Page 4

Chapter

Four

EVIE

I make it inside and slam my door closed. Juno gets up from the couch and shuffles toward me.

“What’s going on? You can’t just come running inside, Evelyn. You’re being too loud.”

I rest my head against the door. I was almost just murdered by a serial killer, then a Russian mobster saved my life, and now he wants to force me into a marriage with him for my own protection.

I swear, I just wanted to have some fun tonight. Why did I not just stay in and keep myself surrounded by my books like always?

“Evelyn!” Juno barks. “Talk to me. Don’t ignore me.”

A knock on the door makes me gasp and back away.

“Evie,” a voice says through the door. Of course, it’s Dimitri. Why does he even want me? We’re strangers to each other. He didn’t even seem that interested in me when we spoke at the club.

“Evelyn, who’s that?” Juno turns to me, and her eyes widen when she takes in my dress. “Oh my goodness. You’re practically naked. What did you do tonight? Your father would be ashamed to see you this way. ”

She’s right. He would be disappointed in me. I never should’ve left.

“Evie,” Dimitri says again. “Open up. Let’s talk about this.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

“Evie. Come on.”

Juno looks at me then the door, and then she clucks her tongue and rips the door open.

“No, wait!”

Juno ignores me. She looks completely surprised to see Dimitri standing on our front porch in his expensive suit with his handsome face. “Who are you?”

Dimitri’s eyes narrow. “Who are you?”

“I’m Evelyn’s mother.”

“Stepmother,” I mumble.

“I need to speak with Evie.”

Juno plants herself between Dimitri and me. “Whatever you have to say, you can say in front of me.” For a moment, I think Juno is actually trying to protect me. When has she ever done that? But then it dawns on me—she’s always been a busybody. She wants to know what’s going on for that reason only.

Dimitri looks right past her to me. “I know I freaked you out. I know this is a lot. But trust me, Evie, Dima will be back for you. I need to protect you.”

“So, protect me, then! You don’t need to force me into a marriage to do that.”

“What?” Juno exclaims. “Marriage?”

“But I do,” Dimitri continues. “In my world, a woman is free game unless she’s married.”

“You can’t be serious.” I hold my hand to my chest. I don’t think I can breathe.

“I am. Is it sexist? Yes. Can I change it? No. It’s the way of it.”

“Then why aren’t you married already?”

He’s silent for a moment before looking right at me, locking me in place with his gorgeous eyes. “Because I haven’t found anyone I wanted to protect so much. Frankly, I never wanted to be married. Still don’t. I was honest with you; I don’t want to marry Tatiana. I need to marry someone else to get out of that situation, and you need protection from Dima. A marriage to me will keep him away.”

“I’ll just go to the police. I know where he lives. I saw his face. I know his name. I can tell the police this.”

Dimitri sighs deeply. “I can’t let you do that.”

I such in a breath. “Why not?’

“Because he’s a Bratva man. If he gets on the police radar, that can put a lot of us in danger. Myself included. And I won’t allow that.”

“You won’t allow that?”

“I won’t.”

I slump against the wall, trying to keep my breathing even. “I can’t marry you.”

Juno’s eyes light up. “If this is about marriage, then I have to say, I’m available.” She runs her fingers down Dimitri’s arm. “I’m young. Experienced.”

Dimitri stares at her with curiosity. “Normally, I’d be all for a stepmom and her daughter. But right now, I have to decline.”

Juno huffs. “You’re missing out.”

“Maybe, but it’s not you I’m interested in. It’s Evie.”

“What does Evelyn have that I don’t? Evelyn is nothing special. I mean, look at her! She’s so … plain.”

I flinch but don’t object. By now, I’m used to Juno’s biting remarks. I’ve listened to them for the past few years.

Dimitri frowns as he steps closer to Juno. “Is this how you speak about your own stepdaughter?”

It’s clear from Juno’s expression that she’s realized she’s made a mistake. “Um … no! I mean, Evelyn is clearly beautiful. Obviously.”

