive, because the only thing keeping his enemies at bay was the fact that he was always around to fight them off.

  He didn’t take lightly to any of his property being tampered with, and unfortunately, that included me. I tried to look on the bright side as much as possible, counting my blessings that nothing bad had happened to me yet. Whenever I got the chance, I still secretly sent a bit of money back to my parents so they could get by, but I knew they still worried about my wellbeing. Sometimes, I’d even find myself writing letters to them, filling their heads with all kinds of lies about how perfect my life was now, just so they could rest a bit easier at night. I knew that the time would have to come where I’d leave Edik, where his ambition and drive was going to result in the destruction of his empire, because he didn’t know how to deal with a crisis in the way that most leaders learned to ride out a bad wave.

  I promised myself I’d do my part for as long as it kept me safe, but the minute I see an opportunity worth taking, I won’t think twice about putting everything on the line.

  I was grateful for the hot bath waiting for me once I trailed off into the bathroom, as I glanced over at the soaps that were laid out for me. I slipped out of my satin slip dress, sinking beneath the water and trying to calm my breathing. I needed the water to wash away the night prior, the feeling of Edik’s body on top of me, as I tried to remember why I ended up with a man like him in the first place. It’d been a bad night for us both, but he tried to fix it by pleasuring me, and it just didn’t work. I didn’t respond to him the way I used to, and I worried that was something I’d never be able to fix. I did my part, he got what he needed and fell asleep next to me, only to be gone as soon as the sun came up the following morning. I missed the days when he’d stick around to cuddle me, reminding me that I was the only woman for him. I supposed that just wasn’t true anymore, and I had to come to terms with the fact that I was simply living a different kind of life now.

  When I finally made it downstairs, I noticed that Edik was sitting at the head of the dining table, and I found it strange for him to be at home at all given how early he’d left. He sat there with his newspaper and espresso, barely even acknowledging me as I took the seat next to him.

  “I didn’t expect to see you home,” I told him as I reached for the teapot near him to pour myself a warm cup even though I’d already eaten.

  “I had a bit of time to kill after my meeting this morning and I decided it was best for me to come back home and have breakfast here. I’ve been out far too much lately, haven’t I?” he said, as though the sentiment was supposed to sound sincere, but it sadly didn’t.

  “Is everything in order for this evening?”

  “Isn’t that supposed to be your job?” he asked condescendingly, as though the only reason he kept me around was to entertain his guests and do his bidding.

  “I wasn’t talking about the preparations, my dear. All of your guests will be well-fed and perfectly happy. I was referring to the deal you’ve been trying to close for ages now. I know that it’s quite a big deal to you,” I said, pretending to care about his business endeavors. It was the only time he ever took me seriously.

  “Well, if you must know, I am having quite a few friends coming, all who have incredibly deep pockets that I can’t wait to exploit,” he replied. I scoffed at him, sipping on my tea as I clutched the pearl necklace at my décolletage, remembering for a brief moment how happy I was when I received it.

  Just before I could get another word in, one of the party planners had come in to hand me the guest list so I could have a look at it before the place cards were set. I eyed the list carefully, noticing that there was a name at the very top I didn’t quite recognize. I turned to Edik. He had just missed a business call. I knew that once he called back, it would take him away for a while, so I decided it was best to just ask now.

  “Edik, who is Aleksandr Volkov?” I blurted out before he could pick up.

  “Oh, just an old friend of mine,” he said, brushing the topic off entirely and rushing off into the other room. I knew just about each and every one of Edik’s friends, especially because I’d been the one in the middle of his games as he paraded me around to entertain them. The name was completely foreign to me, and something left me feeling rather curious to meet this man. The problem with Edik’s comment was that he didn’t really have any old friends. He only gave out that title to the people he was planning to target, making his list of enemies grow by the day.

  I left the table and began checking on all of the flower arrangements and catered food, like the good housewife I was trying to one day be, but I couldn’t shake the curiosity that settled into my bones. I’d been so bored locked up in this house under his rules, and I wanted nothing more than to preoccupy myself with something other than lilacs or appetizers.

  I decided that I was going to make a good impression on the mysterious stranger come nightfall, because something told me he was unlike any of the other people that Edik associated himself with. It would be a nice change to have something else to focus on besides my partner throwing himself at any and every woman in the room except me. I wasn’t even sure Edik and I had a salvageable connection anymore, and I was in the mood for a bit of fun.

