Chapter 16

Luka

Secrets are a terrible thing. It doesn’t matter if you’re the one carrying it or the one keeping it for someone else. It always comes out in the end and someone will always get hurt. I was carrying one and keeping one at the same time. I was already fucking my boss/best friend's sister. Not to mention, I was the one who popped her cherry.

Yes, Nikolai was going to murder me in cold blood.

Probably torture me first.

And then, feed me to his shark after putting a bullet in my head.

A soft knock brought me out of my thoughts. Cracking the door open, she stood there waiting to be invited in. "Baby girl?" I stepped to the side allowing her inside.

"I couldn't sleep." I know the feeling.

Her eyes wondered down to my chest then lowered her head to the floor. "I-I don't know..." She struggled with her words making me wonder what she was going to say.

"Hey, you okay? Talk to me Anna."

"I don't know...I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come." She reached for the doorknob, but I covered her hand with mine.

"Stay. We can watch a movie like old times, yes?" I led her to the couch and turned on the flat screen and turned it on. Her favorite show was on and her eyes lit up for the first time since she'd been back.

"Come here, baby girl." I inched closer and wrapped my arm around her shoulder. Her eyes started to close as the show was ending and I debated on how to deal with this current situation. I picked her up bridal style and laid her on my bed covering her up. I slid in next to her bringing her closer to my chest.

“I love you, baby girl.” I whispered.

This would be the last night I could hold her all night. Tomorrow, Nikolai was returning and I just had a feeling something bad was going to happen. Secrets would be revealed and I hope to fucking god…that it wasn’t mine.

The next morning, I stirred and came face to face with an angry Vladimir. “ Get the fuck up.”

“Get out, I was ordered by Nikolai to be here to protect her. If I’m not with her, he’s going to know something is off. Then, he’ll start asking questions. Are you ready to tell him the truth? To tell him you’re her father, not to mention Valentina is still alive. And guess what, you knew the whole time.”

“He told you to protect her, not fuck her.” He growled.

“Fuck you, she means everything to me.” I threw the covers off and shoved my shoulder into him.

Good fucker, I hope that hurt like hell.

“Let’s go, fucker.” He threw off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves.

“Knock your shit off.” I said dodging his punch. “I don’t want to hurt you, old man. Besides, you’re gonna wake her up. Not now and not today.”

“That’s what I fucking thought. I hope Nikolai comes back early.” He spat.

“And why would you want that, Vladimir?” Nikolai asked raising an eyebrow.

“B-boss, you’re back. I just needed to talk to you.” He said giving me a glare.

“Fine, but make it quick. I want to spend the day with my sister.” He said looking in between us.

He knew something was up.

God damn you, Vladimir.

***

Vladimir

I had been hiding a big secret from Nikolai for years. The fact that I was Anna's biological father. Nobody but Nikolai's father knew about it and also Valentina too. As soon as he figured out that Anna wasn't his, he threatened me to stay away. That's when I knew I had to get her out of there before he killed her. Valentina was innocent in all this and forced into this world. I owed her that much.

I never meant to fall for Nikolai's mother, but it just happened. Mikhail Vasiliev was a damn bloodthirsty demon when it came to something he wanted to possess. He wanted to own her and break her. The minute I laid eyes on Valentina I knew she didn't belong here. She was too innocent to be here. One night he got angry with her because she didn't obey him was the first night he forced himself on her. That was the night Nikolai was conceived. Nikolai Vasiliev was made in a fit of rage. Just another secret I've been hiding.

Every night I could hear her screams as he forced her to do unbearable things. It started out behind his closed doors and then something changed. He brought it upon himself to make his men watch as he punished her. I fucking hated him for that, but I had no choice to do nothing. I wouldn't risk her death for my own actions. He trusted me and if I was going to get her the hell out I had to be careful.

Over the years, he trusted me more to protect Valentina. Mikhail appointed me as her permanent guard and I saw her for what she was. She was truly a goddess in my eyes even if she had bruises or scars from the demon's thirst. I guess you could say that I can relate to Luka. I had also betrayed my boss and touched something so forbidden.

"Well?" Nikolai crossed his arms over his chest tapping his pen impatiently.

"I-I need to..." I tried to figure out how to tell him.

"Come on out with it. I don't have all day."

"Mikhail isn't Anna's real father," I slumped down in the leather chair. "I am."

Nikolai knitted his eyebrows and lines formed on his forehead. He narrowed his eyes at me burning into my soul. I only told him part of the truth and he's already looking like he's going to murder me.