“Obviously,” he responds flatly before turning his gaze onto me. “Evie is the furthest from plain I’ve ever seen.”

“Why do I feel like you’ve used that line before,” I manage to say.

He smirks, and I hate to admit it—it makes him look more handsome. “I’m a charmer, what can I say?”

“If you love women so much, Dimitri, then marry one of them instead. I mean, you were literally hosting a ball to find a wife earlier. Go back to them. ”

“But it’s you I want.”

I gasp. “Why me?”

“Honestly? I have no fucking clue why I’m drawn to you. The only reason I saved you tonight was because you’re Katya’s friend. But I saw you on that table, and I knew I had to make you mine. And that’s what I’m going to do. This would all be easier if you just agreed to it. I don’t want to have to kidnap you. I don’t think that would start this relationship off very well.”

He’s not wrong. I could agree to it for some crazy reason. He does have a good point that Dima is still out there. If Dimitri won’t go to the police or let me go, then maybe I can convince Dimitri to take action against Dima himself.

But then I’d have to be married to him, and how can I marry a stranger? Albeit, a very handsome, charming stranger.

He is Katya’s brother. If there’s anyone I need to speak to, it’s her.

“Take me to Katya,” I say.

“Why? My sister isn’t a part of this.”

“Just take me to her. Please.”

Dimitri’s eyes soften, and he nods. “Fine. Let’s go.”

“Wait,” Juno says, grabbing his arm. “I can’t just let you come in here and take my stepdaughter away.”

He scoffs. “As if you care. You literally just tried to get me to marry you. Now, I’m all for bad girls, but I’m not interested.” He holds his hand out to me. “Evie?”

I walk past Juno and Dimitri, not taking his hand. If I’m going to make a decision, I’m doing it on my own terms.

Juno looks at me like I’m crazy as I get back into Dimitri’s car. For once, I wish she would be a good stepmom and actually try to help me out. But that’s asking too much of her.

Our eyes remain locked as Dimitri begins to drive the car away. It’s only when we turn a corner that I lose sight of her.

“Here we are,” Dimitri says, pulling into the driveway of a huge mansion. I didn’t even know New York had these kinds of home in the middle of the city, but here we are.

I’m silent as Dimitri walks me inside the house. I still don’t know how to feel or what to do. Everything is happening so fast.

My dress is still cut apart, and I have to fold my arms across my body to keep it closed. I didn’t think to grab a dress back at Juno’s. Dimitri, to his credit, doesn’t eye me over. I would’ve expected that with a man like him, but I appreciate his respect. I didn’t know he had any.

We walk into the living room and find Katya chilling on the couch, scrolling on her phone. Her eyes widen when she sees us.

“Oh my god! Evie!” She rushes right over to me and hugs me tight. “Dimitri saved you. I’ve been scouring the internet for news about you. Thank god, you’re alive.”

I hug her back tightly. It’s nice to have my best friend again. “I saw him hurt you. I’m just glad you’re ok, too.”

We pull apart.

Katya gently taps my arm. “You know me. Nobody can keep me down.”

“Don’t I know it,” Dimitri grumbles.

She takes in my state of undress. “Oh my god. What happened?”

“I just need new clothes.”

“Of course. Let’s go talk in my room.”

“No,” Dimitri says. “We’re going to talk. All three of us.”

Katya gives him a look like he’s delusional. “I’m getting my best friend a new dress. You’re not coming.” She hurries me into her bedroom. It’s bigger and grander than I ever could have imagined. In all the years I’ve known Katya, I’ve always wondered what her house looked like. I knew she came from money, unlike me. My dad wasn’t poor, but he was by no means wealthy either. This mansion and this bedroom are so different from the life I’ve lived.

But because it’s Katya, I feel right at home.

She grabs me a pair of loungewear pants and a soft crop-top. “Here. These will fit. ”

I’m a lot shorter than her, so the pants flare out on the ground, but it’s nice to be clothed again.

“So, explain,” she says, sitting down on her bed.