  I couldn’t describe the feeling that came over me as my mind filled with all kinds of whims, deciding that this mysterious friend of Edik’s would be my ticket to a lovely evening, even though I had yet to meet him. I was in the mood to upset the man who had made my life a living hell for such a long time because I knew he was never going to hurt me in front of his guests. I was playing with fire, because there was always the possibility that Edik would retaliate once all of his guests had left, but I felt like I was going crazy with boredom, and I needed something exciting to focus on.

  So, I completed my duties for the day, making sure that
everything was absolutely perfect as I returned upstairs just as the sun was about to set, preparing for a night I was never going to forget. My dress was laid out for me, a perfect shade of crimson, playing off the tones in my hair exquisitely. I took a quick shower and slipped it on. I tossed my hair down to my shoulders, knowing how much Edik hated it, as he always preferred me with a classy updo whenever he had guests over. I brushed through my long auburn locks, staring into my vanity mirror as my green eyes shone in the warm lighting.

  This was a look I hadn’t sported since I met Edik for the first time, and I recalled how much fun it had been when he was courting me. He told me everything I wanted to hear, filling my head with promises he never intended to keep. There was always a part of me that wished I could go back, that wished I didn’t listen to him in the first place, but it was too late for any of that now.

  I was at the front door in the foyer at exactly seven o’clock sharp, waiting for the first guests to arrive. Edik was off drinking in the bar, pretending to be getting work done when really he was just engaging in a bit of liquid courage before he had to deal with his undesirable guests. As much as he tried to play it off as them being high-profile businessmen, the truth was that they were thugs, assassins, all working for the mafia. That sort of lifestyle used to scare me in the beginning when I was just a naïve girl who knew absolutely nothing, but I’d come to learn that the most dangerous men weren’t the ones who carried guns, they were the ones who killed with their bare hands.

  I remembered all the nights where Edik would come home after a long night, drunk out of his mind, taking out his anger on me despite me not even uttering a word to him. I had far too many scars because of him, but he knew that he was never going to break me. If he wanted me gone, he was going to have to kill me first.

  About a half-hour later, guests began to arrive, and the staff I’d hired for the evening began handing out glasses of champagne. The night was truly beginning, and I was checking names off of the list, waiting for this Aleksandr to arrive. I wondered what he looked like; if he was young or old, and how close he was to Edik. I knew just about every ulterior motive that Edik had in relation to the people he kept close, but Aleksandr was a complete mystery to me, and that was what made it so much fun.

  I knew Edik wasn’t going to pay much attention to me as the night went on, so I didn’t even go over to acknowledge him, because he was just going to shrug me off. It was as if I was invisible to him; anything I did to garner his attention went completely over his head. I supposed I couldn’t complain, because if I really wanted to strike up a conversation with this old friend of his, I was going to have to make sure that Edik was completely out of sight. I waited around for what felt like hours, starting to give up hope as I grabbed one of the glasses of champagne from the metal tray sat on the foyer table, throwing it back like a shot.

  Once I placed the glass back down on the table, I noticed a handsome man saunter in through the front door, his light brunette hair shining under the obscenely large chandelier as his eyes glimmered in my direction. I was completely taken aback by how gorgeous he was, and I couldn’t believe that this was the man I’d been waiting to see all evening. It felt too good to be true, and I started to convince myself that maybe I’d missed something, that it had to be someone else, but he was the only face there I didn’t recognize. He kept glancing over at me, making small talk with some of the guests he clearly didn’t know, glancing over at me every few minutes, and that told me he was trying to feel out whether to approach me or not. I caught him smiling as he grabbed two glasses from the passing tray, bringing it over to me.

  “Good evening,” he said, handing me a glass, and it was at that moment that I realized he had absolutely no idea who I was.

  “Good evening to you as well,” I said, sipping lightly on the champagne, reminding myself that I’d already had far too many glasses for the evening.

  “And what might your name be?”

  “Irina,” I replied, waiting for him to introduce himself, because I didn’t want to give away too much at the very start of this conversation.

  “My name is Aleksandr, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Irina,” he said, reaching for my hand and slowly kissing it. I felt a fire run through me as he did, leaving me wondering how that was even possible.

  “The pleasure is all mine,” I replied.

  I didn’t want to tell him my association, who I really was, because I wanted him to get to know me. I wondered why I’d been so quick to dismiss the life that I’d lived for the past few years, though I knew it had something to do with how abusive Edik had been. I just wanted to experience something different this evening, I wanted to feel like a free woman again. I wanted nothing more than to leave my constraints behind, let this stranger into my life, and experience the adventure I’d been longing for.

