Just like the horrific and damning day years before.
Only this time, I would be ready. Only this time, my enemy would be the one to die.
And I would enjoy every moment of destroying him.
Willow
Disturbing.
I wasn’t certain why the word continued to reverberate in my mind. The night had been passionate, more intense than any I’d experienced. Aleksei was an amazing lover, even sharing stories about his fascinating life. Yet very little was completely personal. There were no narratives regarding past lovers or even friends. He had no tales of afternoon barbecues or vacations to a tropical paradise. Everything involved his work, business excursions he’d taken to distant lands, beautiful cities he’d had the pleasure of visiting.
But all alone.
While I’d lived a solitary life, only allowing a few people to know the real woman over the last few years, his life seemed so fake. For all the money he possessed, all the paintings and sculptures that he’d amassed in his collection, he’d had no one to share them with. I couldn’t wrap my mind around the wretched fact.
I also knew he was still hiding something from me, a troubling matter that he was having difficult broaching.
We sat in the same seats on the plane as we had before, the return trip just minutes into motion. He’d remained unblinking, staring out the window from the moment we’d boarded.
After all the closeness we’d experienced, the promises made, and the champagne consumed, he’d all but shut down once again.
“Ten dollars for your thoughts,” I said in a whimsical tone.
A full five seconds passed. Then ten.
“A lot of money for my thoughts. I’m not certain they’re worth that much,” he finally stated, the same rumbling tone sending a shiver down my spine.
“Well, I wanted to make certain you could at least purchase a cheap bottle of wine.”
The words registered late, but he laughed and leaned forward, taking my hand. “I would assume red wine.”
“Oh, absolutely.”
He lifted a single eyebrow, his expression softening. “I will have you know, I’ve been known to consume a bottle of Two-Buck Chuck every so often.”
For a man with almost no sense of humor, his admittance caught me off guard, allowing me to laugh. “What’s bothering you and don’t tell me meeting with my brother. He is no real threat to you.”
“He is very much a threat, Willow. Don’t believe otherwise for an instant. That could be your downfall.”
He was reverting to the same behavior as before. “What else is going on?”
As he brought my hand to his mouth, rolling his lips across my knuckles, I could almost feel the tension increasing. “There are things I should tell you.”
“All right. Then just tell me.”
“They could destroy you.”
I pulled my hand away, staring out at the bright blue sky. “If you think I’m that na? ve, you’re dead wrong. While I’ve allowed my brother to control my life, shaping me into a cold-blooded killer, there were extenuating circumstances. While I still love him, I realize now that I’ve never really known him. He doesn’t even seem like my own brother, certainly not like other families.”
He remained quiet.
“Maybe I was wrong in wishing for the fantasy, a nice little house in the suburbs, a job I loved. A family. That’s not in the cards for a girl like me.”
“That’s not always going to be the case. Whatever hold your brother has on you, only you can break free from it.”
“Sounds like similar advice I gave a brooding Russian a few hours ago.” I no longer felt the ability to laugh. I knew today meant an end to whatever tumultuous relationship I had with my brother. Was I signing the man’s death warrant? I didn’t want to contemplate the thought.
He snorted and eased a folded envelope from his back pocket, fingering the flap. “I looked into your past.”
“You checked up on me. Why should I expect otherwise?” While I should be angry, I wasn’t. The man was thorough and he truly had no idea what kind of person he was dealing with.
“You knew I would, that I had to. I am a cautious man. That’s the only way I’ve been able to remain alive.”
I was suddenly exhausted all over again. “So you’ve told me.”
“I’m not trying to hurt you but what I found is… disturbing,” he continued, his tone flat.
There was that word again.
“Just tell me,” I insisted.
“I think it’s better if you read for yourself.” He handed me the envelope, hesitating before letting it go.
I realized my fingers were shaking, whatever information he was presenting weighing heavily on his mind. I had some difficulty unfolding the stapled papers, blinking several times before I could scan the page. I finally let out a slow and even breath. “This isn’t news, at least to me. I’ve always known I was adopted.”
Aleksei’s eyes opened wide. “Is that what your brother has been holding over your head? The bastard.”
“Likely to a degree. My parents made certain in their will that he was required to take care of me. He’s always resented that, but he found ways of keeping me out of his life. Now, I know why.”