“There’s so much to say,” I whisper as I slump next to her, feeling tears hit my eyes. “I almost died, Katya.”

“That man?”

“Yes. Dima. He’s a serial killer. He had me on his table. I think it’s where he’s killed the other women I’ve seen on the news.”

She covers her mouth with her hand. “God. Evie, are you ok?”

“No. I mean, yes. I don’t know. Dimitri saved my life. I’m so grateful for that. But …”

“But?”

What I’m about to say will change everything between us.

“Evie, talk to me.”

I sigh and rest my head on her shoulder so I don’t have to look her in the eye. “Dimitri said he wants to protect me from Dima … by marrying me.”

“What!?” She stands up so fast that I fall to the bed. “He wants to marry you?”

“Yes,” I respond, pushing myself back up. “I know. It’s crazy.”

Katya is already out the door before I’m finished speaking. I quickly follow her. Dimitri is lounging against a wall in the living room, looking way too nonchalant.

“You,” Katya barks.

He looks up from his phone. “Yes?”

She rips it from his hands and throws it to the ground, making it break.

“Jeez, Katya,” Dimitri mutters. “Now, I need to get a new phone.”

“You can’t marry Evie! She’s my friend.”

“So?”

“So? That’s weird!”

“Weirder things have happened before. Besides, did you consider the fact that Evie would live here? Hell, it would probably just bring you two closer as friends.”

Katya hesitates. I see it the moment it happens. No. She can’t actually be considering this. I need Katya on my side, opposed to this crazy idea of marriage.

“Katya,” I say.

She shakes herself. “Dimitri, it’s still weird. You can’t make Evie marry you.”

“You know who I am.”

“I do,” she mutters, crossing her arms.

“You know I get what I want in life.”

“Ugh. I do.”

“And right now, what I want is Evie.”

“But what happens when you get bored of her? When you find a new women to spend your days with? You can’t do that to her. Not to Evie.”

The two siblings look at each other for a long moment, silently communicating.

Dimitri finally speaks. “I wouldn’t do that to her. I know the consequences of a marriage.”

“Do you? Because you fucked Tatiana without worrying about the consequences, and now, Abram has declared war on us!”

“But I was never married to Tatiana. I’ll take a marriage seriously.”

“Will you?”

He sighs. “Yes. I’m not a total colossal asshole.”

“You sure about that?” she asks.

The two of them share a small smile. Oh, no. I feel like I’m losing this battle.

“Can we talk about this?” I ask.

Before either can respond, the doorbell rings. Dimitri answers it, and there’s Juno. The sight of her shocks me to the core.

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

“I couldn’t just let some big scary man steal you away.”

“Like you care,” Katya snaps.

Juno glares at her. They’ve never gotten along. All the times Katya came over to my house, she and Juno would always get into a battle of wills.

“You need to leave,” Dimitri tells her .

“That’s my daughter! I have a right to be here.”

“Stepdaughter,” Katya and I say at the same time.

Juno rolls her eyes. “Yes, well, doesn’t defeat the point that I’m still responsible for Evie.”

Dimitri turns to me. “Do you want her here?” It’s kind that Dimitri asks me that, but… he’s also trying to force me into marrying him. He’s not a truly kind man.

“I—” I start to say …

… right as Abram appears behind Juno.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Dimitri asks.

Abram doesn’t respond as he lifts a gun.

Juno squeaks when she sees it and dives into the house. Everything else goes silent and still.

Until Abram decides to pull the trigger.

It hits the door right as Dimitri slams it shut. “All right. Wasn’t expecting that.”

“You weren’t expecting Abram to attack?” Katya screeches. “How dense can you be?”

“Fine. I figured he’d do something, but I didn’t think he’d come here to do it. To my fucking home. That bastard.”

“What do we do?” I ask. Juno clings to me, and I let her even though her touch feels stifling.

“We get away from the door and windows.” He motions us into the living room. “Hunker down next to the couch. It’ll act as a barrier. I’ll go deal with him.”

