Page 14 of Dark Desires (Chicago Bratva #1)

ISABELLA

“ Y ou’re acting like she’s been gone for a year.” Mario’s leaning casually against the kitchen counter as he speaks.

The mansion feels way too quiet without Stephania. It always does. Even when we’re fighting, there’s something about her presence that keeps the place from feeling like a glorified museum.

I’m thrilled she’s coming home today, and I’ve already told Mario about it five times since breakfast.

Mario’s scrolling through his phone, probably checking security updates, because the guy never truly relaxes.

“She’s been gone for almost a week.” I pop a grape into my mouth. “Might as well be a year.”

He laughs. “You Mancinis and your dramatics.”

“Hey, don’t lump me in with Dad’s dramatics—or Steph’s seriousness. I’m the fun, laid-back one, remember?”

“Sure, you are.”

I throw a grape at him, which he dodges effortlessly. He’s been with our family for so long that I’m not sure if he was born with those reflexes or if they’re a side effect of his job. Either way, I’m glad he’s here.

“Admit it,” I say, leaning on the counter. “You’ve missed her, too.”

“Yeah, I have. Things are quieter without her.”

“A little too quiet. I mean, who am I supposed to gossip about you behind your back with if she’s not here?” I wink after I speak, letting him know I’m only messing around.

Mario snorts, but before he can say anything else, his phone buzzes. He checks it, his expression shifting to something more focused.

“They’re almost here. Let’s go out to greet them.”

“I’ll join you,” I say, straightening up. “Just give me a sec.”

He nods and heads toward the front door. Once he’s gone, I pull my phone out of my pocket and check it—again. Nothing. No missed calls. No texts. Not even a dumb reaction emoji. Alexei has gone completely silent on me since yesterday, and it’s driving me insane.

I tell myself it’s fine. If he’s going to keep me in the dark, then I’ll figure things out myself. I’ve always been good at handling my own messes, and this one’s no different.

I shove the phone back into my pocket and head outside.

Dad’s sleek luxury car glides up the driveway, and my heart races with excitement. My father steps out first, as polished as ever, his eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses. He moves to the passenger side and opens the door.

Stephania steps out, and just like that, everything else fades.

“Steph!” I scream, bolting toward her. She barely has time to brace herself before I slam into her, wrapping her in a tight hug.

“Isa!” she laughs, hugging me back just as fiercely. “God, I missed you.”

“You better have,” I say, pulling back to look at her. “You’re not allowed to leave me like that again. Understand?”

She smiles, but there’s a tiredness in her eyes that wasn’t there before. I want to say something, but Dad’s already coming around to join us.

“All right, Isa,” he says. “Let her breathe, huh? She’s been through enough.”

I roll my eyes with a smile but step back. “Fine. But only because you said please.”

“I didn’t.” There’s a hint of a smile as he places a hand on Stephania’s shoulder. “Come on, girls. Let’s get inside.”

Stephania and I are sitting at the kitchen island, munching on some pastries Maria, our cook, left out for us. She’s talking about how nice it is to be home finally, and I’m soaking up the sound of her voice.

“So,” she says, brushing crumbs off her fingers, “there’s something I need to tell you.”

“Uh-oh.” I raise an eyebrow. “Is this a good ‘something’ or a bad ‘something’?”

Her expression turns serious. “Depends on how you look at it. The wedding date’s been set.”

My stomach drops. “What?”

“Two months from today. Your dad and Lev finalized it while I was in the hospital.”

There’s an unmistakable hint of resignation to her voice, one that makes it clear she’d been hoping things might go differently.

And part of me feels the same way.

I nod slowly, forcing myself to keep a neutral expression on my face even as my thoughts spiral. Two months. That’s all the time left before Alexei marries my cousin.

He’s not changing his plans. My chest tightens, and I can feel my stomach churn.

“Isa?” Stephania’s voice cuts through my haze. “You OK? You look… I don’t know, weird.”

“I’m fine,” I lie, grabbing another pastry and taking a bite to give myself something to do. “I’m just glad you’re home.”

Stephania leans back in her chair and yawns. “I can’t believe I’m so tired after all the lying around I’ve done all week. I need a nap.”

“Are you kidding?” I say, reaching over to squeeze her hand. “You’ve been through hell. You deserve all the naps.”

She chuckles softly and stands up with care, like she’s t trying not to push herself too hard. I get up, too, pulling her into another hug.

“I’m so happy you’re back, Steph. Don’t you dare scare me like that again.”

