Chapter 17

Seventeen

Elena

Mama grins wide, and I roll my eyes.

I guess we're all going to act like she didn't use a belt to punish me over the years, that she didn't put my sister first, the same sister who's been after my husband since he chose me over her, and I guess my father is going to act like he never sold me.

Perfect.

"Romeo…I saved you a seat," my sister says seductively, and I look her way to see only one empty seat beside her. Shocker.

Her hair is curled, her face is covered in makeup as usual, and her breasts are basically falling out of her black crop top.

How in the hell are we related?

I sigh, my body deflating, expecting him to go that way, but instead, his arm tightens around me, and I look up at him to see his eyes on me.

He tilts his head a little and whispers, "I need you to start trusting me, farfalla …."

I wince, not realizing he saw my reaction, and mumble, "Old habits," making him chuckle.

I shrug because, I'm sorry, I’ve had four years of him choosing her over me. Did he really think the trauma he put me through would just disappear?

Shaking his head, he guides me to the opposite side of the room, and pulls my chair out next to Valerie's. Valerie instantly smiles, and guilt fills me again.

I haven't spoken to her since Maxim went behind my back. I thought I could rely on him, but he's put the family first since he took over.

Romeo sits beside me, placing his arm over my chair in a protective way, making me look at him and see his eyes already on me, a smile gracing his face.

"Oh my, is that Luna's necklace?" Agy gasps in shock, and I look her way to see her eyes on my neck.

Romeo answers for me, "It's a family heirloom. The wife receives it on the first-born male's side of the family once they have been married for four years."

I send him a smile in thanks, which he returns with a wink.

Maxim leans over his wife and rasps, "Hey, dvoyurodnyy brat ," and I look down, my heart hurting.

Along with Holly and Valerie, he was the only person I could trust, and he let me down just like Leonardo did. He knew I needed to have my own life and that I needed time, but he betrayed me.

"Elena, please see it from my point of view, sweetheart. I'm a new Pakhan. I couldn't afford to get on your husband's bad side, and everyone at this table knows that if you had left, he would have started a war to get you back, starting by gunning down my home where my kids sleep, kids that adore you."

I look at him sharply. "Don't you dare bring those angels into this."

He grins. "Got you to speak to me, though, didn't it?"

Romeo snorts from beside me, and I elbow him without thinking, making him grunt softly. Instantly, I inhale, looking his way.

"Oh God, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" I panic, my eyes already watering at the thought of reopening his knife wound.

He smiles, using his other hand, which is not wrapped around my chair, to cup my cheek, gently wiping away the fallen tear.

"I'm okay, farfalla . Don't get upset," he reassures me, but I shake my head, my eyes going to his side, as my father asks, "What's going on? Why would she get upset for elbowing you?"

Maxim speaks up, "He got stabbed during an ambush two weeks ago. My dvoyurodnyy brat was the one who stitched him up."

I don't look to see anyone's reactions. Instead, I move my hand and gently undo his jacket before pushing his white shirt against where the wound is. When the fabric stays white, I sag in relief, placing my forehead against his chin, showing him affection for the first time in front of my family as my eyes close, a few more tears falling.

Damn, my stupid hormones….

"Oh Anastasia, you were right, she really does love him…." Agy whispers.

I ignore her and murmur, "Are you sure you're alright?"

He hums, leaning back a little to press his lips against my forehead, and confirms, "I promise I am, and besides, with the amount of fuck ups I've done over the years, I deserved it."

I shake my head, and instead of sitting back up in my seat, I mauver myself so I'm leaning against my husband, my hand still on his side, my eyes keeping an eye on it while Valerie plays with my hair, murmuring, "It's about time she wore her hair down."

I can hear my father's smile as he speaks up and asks, "How's business, Romeo?"

Mama cuts in, "No work talk today, Mikhail. It's been weeks since we've seen our pregnant daughter. I want some answers."

"What answers, Anastasia?" Romeo asks as his fingers gently run along my arm.

"Like, how far along is she? Do you know what you're having yet? Have you picked out any names? Have you decorated the nursery?"

Rome chuckles. "She's sixteen weeks. No, we don't know what we're having, and no names haven't been picked yet. However, if you ask my brother, he'd say Leonardo, and an interior decorator is due over the weekend." I sit up and look at him wide-eyed, but he shrugs, "Did you think I wouldn't know you were using your wages to buy stuff for the baby?"

I roll my eyes. "They’re my wages; I can spend them how I want."

He smirks, his hand going to my hair. "You can, but you also have a credit card."

I scrunch my nose at him as Valerie chuckles. "Still refusing to spend his money, huh?"

I shrug. "I'm independent."

She laughs as servers come and fill our glasses. I thank my server as my father begins to discuss business with Romeo, much to my mother's dismay, who speaks to Aunt Agy instead.