I feel the strange urge to tell Dimitri to be careful, but I don’t care for him, I remind myself. He’s trying to force me into a marriage. I can’t care for him.

Even though he did save my life. Even though he’s charming and so handsome that it’s hard to almost look at him.

Another gunshot echoes through the air. The wood of the front door splatters, but it holds strong.

Juno leans into me. “Are we going to die? That lunatic could have shot me! Why is he shooting at us! ”

“Because he’s deranged,” Katya explains. “Now, be quiet and let my brother save us. If we just stay here, we’ll be all right.”

“But, but—” Juno panics.

“Be quiet!” Katya snaps again. Fortunately, Juno falls silent. I give Katya a grateful smile—well, as best as I can when we’re in danger.

DIMITRI

“What the fuck are you doing, Abram?” I shout through the front door.

“I told you there would be consequences. This is me going to war.” He fires off another gunshot. I can hear it hit the door, but it doesn’t go through. I have this house reinforced with the strongest materials to prevent shit like this from happening.

I knew Abram would do something, but coming to my house is a low blow. Katya could have been shot. Evie could have been shot. Even though I just met her, I feel a strong sense of protectiveness for her. No one has ever made me feel that before. I’m not normally a man who believes in signs, but that’s a sign, for sure.

Abram falls silent.

I look through the peephole to see what he’s doing and watch as he heads back to his car and retrieves a large ass machine gun. Shit, shit, shit. I may have a strong front door, but even it can’t sustain a gun like that.

I run away from the door right as he starts firing. Bullets spray right through the wood and land on the wall opposite. I dive to the ground and take cover, but I’m out in the open. I scurry on my stomach to the living room.

“What the hell was that?” Katya asks.

“So, he has a machine gun now.”

“What!?”

“Shh,” I tell her. “We need to leave. Now.”

“You don’t have a machine gun?” Evie asks.

“It’s cute that you’d ask that, but no. Now, come on.” I stand up and offer Evie my hand. This time, she decides to take it.

“What about me?” Juno complains, but I ignore her. With a sigh, Katya grabs Juno’s arms, lifting her up. The four of us run in the direction of the back door, but we still have to pass through the kitchen to get to it.

The problem, I can hear the front door open and Abram’s boots on the hardwood.

“You’re going to pay for not marrying my Tatiana,” Abram shouts.

“This way,” I whisper, motioning the women into the kitchen. The back door is right there.

But then Abram enters the kitchen, blocking our bath. I get the women behind the large island counter and pull out my gun. I fire a shot at Abram before he can get me.

He grunts when the bullet grazes him, but no hit. Fuck.

I duck behind the counter with the girls.

“You’re not going to win, Dimitri,” Abram growls. Then he begins to fire. The bullets hit the island counter, but the wood is too thick for the bullets to penetrate and reach us. He stops shooting.

And that’s my cue.

I duck out from behind the counter and fire at him again. This time, I land a bullet to his arm, knocking the machine gun out of his hand. It clatters to the floor.

I rush Abram and barrel into him, knocking us both to the ground. The machine gun flies across the room as I kick it away.

Abram is no match for me, and I press my own gun against his head. He immediately stops squirming.

“I could so easily kill you right now,” I tell him.

“Then why don’t you?”

“Because then that would make a mess of things. You have a lot of followers, Abram. They would miss you if you were dead. They’d probably come for me. I’m not going to risk my safety and that of my sister’s for you. So, I say we make a deal. I don’t have to marry Tatiana, and you leave me the fuck alone, and I won’t kill you right this very second.”

“A deal made under duress isn’t a real deal.”

“So? I have a gun to your fucking head, Abram. Take the fucking deal. ”

He glares at me, and for a moment, I think he’s going to spit in my face and tell me to go to hell, but then he slumps to the ground. “Fine. I’ll take the deal.”

“Good.” I stand, pulling him up with me. “Now, get the fuck out of my house.”

I march Abram out with my gun. You can never be too careful, you know? He glares at me again as he stands on the front porch before walking away.

