Sasha & Andriena #1 (Lovers & Sinners) (6 page)

He grimaced. “That’s
the first wise thing you’ve done—keep your distance from me.” He continued to
look at her, making Andriena duck her head. “You’re weak,” he spat, his voice
full of disdain.

She wanted to snap back,
but for once kept her mouth shut, her fear overriding everything.

“I bet you’re
thinking you’re weaker than me because you’re a woman,” he said, reading her
mind. “But you’re wrong. I know women who can take men down in the blink of an
eye. The Black Viper sisterhood wouldn’t run from me like a scared little girl.
Unlike you, they didn’t waste their time fantasizing about white knights
rescuing them. They learned how to defend themselves, becoming their own heroes.”

She remained silent, the
man again reading her mind.

He continued, “If
anything, I wouldn’t be surprised if you thought
I
could’ve been your
white knight before I attacked you. But hear this, Andriena,
no one
will
save you. Not your sister or Jagger, and especially not me. Only
you
can
save yourself. It’s dog eat dog in the Black Russian’s palace. Learn that fast
and you might survive a few more days—unless you touch me again.”

Andriena buried her
face in her knees, the man a living nightmare.

5

SASHA

The door opened to
the cell. Sasha shot out of bed, prepared for a fight, his nerves raw. Andriena’s
crying had kept him awake all night, making him feel guilty for losing his
temper with her. Though, in his defense, she was the most irritating women he’d
ever met. Her naivety was beyond belief, while her incessant talking made him
want to suffocate her, the woman having the worse case of verbal diarrhea he’d
ever come across. And not to forget she was fucking stupid, her brain the size
of a gnat.

Two guards entered
the room with their guns raised. Nikita followed. His long white hair was hanging
loose again, giving him an ethereal look. “If you attack us, Sasha,” he said, “Andriena
will be shot.”

“Shoot her for all I
care,” Sasha replied.

One of the guards aimed
his gun at Andriena. Crying out, she scrambled to her feet, covering her face
with her arms.

“Do you still want her
shot, Sasha?” Nikita asked.

“No,” Sasha exhaled,
meaning what he’d said to her. He didn’t want to see the light go out in her
eyes. Though, only God knew why, because she was fucking annoying.

“Good, because we
have food for you, so don’t cause us any trouble.”

Sasha gaze shot to
the door as two serving staff entered the room, bringing exquisite smells with
them. One was holding a carafe of wine, while the other was carrying a tray
with two plates. His stomach grumbled at the sight of his favorite food:
Beef
Stroganoff
and
syrniki
, the latter ricotta pancakes. He couldn’t
remember the last time he’d eaten properly, if at all.

The servants placed
the food and wine on the table, then scurried out of the room, both of them
appearing afraid of him. Nikita remained where he was, his beautiful face fearless.
“You may share the wine with the woman, but not the food.”

“I haven’t eaten in
days,” Sasha replied. “If I eat all of that, I’ll be sick. She can have what I
don’t want.”

“No. Either you eat
it all or she does, no in between. And if you break the rule, you both won’t be
fed for a week.”

“I’m getting out
today,” Andriena mumbled. “So, it won’t apply to me.”

Nikita turned his
pale gaze on her. “That’s not happening now.”

Andriena went stiff.
“What?”

“Jagger’s refusing to
agree to everything the Black Russian wants, so as a punishment you’re being
held until he capitulates. And if he continues to deny my master, things will
go back to the way they were before Sasha arrived.”

“No! My sister
wouldn’t allow that.”

“Your sister isn’t
the one negotiating, and what the Black Russian wants Jagger to do would fuck
with anyone’s head, so don’t be shocked if he chooses to say no. Regardless, he
has one week to change his mind.”

Nikita moved his
attention back to Sasha. “Enjoy your food, brother.”

Seconds later he was
gone, the other guards following him out of the cell. Andriena burst into tears
as the door closed behind them, the woman crumbling in upon herself.

“Jagger won’t allow
you to be butchered,” Sasha said, taking no satisfaction in being right.

She dropped her hands
and looked up at him, her brilliant blue eyes shining bright with tears. “You
think so?” she asked softly.

