Page 30 of The Enemy’s Defector (Ivanov Syndicate #3)

KATERINA

A t first, I tried to avoid having to talk to Nik.

That was how mad I was at him for controlling my life, or rather, for controlling my pregnancy. The masculinity in this world wasn’t anything new to me. I grew up as a Mafia princess. I knew how these things worked. The men ruled. Women were pawns and always secondary to them.

Period.

It was just how it was.

But on this matter, I didn’t want to budge.

If I weren’t so tense about fitting in and being welcomed, I probably would’ve fought smarter. I would’ve held my temper and been patient. To show him a cool and collected argument to “let me have my way” about my pregnancy.

But I wasn’t.

I felt like I was being watched and judged. Like everyone was just waiting for me to fuck up and they could say, aha, I knew she was a spy or bad person, after all .

When I was stuck living with my uncle, I was left alone for the most part.

I was invisible, worthless and forgotten as a thing to possess.

That was how I was able to befriend Lucy at first. No one would’ve cared about my befriending the maid, or Joann, or Malcolm.

That was how insignificant I was under my uncle’s rule.

One day at a time.

One minute at a time.

I got up after another day of not seeing Nik at all and hoped I’d find a better balance in my life.

He was probably still mad at me, but I knew he wasn’t avoiding me for the sake of the fight.

He, along with his brothers, were busy at meetings.

He’d texted me that someone attacked one of their clubs, too.

It was life as usual in this circle of the Mafia.

Regardless of his being away from me more than I wanted, I couldn’t stay cooped in his apartment any longer. I set out to have lunch downstairs, and I was surprised to run into the blonde again.

“There you are.”

I looked behind me, assuming she meant someone else.

“Me?”

She nodded, confident, if with a little attitude, and thrust her hand out to shake mine. “I’m Sloane.”

“Katerina. It’s nice to meet you.” I shook her hand and watched as Lucy entered the room too.

I didn’t realize that I’d tensed at seeing my former maid and someone who’d seemed like a friend at first. From that first day here, though, I picked up on the vibe that she wasn’t feeling so kindly toward me any longer.

“Oh, chill,” Sloane said.

She must have sensed my fingers tightening in reaction to seeing Lucy and bracing for a confrontation. I released her hand and waited to see how this would play out. It sucked feeling like an outsider. I’d never belong here.

“Lucy, lighten up. You’re making Katerina feel unwanted.”

“ Making her?” Lucy scoffed. “No one tells her what to do. She does what she wants.”

Sloane crossed her arms. “Okay, cut the bullshit already, sister.” She grinned quickly at me. “Sister. I swear, I’ll never get used to being able to say that.” Then she gave us both stern looks. “And I’m not gonna have my sisters fighting.”

I held my hands up in a truce. “I’m not fighting anyone.”

“Me neither,” Lucy said, giving me a cool smirk like she’d never trust me again.

“For fuck’s sake,” Sloane muttered dryly, confirming my hunch that she wasn’t born a classy lady.

“Katerina, no one’s going to kick you out of here for bad behavior.

Stop walking on eggshells.” She turned to Lucy.

“Lucy, you’re putting on a shitty mean girl act.

It’s just not who you are.” Clapping once, loudly, she then beckoned at us with gimme hands.

“So let’s get this over with now. There’s way too many cocky men around here for us women not to get along and stand together.

” She snapped her fingers and pointed at me, then Lucy.

“Get whatever grudge you got out of your system so we can move on, huh?”

“I don’t have a grudge,” I replied.

“Nope. Me neither,” Lucy said, hugging herself.

Sloane groaned. “Come on .” Facing Lucy, she narrowed her eyes. “What’s your problem?”

“I don’t have a problem,” she replied with a pout.

“I would say I’m sorry,” I said, meaning it.

“But I think that’s pointless now. You clearly seem happy with Damon and content to live here with him.

If I were to apologize for asking you to take my place in that marriage arrangement, that would be the same as asking you not to be his wife and live here now. ”

Her frown stayed in place. “Just because everything worked out well doesn’t mean you get a free pass for how you manipulated me.”

“I didn’t manipulate anything,” I protested. “I didn’t deceive you.”

“Oh, that’s how you see it?” She shook her head. “You told me I just had to come here and marry one of them in name only. That I wouldn’t have to have sex.”

Sloane cracked up. “Ah, fuck, Lucy. It’s not like you didn’t like it.” She grinned. “Not like you’re not pregnant and happy.”

“I am. Now. But when I came here, I was scared and…” She shook her head. “That’s besides the point now.”

“Exactly,” Sloane said. “It’s all in the past and besides the point now.”