Maxim and Valerie converse with his brother and sister, while my sister keeps eyeing my husband.

I sigh, my hand going to my glass, playing with the rim like I normally do when I'm uncomfortable and I want to run, when a hand covers mine, making me jump.

I look and see my husband's wedding ring as he grips my hand, moving it off the glass, not once breaking the conversation with my father, making my heart flutter. Gently, he rubs his thumb over my knuckles, sending tingles over me, and I side-eye him.

Maybe my husband knows me well after all….

I allow him to move my hand onto my lap, and I rub my finger over the silver band. I expect him to let go and put his arm back behind my chair but, instead, he leaves his hand in mine, allowing me to play with his ring.

Damn, this man makes my heart pound.

I look down and slowly move his ring in circles, ignoring all the conversations around me. I focus on his ring…then I notice something underneath it on his skin. I side-eye Rome again, seeing his attention still on my father, and slowly move his ring down, only for his finger to blur with tears wanting to fall, the tattoo permanently on his skin just in view.

Elena.

He had my name tattooed on his ring finger, and it's faded a little, which means he's had it for years. If I know Rome, or am beginning to understand him, he's had it as long as he's realized he wants me.

God, all this time, he could have just told me the truth….

Sniffling, I put my head on his shoulder, holding his hand and playing with his ring while ignoring everyone around me.

I feel Rome kiss my head, and I sigh in contentment.

Maybe we will be okay.

Maybe my trust will develop….

Or maybe I’m just a silly, foolish idiot with Stockholm Syndrome.

It doesn't take long for the waiter to get our orders, Rome giving them mine, still allowing me to play with his ring with my head on his shoulder as my eyes now watch my sister.

Something doesn't feel right; she's been too quiet for my liking, only watching Romeo.

I watch with a furrowed brow as she hands her waiter a vial filled with liquid, both their eyes going to Romeo. I quickly look down before feeling them on me, and I wait.

When I look up again, she has a smirk on her face, but this time, her eyes are on my stomach, and the waiter is gone. Instantly, I know what she's planning.

That little….

"Miss, a fresh water for you," the same waiter says a few minutes later while another puts my food down.

I narrow my eyes at him, causing him to flinch and quickly move away, causing my attention to catch a red mark on his neck. The hickey looks new.

My eyes go to my sister. Again, her eyes are on me, but this time on my drink.

Surely, she's not that vile….

"Elena, doch' , you need to eat up, you know it's rude not to try the food at least, and you're eating for two now," Mama says with concern, but I don't look at her, instead I sit up from Romeo's shoulder and keep my eyes on my sister.

"Somehow, Mama, I don't fancy being poisoned," I rasp, and Liliya's eyes widen in shock that I called her out in front of everyone.

Damn, I really had hoped I was being paranoid.

Romeo's and my father's chairs scrape, and they stand along with several other men around us. Aldo is instantly at my side.

I tilt my head. "You're that desperate for a man who chose me over you that not only you'll sneak cameras into our bathroom but screw a waiter to get him to do your bidding for you?" Her face starts to go red with anger, and I slowly stand. "What was the vile you handed him, Liliya? Was it something that would harm just my unborn child or me as well?"

"Marco, go gather all the fucking waiters, Ray, check the fucking cameras to see which waiters served both my wife and her sister!" Romeo snaps.

I'm not proud of it, but a small part of me believes he could be in on it, trying to get me out of the way so he could have her. The rational part of me knows he doesn't want her, and his ring finger is proof of that, but it doesn't stop the guilt building that my mind went that way.

Needing out of here and away from these people, I lean over the table, and I sneer, "Don't worry, big sister, once my baby is born, the contract will be complete, which means I'm free to leave." Romeo growls but I smirk and state, "Unfortunately for you, dear sestra , I think my husband would burn the world to the ground before he lets me leave him, and I’m pretty sure he’d put a bullet in your caked up face before he ever allows you anywhere near him again."

She goes to speak but soon screams when I grab the steak knife before me and stab it between her fingers. I turn to Aldo and request, "Take me home, please?"

He looks at me with such care that it makes my heart hurt, reminding me so much of Andrei, whom I miss so much.

He nods, and I go to walk ahead of him, but Romeo grabs my hand, making me look his way. I don't really make eye contact because of my guilt.

"I'll see you at home, Rome," I murmur and walk away, everyone's eyes on me.

"You've been through a lot, Elena, he's put you through a lot," Aldo whispers as he walks me out the back door toward the car to miss the paparazzi we all know Liliya called.

I nod, not at all surprised that he saw where my thoughts went, and I rasp, "Doesn't stop my guilt, though, Al."

Al opens the car door for me, kissing my forehead before I climb in. Smiling, he leans down, admitting, "Maybe not, but it doesn't make him love you less," before he stands and shuts the door.

Silent sobs rack my body.

Is it too hard just to be happy?