He willed himself to
nod. He didn’t feel comfortable with lying, but he couldn’t cope with anymore
of her crying, the woman wearing him down.

She wiped her eyes
and gave him a sweet smile he didn’t deserve, especially after the way he’d
treated her. He didn’t understand how she could so easily forgive him. It was
as though he hadn’t assaulted her. For a moment, he wondered whether she wasn’t
just stupid, but mentally impaired. Or maybe he just hadn’t met anyone who was
as kind as her, because, despite her infuriating personality, she
was
kind,
her offer to pay for his freedom unexpected. His mind went to his baby brother,
who’d also been kind. And like Andriena, Yuri had been weak, often needing
Sasha to protect him from predators. But now Sasha was the predator,
threatening Andriena when he should’ve been helping her.

“Eat,” he said, wanting
to make up for what he’d done. His brother wouldn’t have treated the woman poorly
because of her family, if anything, Yuri probably would’ve forgiven the man
who’d shot him. Sasha glanced up at the ceiling, wondering whether Yuri was watching
over him, because he was definitely in Heaven, his brother now an angel.

Andriena wiped her
eyes. “What did you say?”

He looked back at
her. “You can have my food,” he said, his thoughts about Yuri making it hard to
breathe.

“Why are you giving
me your food?” Andriena asked, looking surprised. “You hate me.”

No, I hate myself.
“I shouldn’t have treated you so cruelly yesterday. I’ve also been
a bastard to you since I regained consciousness. Take this as a peace
offering.”

She remained in her
corner, looking taken aback.

“Aren’t you hungry?”

She nodded.

“Then, why aren’t you
eating?”

“I don’t feel right
taking your food.”

“Then it’ll go to
waste, because I won’t touch it. So, either eat it or go hungry, it’s your
choice.” He lay down on the bed and turned over. His stomach was already
protesting his decision, the rich smell of the Beef Stroganoff causing it to grumble
loudly.

A minute or two later, the sound of soft
footfalls reached his ears. Andriena sat down at the table and started eating
his food. He pressed his ear against the mattress and covered his other one,
wishing he was anywhere but here.

***

“Sasha, Sasha, wake
up.”

He opened his eyes
and looked up at his mother’s panicked face. “You have to leave, your father’s
coming.”

Terror raced through
Sasha, the need to get away all consuming. He scrambled out of bed, spotting
his nanny helping his baby brother pull on a jacket. Yuri’s young face was petrified.
He was nine while Sasha had just turned twelve, the both of them looking like their
mother.

Sasha grabbed his
jacket and went for the large bookshelf in their room, pressing the button for
the escape passageway. The bookshelf split down the middle, parting like
sliding doors. Yuri shot passed him with a torch, disappearing down the thin passageway.
Sasha followed his brother through the opening, stopping at the sound of a
man’s booming voice. It was coming from the corridor, growing louder by the
second. Sasha turned back, waiting for his mother, but instead of following
him, she rushed for his bedroom door with his nanny.

“Go, baby,” she said.
“I’ll meet up with you later.”

Sasha hesitated, not
wanting to leave her behind.

She pressed her back
against the door, screaming, “Go!”

He hit the button,
watching her and his nanny labor to keep the door shut, despite it being locked.
The bookshelf closed just as a loud bang came from his room. Terrified for his
mother, he placed an eye to the spy hole. His mother and nanny staggered back
from the door, which had flung open, revealing a tall man dressed in a long
black cloak. He also had a hood over his head, reminding Sasha of the Grim Reaper,
his face hidden from sight.

Sasha’s father
stepped into the room. “Where are my sons, Marina?” he asked, his voice
sounding disembodied.

Two men followed him
in, wearing identical black cloaks. One removed a gun from his pocket and aimed
it at Sasha’s mother. Sasha clamped a hand over his mouth to stop from shouting
out.

Appearing
unconcerned, his mother stepped closer to Sasha’s father. “You won’t have me
killed, Nikolai. You still love me.” Smiling wickedly at him, she ran her hand
down his body, slipping it between the folds of his cloak.