Lucy wasn’t having it. “You lied to me, Katerina. You still lied to me, and it’s the principle of that. You lied that I wouldn’t be expected to sleep with him at first. You lied to me that you’d pay for my mother’s care. You totally reneged?—”

“That’s not true.” I shook my head. “I did make a payment. Then Dmitri, one of my uncle’s favorite guards…

” She grimaced. “Yeah, him. You remember Dmitri. He found out about that payment somehow and stopped it. I had to tread carefully so they wouldn’t stop me from doing anything else or getting out. ”

“Is that the man you killed?” Sloane asked. “The one you killed and pissed off Anton about?”

I nodded, looking back at Lucy. “I killed him when he tried to rape me when I was escaping. Because I was done with them all. I intended to leave and help you, just like I promised.”

She still looked hurt and skeptical, so I let out a deep breath and risked being more open.

I wasn’t reaching her, and I would try again.

“I’m sorry that you feel like you can’t trust me, but I didn’t lie.

When I asked you to take my place, I didn’t think they’d expect you to consummate anything, just that they’d dismiss you and try to figure out why I wasn’t here instead.

I did pay for your mother’s care, but it was out of my control to make it go through.

And I did mean it when I said I’d help you divorce whoever you’d married once I was out of Anton’s control.

But now I see that asking you to pretend to be me turned out to be the best thing in your life. ”

I waited for her to soften up or give me an indication that she wasn’t going to hold a grudge against me forever. A long moment of silence followed, and I hated that this would take longer to resolve.

“See?” Sloane broke the ice. “She’s not some supervillain you gotta hate forever.” She patted my back. “And she’s right. You’re so in love and addicted to Damon that it’s annoying. I never thought I’d say this about Damon, but you guys are so one of those annoying couples.”

Lucy looked away, not replying one way or another for another moment. “It’s just not easy to trust you anymore,” she admitted. “I thought we were becoming friends, and then you duped me and…” She shrugged.

“Oh, my goodness!”

We all three turned toward the foyer, seeing a woman entering with a suitcase.

My jaw dropped, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I wanted to cry happy tears. “Joann!”

Without a thought, I ran to her. I was so stunned to see her here. I was over the moon to finally face someone who was happy to be near me.

She held her arms out and embraced me in a huge hug.

“Oh, my.” She sniffled, falling prey to those same happy tears I couldn’t hold back anymore.

“Katerina! Look at you!” She held me at arm’s length, beaming at me like a mother checking over her child.

In so many ways, she was the only mother I ever had to count on.

Seeing her and feeling this little bit of love were all I needed to feel like there was hope for my heart to heal.

“I couldn’t believe it when he called,” she said, hugging me again and rocking us back and forth. “I was hiding with Malcolm until we had to split.”

I reared back, worried. “Is he okay?”

“Yes, thanks to you. Anton sent soldiers after us at the first safehouse, but we split up and stayed safe at the other ones.”

I exhaled in relief, proud of myself that I hadn’t messed up with them.

But her words sank in quickly, passing the surprise and joy of seeing her.

“Wait. Who called?” I felt stupid to ask.

If she was here and the butler was bringing in her suitcase, obviously, this was arranged by someone who had the authority.

“Nik,” Joann replied with a laugh.

Aha. He knew how much Joann meant to me. He’d met her before, several times.

A little bit of my heart warmed further at his gesture. He had to be making up to me by finding her and bringing her here. And I appreciated it.

“He called and arranged for me to move in.” She smiled wider, holding my arms out and glancing at my stomach. “Not only to be a permanent guest but to help you with the baby! Oh!” Giggling and bouncing with glee, she hugged me again. “A baby!”

I nodded, wiping the moisture from my eyes. “This means a lot, Joann. I’m glad you’ll be here with me for it.”

“I wouldn’t be anywhere else in the world.”

“And hopefully, you know… It’ll go differently from when my mother had me.”

She nodded, graver but still happy. “Of course. Nik explained that you’ll be at the top hospital for your birth. He’s asked me to help make sure you’re comfortable every step of the way.”

Hospital?

I smiled again, wider than before.

He really was trying to make amends. He brought Joann here. He was caving to let me decide the health care details of my pregnancy and my birth.

It was almost enough to make me think he might love me, after all.

“Oh, Lucy,” Joann said, now noticing her behind me. Her smile was there, but questioning. “You look so different! You cut your hair and dyed it. I like it!”

“Hi, Joann,” Lucy replied shyly but sweetly, seeing someone she’d seemed to like and befriend before coming here. “It’s nice to see you again.”

“Well.” Joann was all cheery smiles. She glanced at Sloane, Lucy, then me. “Let me settle in and we can all catch up, girls.”

“Yes, let’s,” Sloane said before introducing herself. “We were just about to get lunch, and I would love it if you could get these two to make up and be friends again.” She shot me, then Lucy, an expectant look.

“This is going to be the best retirement ever,” Joann said with a peaceful sigh as she squeezed my hand.