“You don’t have any other sisters hiding. It’s just me.”
I felt myself tense. “What do you want?” I asked.
Leo looked at me intently. To him, I was just one giant fuck-up. Nathan was no threat to me, to Andrei, to anyone. He was my best friend.
“I was thinking, it’s time for us to have a talk, don’t you agree? As sisters.”
“Why?” We’d never been close. Growing up, Bethany had despised me, and there was no love lost between us.
“Come on, darling, we’re sisters. There doesn’t have to be any bad blood between us. I’m insulted that you seem to think so.”
I didn’t think so. I knew so.
“There is much we can talk about. Come on, Adelaide. You always wanted a big sister, didn’t you?” she asked. “This is our chance to finally be close.”
I had no idea what she was up to, but I also didn’t want to head back home. “Where?” I asked.
She told me the restaurant. “I’ll meet you there in twenty minutes,” I said and hung up the phone.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Leo said.
“Then call Andrei and tell him to go meet her and deal with this. It’s my sister, Leo.”
Even though I said those words, I knew it was a lie. My sister was a viper. Her only course of action was to attack. That was what she did. She hated me for what had happened, but that was all on her. I hadn’t done anything to take her husband away.
Leo held the door of the car open, and I thanked him.
Sitting in the car didn’t help to make me feel better. In fact, all I felt was a whole lot worse about everything. This wasn’t what I wanted. Covering my face with my hands, I leaned back and took several deep breaths, attempting to find some peace and calm, but nothing helped.
“Andrei cares about you,” Leo said.
Dropping my hands, I look at my guard. “You don’t know that.”
“I have been driving him around for years, Adelaide. I’ve built up his trust, and yet, to help you, he put me in charge of your protection. He told me nothing could ever happen to you, and I will protect you with my life.”
“I don’t want that, Leo,” I said. “I don’t want you to do that.”
He snorted. “I will gladly do it.”
Tears filled my eyes as I thought of Andrei. “He’s difficult to get to know.” I had promised myself I wouldn’t get too close to Leo. He was doing a job and I wouldn’t pretend he was my friend.
“Andrei cares in his own way. Having his own territory is not easy and he’s under a lot of stress right now.”
“What kind of stress?” I asked.
“You will have to ask your husband.” He slowed the car down to park and I glanced over at the restaurant.
“Will you come in with me?” I asked. The thought of seeing Bethany without any kind of backup scared me.
“Yes.” Leo pulled the car away, going toward the parking lot. I climbed out of the car, and Leo moved toward my side, one hand at my back, the other at the base of his, and I knew he held his gun.
This was my new reality. Gone were the days of walking around nonchalantly.
We headed into the restaurant and I saw Bethany was already seated. She looked even more slender than usual. Leo let me go toward my sister, who stood when I got close, and air-kissed each of my cheeks.
“You look stunning, sweetheart,” Bethany said.
“You do as well.” She looked … ill, but I wasn’t going to tell her that. I could also tell with the way her lips were pursed, she’d gotten more work done.
There were times I felt like it was a competition between Bethany and our mother, about who could get the most work done. I hated hospitals, needles, anything like that, and so I was happy to keep my face and my body as it came to me.
“I’m so pleased you decided to see me. I was worried you wouldn’t.”
I frowned but didn’t get a chance to question her as the waiter came with a bottle of wine, pouring us both large glasses. He promised to return with the menus.
“Why wouldn’t I want to see you?” I asked.
“There’s a lot of history with us.” Bethany glanced down at the ring. “I guess Andrei decided that I could grace his bed, but I wasn’t the woman he wanted to mother his children.”
I froze. “You’ve not seen Andrei yet?”
Bethany pouted. “Do you still believe in monogamous relationships?” She tutted. “Honey, you of all people should know by now, that men don’t want that.” She held her hand out and pointed at her. “I’ve had to tell you this again and again. They want people like me, and I’m sure you can tell Andrei is getting his needs met. He leaves me very satisfied.”
These had to be lies. Andrei was moody. He wasn’t a happy man. Was that because he had to come home to her? Did he want to be with Bethany?
“Man, his tongue, it can do wonders on your pussy, can’t it?”
I hated this and felt sick to my stomach.