34

Eva.
The door at the back of the laundry room leads to an enclosed courtyard where the minibus is parked. Alexander is leaning against it with his arms crossed over his chest. His nostrils flare the moment he sees Natalya. “Kept me waiting, Gurin,” he says, pushing off the bus and walking toward her. He wraps an arm around her and claws her against his side. “Never do it again,” he says, his tone menacing.
My brow furrows, and I’m about to say something when Azira yanks me onto the bus. “What’s going on with those two?”
Azira shakes her head. “I don’t know, but when I questioned her, she got all defensive.”
Adrianna leans forward. “If I’ve learned anything about Natalya, let her reveal things in her own time. If you push her, she’ll snap.”
I sit down next to Azira and ask, “You once asked Natalya if she’d told me about what Alexander did to her. What did he do?”
Azira meets my gaze and then glances at Adrianna.
Adrianna shrugs. “It’s not exactly a secret.”
Azira sighs. “Alexander tormented Natalya for years. He would call her names, physically hurt her, belittle her in front of everyone, humiliate her.” She glances to the front of the van, where Alexander has pulled Natalya onto his lap. “The bastard even stabbed her pretty badly a couple of times.”
I gasp at that. “What the fuck for?”
Adrianna cut in. “He said she needs teaching a lesson for being a teacher’s pet.”
Azira nods. “He’s been a complete jerk to her from fourth grade until maybe a year ago when things became tamer.” Her brow furrows. “He even kind of left her alone at the end of last year.”
I watch as he messes with Natalya’s hair as she sits in his lap. “But we can’t work out why.” She shrugs. “But after you stood up to him, something changed, and he’s started messing with her again. Natalya gets all closed off about it any time we bring it up and won’t discuss it, but we have a feeling he has something over her.”
“Like what?” I ask.
Adrianna shakes her head. “We have no idea. We wish we did.”
“I think he has the hots for her,” I say, sort of to myself.
Azira laughs, thinking I’m joking. When I give her a serious look, she shakes her head. “There’s no way Alexander likes Nat like that. He’s been too fucking cruel over the years.”
“Just what I see as an outsider.” I shrug. “It was my first thought when he came up to us in the hallway that day.”
Adrianna contemplates me. “Fuck, maybe Eva’s right.” She shakes her head. “It sounds fucking crazy, but we’ve been too close to it all these years.”
I nod. “Not to mention when Alexander attacked me in the corridor-”
“What? When did that happen?” Adrianna asks.
“Last week, I told Azira.” I bite my lip as I remember how Oak came to my rescue, only to wrap his fingers around my throat. “But something he said was odd.”
“What was it?” Azira asks.
I glanced around to ensure no one was listening. “He said, ‘Natalya is mine to torment and always has been. Mine, do you understand?’ He said it like a jealous boyfriend.”
“What the fuck?” Adrianna says, shaking her head. “If that boy likes Natalya, then he is fucked in the head for the ways he treated her all these years.”
I nod in agreement. “He clearly has issues.”
Dimitry Jakov, who I hadn’t even noticed, sits down in the seat in front of me, leaning toward me. “Who has issues?”
Adrianna and Azira glare at him. “It’s called a private conversation, Dimitry,” Azira says.
Dimitry smiles lazily, glancing at me. “Is that right?” He runs a hand through his dark, short hair. “It’s called a public bus, though.”
Adrianna shakes her head. “Ask her out and stop messing about,” she quips.
My brow furrows as I wonder who exactly she means.
Dimitry reddens and shrugs. “Okay, will you save me a dance, beautiful?” He asks, looking right at me.
My stomach churns at the thought, but I’m supposed to be going out to forget about Oak. Perhaps a harmless dance and a bit of flirting with a nice, attractive boy my age won’t harm. “Sure,” I say, smiling.
He smiles back, looking relieved. “Great, see you on the dance floor.” He then returns to sit with a few guys sitting right at the back.
“Ugh,” Azira says, shuddering. “Why would you agree to dance with him?”
“Why not? He doesn’t seem terrible.”
Adrianna laughs. “That’s because you didn’t know him when he was younger.” She gives Azira a pointed look. “In all fairness, Jakov has grown up pretty handsome, don’t you think?”
Azira wrinkles her nose. “I’d say that’s a stretch too far for me.”
I laugh. “Fair enough, but it’s only a dance. It’s not like I’ve agreed to date him.”
And I know I never would, not when all I can think about is one very forbidden man. A man I should have never thought of in that way, but now life feels utterly hopeless if I never get to kiss him again.