  So, I let him continue the conversation as we put a bit more distance between us and Edik, because I knew once he caught sight of him, all would be over. I felt a spark between us that I never expected, one that I needed now more than ever. He had a look in his eyes that told me things were going to move incredibly fast, that he noticed me because he too felt something. We both wouldn’t have been able to put it into words if we tried, but I had a feeling that the night was going to get wilder than I ever imagined. I gazed up into those beautiful blue eyes of his, letting my body do the rest of talking. He kept up a scintillating conversation, and I found myself genuinely laughing for the first time in ages.

  It was then that I realized I’d gone a long time without feeling anything, because I’d become conditioned to expect the worst out of people, even the ones closest to me. Something about Aleksandr gave me hope that I’d one day start to see the good in people again.

  Chapter Three: Aleksandr

  I’m not even sure that attending this little soirée is a good idea. The last time Edik and I spoke, we were just boys trying to find our footing in the world. I’ve been hearing great things about his business endeavors and I suppose my curiosity has just gotten the better of me. Though, I was surprised to find that he’s doing much better than I thought, as I entered into his mansion to see how opulent of a life he was truly living. He’s always been the kind of man to keep good company, but even I wasn’t prepared for the woman I’ve just met.

  I stared back at her as our eyes locked at other ends of the room, closing the front door behind me, before I decided I had to strike up a conversation with her. She was certainly not the kind of woman I expected to see in a place like this, crawling with thugs and men trying to one-up each other in the crime world.

  Her auburn hair cascaded over her breasts, pushed up in that lovely dress of hers. Her green eyes were absolutely piercing, making me want more than I should. I approached her, and we began to have an interesting conversation. She was unlike other women I’d come into contact with in the past, especially in a place like this. There was something about her that captivated me, drawing me in closer, as I couldn’t help but notice how beautiful she truly was. At that moment, I’d forgotten about why I was attending this party in the first place as she started leading me through the house, saying hello to those she passed by.

  “Where are we going?” I asked, even though I didn’t care to know. I was far too preoccupied by that smile of hers to worry about anything else. She’d grabbed ahold of my hand, and was pulling me closer as we started to make our way upstairs. It was then that I realized we were certainly on the same page. Whoever this woman is, she certainly knows what she wants and that is something I definitely appreciate.

  I reminded myself that when the fun was all over, I still had to greet my old friend. I could only hope that he wouldn’t be too upset with me taking up temporary residence in one of his rooms while I had a bit of fun with one of his houseguests.

  “I thought we could use a quieter place to talk,” she said, the glimmer in her eyes powerful as she inched closer to me, motioning for me to sit on the edge of the bed next to her.

  �
��I’m not really in the mood to do any more talking,” I said, furrowing my brow at her, but it was like she could read my mind. Her eyes fell to the curve of my lips, hers turning up in a smile. I lifted her chin, feeling those full rosy lips press into mine, adrenaline rushing through me as my hands traveled down to her inner thighs. I made my way up her dress from the slit exposing her toned legs, my fingers entangling in the lace of her panties as I fumbled around to pull them down. She got up from the bed, undoing the straps at her breasts, her beautiful floor-length gown falling to the floor beneath her.

  “Get on the bed,” I instructed playfully at first, because I didn’t want to scare her off. She nodded at me, getting comfortable as though this place was her own, and it was in that moment that I realized I still had no idea what her connection to Edik was. Surely this isn’t just a regular woman he wants to spend the night with. She’s quick on her feet, holds enticing conversation, and I’m led to believe that there’s more to the story than I realize. Still, for right now I’m going to make her mine, I thought, letting my body do the rest of the work as I unbuckled my dress pants and stepped out of them. I stood over her, looking down at the ivory lace bra covering her perky tan breasts, her soft hair a mess on the pillow next to her, and all I wanted to do was watch her. I didn’t have the same kind of hunger coursing through me whenever I laid eyes on an attractive woman, needing to ravage her and make her feel every inch of pleasure possible. This time, I wanted to command her in a way that would leave her somewhat in control, so when I finally made my move and slipped inside of her, she’d be swollen, dripping, and ready for me.

  “You’re so beautiful, Irina,” I whispered in her ear. Her breathing was starting to pick up as the warmth of my fingers trailed over her. She was anticipating the next move, waiting for me to pick up the pace, but I quite liked keeping her waiting. The tension between us was undeniable, and I was in the mood to play a few more games.