With a final squeeze of my hand, she heads upstairs, leaving me alone in the kitchen. I plop back down on my stool and finish off my pastry as I stare at nothing in particular.

The quiet feels heavier now.

I need to do something. To get outside and think.

I wash my hands and head out to the garden, taking a deep breath of fresh air and trying to figure out my next move.

I stand there, hands on my hips, staring at the grounds surrounding me. The walls feel like they’re closing in, and I need out. Just for a bit.

Luckily, if there’s one thing I’m skilled at, it’s finding new ways to sneak out of the mansion. I glance above me, spotting my way out on the second floor and heading back inside.

A few minutes later, I’m pushing open the window in one of the rarely used guest bedrooms, the crisp city air rushing in. The ground below doesn’t look too far away. Easy enough, I tell myself.

This little path under this particular guest room window is in a blind spot for the security cameras. If I drop down and go dead straight, no one will see me leave.I’ve done it so many times before, I could even do it blindfolded.

Time to do it.

I swing one leg over, then the other, gripping the window frame for balance.There’s a generous ledge for me to work with, though.

“Here we go, Spider-Girl,” I say to myself. Then I slip out of the window, my feet gleefully scurrying along the ledge. From there, it’s a quick climb down the sturdy trellis.

When I land in the garden—on the other side this time—a burst of adrenaline rushes through me, and I grin. This is what I’ve been craving. A little rebellion. A little freedom.

I hurry through the garden, slipping past the fence and out into the street. The sun feels brighter, the air fresher. I can already feel some of the tension in my chest easing.

But then I hear it.

“Isabella!”

Shit.

Mario’s voice booms from one of the side doors. I glance back to see him standing there, his arms crossed, his expression stern.

“I just needed a quick breath of air!”

He doesn’t take the bait. Instead, he starts striding toward me, his long legs closing the distance faster than I’d like.

“Oh, come on! I can’t be stuck inside all the damn time.”

I break into a run and turn the corner, leaving him far behind.

He picks up the pace, and for a second, I actually consider stopping. But where’s the fun in that? I flag down a nearby cab, the yellow car screeching to a halt in front of me. I fling open the door and dive in.

“Drive!”

The driver hesitates for half a second, then shrugs and pulls away. I glance back to see Mario standing at the curb, his hands on his hips, glaring after me. The sight makes me laugh again, a sound I haven’t heard from myself in what feels like ages.

“Sorry, Mar,” I say to myself, pulling out my phone. I quickly turn off location tracking. No need to make it easy for him—or anyone else—to find me.

The cab weaves through the city streets, and I lean back against the seat, letting the sights and sounds of downtown Chicago wash over me.

For the first time in days, I feel like myself again. I pull out my phone and fire off a quick text to Mario, letting him know that I’ll be back soon. He replies with a thumbs-down and make it quick. Or I tell your dad.

The cab stops at a red light, and I’m about to pull out some cash when the door opens. I look up, startled, as someone slides in beside me.

“Hello, Isa.”

My heart skips a beat.

Alexei’s sitting there like he owns the damn cab, his signature smirk firmly in place.

But how did he know I’d be here?

“What the hell are you doing?” I demand with a glare

“Enjoying the city,” he replies smoothly, slipping a few hundreds into the driver’s hand. “Keep driving.”

The driver looks at me for confirmation, and I groan.

“Fine. Whatever.”

Alexei leans back, his long legs brushing against mine. “So, sneaking out now, are we? Should I be concerned?”

“Be whatever you want to be,” I snap. “What are you even doing here?”

“Right place, right time,” he says casually, though there’s a glint in his eye that tells me he knew exactly where I’d be. “You looked like you could use some company.”

I roll my eyes. “I was fine on my own.”

“Sure you were.” His tone is laced with amusement. “Running from Mario and flagging down cabs like a fugitive? Very fine.”

That confirms the little fact that he’s been watching me.

“Didn’t know being a Bratva boss left time for stalking.”

He chuckles, not bothered in the slightest by my comment.

“You call it stalking, I call it being smart. I know your father’s keeping tabs on you, but I figured that with everything going on, he might be a little distracted.

So, I had a couple of my men posted around your house.

By the way, they were impressed with your climbing skills. They said you made it look effortless.”

“I don’t like that.”

“You can feel whatever way you want about it, Devotchka . But I’m going to keep you safe. If those cartel members got their hands on you…” He trails off, leaving the implication clear.

“Whatever. I’m not a child.”