I know he’ll be back. That deal was bullshit. He’s going to try something again, but I need to be ready. I need to make sure he doesn’t rally his men.

Which means I need to marry Evie and put this whole Tatiana/marriage problem to a rest.

I head back into the kitchen. “Are you all right?” I look right at Evie as I ask, but it’s Juno who replies.

“I’m alive. That’s what counts. You stopped that man.” She flutters her eyelashes up at me. “You were so strong and brave.”

Katya rolls her eyes as she stands up. “We’re fine. I didn’t get shot.”

“Neither did I,” Evie says, not meeting my gaze.

“Good. Now that Abram is dealt with, we can get back to discussing our marriage.”

Evie puts her hands on her hips. “There is no marriage for us, Dimitri. I think you’re rude and inappropriate.”

“I saved your life.”

“Yes, and I’m grateful for that. I truly am. But that doesn’t mean I like you. I can’t marry you. I’ll take my own chances with Dima.”

“No,” I say. “I won’t allow it.”

“Here we go,” Katya mutters. “Controlling asshole behavior on the count of three, two, one …”

“You’re staying here,” I tell Evie, ignoring my sister.

“You can’t make me.”

“I can.” I grab her around the waist and throw her over my shoulder. Evie gasps and starts hitting my back, but it barely hurts. “You really need to work on your strength. ”

“I’m a librarian! I read all day!”

“Well, maybe if you didn’t, you could overpower me.” I walk her to one of the guestrooms and set her down.

“Don’t do this, Dimitri,” Katya says, following behind. “You’re not going to lock my best friend up.”

I shut the door on Evie and lock it. “I just did.”

Evie bangs on the door, shouting at me to let her go.

“Let her out,” Katya demands.

“No. This is for her own protection. And besides, I need a wife. Evie will do. I like her. She’s fun.”

“You’re kidnapping my best friend! I won’t allow it!” She tries unlocking the door, but I pick Katya up and deposit her in her own bedroom. I then proceed to lock the door on her, too.

“Dimitri!” she screeches. “You can’t do this!”

“You know, you keep telling me what I can and cannot do, but you don’t have the power here, Katya. I’m in charge. Now, stop screaming. You’re going to give me a fucking headache.”

That just makes her scream more.

I head to Evie’s door and pause. “I’m sorry,” I tell her. “I didn’t want to do it this way. Honestly, I didn’t even plan for this. But I won’t let you get killed by Dima, and if this is the only way to keep you here, then that’s what I’m going to do.”

“You’re no better than him,” she says.

“Oh, I doubt that. I’m much more handsome.” Then I walk away, knowing I got the last word in.

Juno is standing by the front door, taking in the carnage Abram left behind.

“You,” I bark, making her jump. “Out of my house. Now.”

“You just kidnapped my daughter. I can’t stand for that.”

“Like you care what happens to her. Go back home.”

“I’ll tell the police.”

I cross my arms, staring her down. She’s a speck of a woman. Not worth my time. “And tell them what? You’re not going to win here, Juno. I’m Dimitri Ivanov. You can’t beat me.” I open the ruined door. “So, leave. ”

She grumbles under her breath, but she does go.

Good fucking riddance.

I slump against the bullet-ridden door and think about my day. I started it off with a ball to meet a wife. There was Irina, who was fucking hot, but for some reason, it’s Evie I want. While attractive, Evie is a bit more “good girl” than I tend to go for. She does have a hot librarian thing going on, which makes my cock stir. But I don’t normally get involved with good girls. Too much baggage.

But Evie makes me feel protective and possessive. I will keep her safe from Dima, and I will make her my bride. Hopefully, it’ll get Abram off my fucking back, and I can find peace again. I just want to have fun and party. Evie can join me in it.

I can hear both Katya and Evie shouting for me to let them go. I fucked up again. I know it, but I can’t seem to stop.

For right now, though, I need to make plans in case Abram decides to try something again. I need to go meet with my business partner, Nikolai Petrov.

So, I leave the girls to scream at me, knowing I won’t be here to listen to it.

I let out a whistle.