He grabbed her wrist,
making her cry out. “Your seductions won’t work on me,” he spat, flinging her hand
away from him.

Looking in pain, she
grabbed her wrist and backed up, stumbling as he advanced on her. Sasha’s nanny
pushed in between them, attempting to protect his mother, but got shoved aside.
His father continued to advance on his mother until she was flush up against
the bookshelf. He lowered his head to her, his cape still hiding his face.

“Where. Are. My. Sons?”
he growled, his voice deep and threatening.

“You’re not getting
them, you lunatic.”

“Says the woman who murders
her husbands.”

“It’s called divorce.”

“Divorce is signing a
piece of paper,
not
sticking a
knife in a man’s back or lacing his wine with poison. It’s a good thing I
decided to divorce
you
instead,
cyka
.”

“I wouldn’t have
killed you.”

Sasha’s father cocked
his head to the side. “What makes me so special?”

“You’re an invincible
bastard. And if I did kill you, you’ll climb right back out of Hell and drag me
down with you.”

“How about I send you
there now? Unless you give me my sons.” He removed a knife from his cloak and
placed it to her throat. “So, what will it be, Marina? My sons or your life?”

“It’s too late,’ she
said, her voice breaking. “I couldn’t give them to you even if I wanted to.”

“Why?”

“I sent them to my
brother,” she lied, although Sasha knew she was going to. Yuri was probably
waiting in the car for him, getting ready to leave.

Sasha’s father lowered
the knife, his voice sounding upset, “You choose to send them to that evil
bastard instead of giving them to me?”

“Because he’ll
protect them from you.”

“And who’ll protect
them from him?”

***

Something pressed
against his back. Sasha opened his eyes, realizing he’d fallen asleep. He
glanced over his shoulder, finding Andriena lying behind him. She leaned
forward and kissed him on the cheek.

He shot off the bed
and jumped to his feet. “What the hell are you doing?!”

She patted the mattress.
“Lie back down,” she slurred.

His gaze went to the
carafe, which was empty. “You drank the lot?”

“It tasted so good.”
She patted the mattress again. “Hurry up, I want to hug you, you’re warm.”

“No fucking way,
woman, so get off the damn bed and go back to your corner. You had my food and
wine, you could at least let me sleep.”

She shook her head.
“Nine-hundreds of the law.”

“It’s nine-tenths and,
again, get off the bed.”

“Nope, it’s
mine
now.
I have it, and if you want to use it too, lie next to me.” She held out a hand.
“Come on, I’ll warm you up like I did when you first came.” She laughed,
hiccupping at the end. “Not
came
came, I meant when you got here.” She
hiccupped again. “Though, if you want me to make you come, I will.” She pointed
at his crotch. “You’re hard again. You’re always hard. You must like us
Donatelli devils.”

He covered his crotch.
“I don’t like you, and you’re drunk.”

“
Sì.
I’m very,
very
drunk.” She giggled. “And you do like me,
otherwise you wouldn’t have given me your food.” She held out her hand again.
“So, come here and give me cuddles. Despite you being a grumpy bum, I like your
body. It’s hot.”

“No, and don’t ask
again.” He moved to the closest corner and sat down, angry with her.

She laughed. “You
look cute when you pout. Do you know some of your swelling has gone down?
You’re starting to look very handsome.”

“You’re a terrible
drunk.”

She hiccupped. “And
you’re a bad boy.” She patted the bed. “So, come here or I’ll smack your
culo.
”

He sneered at her.
“Try it,
cyka
, and see whose ass gets smacked.”

She pushed off the
bed and wobbled over to him, making him rise to his feet. “You need to lighten
up, you’re always grouchy,” she said, waving a finger in his face.

“I’m in a fucking
cell. How do you expect me to act?”

She shrugged, then
gave him a big smile.

He grimaced back.

“You would look so
much nicer if you smiled.”

“You would look nicer
if you were on the opposite side of the room, facing the wall.”

“How about
you
face
the wall? You wouldn’t have to look at me, then.” When he didn’t move, she
indicated with her finger for him to turn around. “Go on.”

“No.”

“I won’t bug you
anymore if you do.”

“How about you don’t
bug me anyway?”