His lips twitched as he clenched his jaw. His fists balled up and pounded the hard surface knocking Anna's picture off. The picture fell to the floor and glass shattered echoing through the room.

"You mean to fucking tell me all these years and your just now telling me this!"

I adverted my gaze and nodded gulping knowing he was pissed off. I couldn't even look at him for what I was about to tell him. My palms were sweaty as I lifted my head reluctantly looking into his eyes. "Your mother. She's still alive."

I looked down to the floor not wanting to even look at him. I knew exactly where Valentina was because I was the one who got her out the night after he confronted her about Anna not being his. He told her when he got done with business he was going to punish her. I waited until he left and got her out of there. He thought that she attacked me and got away and that's the way it stayed.

"Where is she?" He spat shooting daggers.

"Safe."

"Go get her."

I had no choice to do what he told me. He was the boss and I had to obey his orders. I stepped halfway out the door and I heard him. "You know your such a bastard for talking shit about Luka when you are guilty of the same thing."

I knew he was right about that, but I had my reasons for that. I was Anna's father and I'll be damned if she would fall for someone like Luka. I like Luka don't get me wrong, but she deserved better.

I knocked on my niece's door and she pulled me in for a hug. I looked behind her and Valentina was still as beautiful as the day I first seen her. Her chocolate eyes lit up and ran to me wrapping her arms around me as I spun her around. I missed her so much it fucking hurt.

"Valentina." I kissed her plump pink lips inhaling her perfume.

"Vladimir, I missed you so much. Why are you here?" She narrowed her eyes and pulled me to the sofa by my ear.

"Shit!" She pushed me down and I rubbed my throbbing ear. I looked up to her and pulled her down on my lap. "He knows. Nikolai knows about Anna and that you're alive."

"And?"

"He wants to talk to you." She shook her head furiously and widened her brown eyes. I knew she would panic the minute I revealed why I had come. I grabbed the back of her head and crashed my lips to hers. I missed her taste and touch. "I promise nothing will happen to you. Mikhail isn't there."

We exited the car and stepped into the estate. I lead her by the waist to his office and knocked. I could hear him faintly tell us to come in. I pushed the door open and walked in. He was sitting behind his desk an looked like he just got into a fight. He had a busted lip and his clothes were disheveled.

"Mother." He hissed coldly glaring at me.

"Nikolai, you've grown up so much. I'm sorry, but it's the way it had to be."

"I can look past the fact Vladimir is Anna's real father, but you walked out on her when she was just a child. She needed you and you fucking left her!"

"Please son. If I had stayed, I would have been killed. You have to understand, your father was a monster and I couldn't live with someone like that."

He stood up and stalked towards her wrapping his fingers around her throat. She gasped for air and she coughed. He released her and she fell to the floor whispering. "You're just like him. He ruined you."

I kneeled down and helped her to her feet pulling her to my chest. She looked up to me with tears in her eyes. "Take me to her…to Anna."

I stood at Anna's door and knocked. I learned my lesson just walking in her room last time. I remember when I walked in and seen Anna straddling Luka as his hands gripped her ass. That's a sight I hope to never see again. She opened the door and I looked past her looking for Luka, but he wasn't here. "I'll leave you two alone."

I walked away and made my way to my room. Walking in the bathroom, I stared at my reflection. I closed my eyes and thought back to the first time I touched Valentina. It was right after he had beaten her.

I pulled her inside and lifted her up on the counter. Her face was covered in blood and a bruise on her cheek. I took the rag and turned on the faucet. Turning off the water, I wrung the cloth and pressed it to her face.

"I'm sorry." I whispered as she winced from the pain. I wiped the rest of the blood and she kept her head down like Mikhail trained her to do. I put two fingers under her chin lifting her head up to face me.

"What has he done to you, my love?" I inched my face closer to her and pressed my lips softly on hers and she immediately responded. I knew I was crossing a line kissing her, but I couldn't help it. I had fallen in love with her eyes. She moaned in the kiss and I slipped my tongue in and swirled it around hers. I knew then I had to get her out no matter what. Even if that meant dying for it. She didn't deserve to live in that kind of pain.

A pair of eyes stared at me through the mirror. Nikolai stood there leaning in the doorway. "We need to talk."

I followed him back in my room and sat on the bed. "My mother is going to stay here from now on. I want you on her protection detail. Nothing happens to her." He paused as he stood at the door. "Please take care of her."

I gave him a single nod letting him know I understood. I would do anything to protect Valentina. The fact I had gone behind Mikhail's back and got her out was proof enough for that.