Page 65 of The Enemy's Defector

And that was why I planned to return to her and grovel, if necessary.

27

KATERINA

At 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. Noone 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.”

“Makingher?” 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.