Natalya
Azira hooks her arms with mine, giving me an odd look. “Everyone is saying you and Alexander are an item. What’s that all about?”
I shrug. “Stupid gossip because of that kiss a few weeks ago, I guess.”
Her brow furrows. “I heard Alexander declare it to Kerry in class today.”
“Declare what?” I ask.
She purses her lips. “That you are his.”
“Well, that’s news to me.” I clench my jaw. “I hate the guy, so why would I date him?”
“That’s what I thought, but he’s going around telling everyone you belong to him, whatever that’s supposed to mean.” She grimaces. “I hate that boy.”
“You and me both,” I mutter through gritted teeth. Ever since he forced me to my knees in the corridor, he’s stuck to his more standard methods of humiliating me. My body heats as I remember how he made me trip over in the cafeteria the same night he’d forced me to my knees. I can’t work out which was more humiliating, or if it was the sheer pain I’d felt clutching at my chest.
It felt like a betrayal, even though he’s made me fall over and worse in front of the school before. After he’d kissed me so intimately in the corridor, it felt much more painful.
Since that day, he’s played stupid pranks on me as if we were back in ninth grade, such as tripping me over, throwing things at me in class, and last week he stole my skirt off of my body and locked me in a classroom, where Luigi found me. It was beyond humiliating, but surprisingly, Professor Luigi didn’t get angry. Instead, he found me a skirt and let me go on my way with hardly a word. I had expected to be punished, but I think he knows who did it.
Alexander is a first rate asshole and there’s no chance in hell I’d ever affirm such a ridiculous lie, no matter what he threatens me with. “Another one of his games,” I say, slamming shut my locker and locking it.
Adrianna approaches us. “Are you two heading to lunch? I’m starving.”
I smile and nod. Adrianna is always hungry. “Yeah, of course.” I turn to lead the way, only to slam straight into a hard wall of muscle. As I glance up, I stare into those cold, calculating blue eyes that can make my heart stop beating. Panic and fear hit me at once and I take a step back, trying to move around him.
Alexander slides an arm in front of me, blocking my way.
“Where do you think you’re going, Gurin?” he asks, ice-blue eyes narrowing.
I clench my jaw and meet his gaze, hating the way my heart thuds harder the moment I do. “To lunch, so get out of my way.”
Azira steps to my side and shoves his arm, trying to free me. “Yeah, and while you’re at it, stop lying and telling people you and Natalya are dating.”
He turns his attention to Azira, a sly little smirk on his lips, one that makes my stomach churn. “Did Natalya tell you it’s a lie?” He asks, moving his eyes back to me. “You haven’t even told your closest friends the truth?”
Motherfucker.
I swallow hard, realizing he’s talking about the blackmail and our deal. Did he really expect me to tell anyone about it? No matter how close my friends are, I can’t have anyone else find out about my connection to the Morozov Bratva in Moscow.
I trust Adrianna and Azira implicitly, but one slip of the tongue to their families could mean devastation for my brother and the Gurin Bratva. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He tuts, shaking his head. “Natalya and I have an arrangement for the year.” The look in his eyes is one of pure, sadistic delight as he glances at Azira and then Adrianna. “In effect, she’s mine, and that’s all you need to know.”
Azira’s brow furrows as she gives me a quizzical look, but remains silent.
His eyes return to me and he smirks. “Perhaps you should stop lying to the people closest to you, or you might end up with no one.” His arm wraps around my waist and he pulls me closer, leaning into me and pressing a kiss to my cheek. As he moves away, he whispers, “Careful, Natalya. You’re playing with fire.”
The threat in his tone takes my breath away as he turns his back on me, glancing over his shoulder. “See you around, Gurin.” He waves and then strolls down the corridor, leaving me to pick up the pieces with my friends.
“What the fuck was that?” Adrianna asks.
I shut my eyes and press a hand to my forehead as an ache start in the center. “He’s at his usual games again.”
“That doesn’t really answer the question,” Azira presses.
I meet my friend’s suspecting gazes. “I don’t want to talk about it,” I say, hating that Alexander is isolating me from my friends. The risk of the information he holds over me getting into anyone else’s hands is too great, and yet I want to tell them the truth. It kills me not to.
“Fair enough,” Adrianna says, linking arms with me. “Lunch, now,” she says, making me laugh at how impatient she is, but I feel so damn thankful for her.