Chapter 16

sixteen

Avery – Three Months Later

I'm sitting in the cafeteria after my last class; its 6 PM, and I'm with Melanie who has become a great friend since my attack. I'm looking at my phone and she frowns at me.

"Still nothing?" I sigh and shake my head. She squeezes my hand in support, then turns back to her friend Lily, who frowns at me. Her clique wasn't very happy about our truce, they were even more pissed when they realized we'd actually become friends, they know I was attacked but some don't care. Lily was one of the ones who said I deserved it and most likely came on to the Professor. I try not to interact with her, especially when someone told other people she actually did sleep with him. I shiver in disgust and go back to my phone. I messaged Sergi to see if I'll see him today, and there was no answer. It's like I'm only his booty call now, and I don't think I can put up with that anymore. I deserve more.

He's been pulling away from me since Phoebe was nearly killed. She's still in a coma and it's looking more and more bleak. Last week, I asked Sergi what her chart said, and he bit my head off.

He screamed at me, "You're not a fucking doctor, so keep your mouth shut and your opinions to yourself. It's not wanted!"

Then he stormed out of my apartment, leaving me feeling crappy and alone. Not once did he apologize for his anger toward me. I haven't stayed at his once since before Phoebe was attacked. He says it's just easier for him to come to mine all the time at the moment, but everyday he's more distant. He'll come round and make me turn my back to him so he can use my body to get his rocks off, never letting me finish. I understand his pain, I really do, but with the way he's going, it's like nothing matters to him anymore. I'm trying to be strong for him, for our relationship, but he's not making it easy. I've been physically sick because of how he's been acting recently; I don't know how much more I can take.

Lily sneers at me, "Aw, your boyfriend finally decided to leave you, good for him."

I give her a cold stare, trying not to cry.

Melanie snaps at her friend, "Shut the fuck up, Lily. They've been together for over seven months, his cousin was nearly murdered and may not make it, so don't comment when you don't know the fucking situation."

Lily pales, then nods her head. She grabs her tray and leaves.

Melanie sighs and says, "I'm sorry." I give her a small smile that she returns.

"Thank you for standing up for me."

She nods, then gets a serious look on her face. She says, "You know what? I understand he's in pain, but you've gone through more pain than anyone I know. Grab your stuff and get to his place, he doesn't get to treat you like a doormat or a booty call when he feels like it. You deserve more."

I nod because—do you know what?—she's right. I don't deserve this treatment.

I grab my stuff, then I lean down and kiss her cheek. She smiles wide, and I leave.

I hear her shout, "Yes girl! Put him in his place, then get some."

I chuckle, and jog out to my dad's SUV, and head to Sergi's, I know he may not be in, but I'll just wait around until he is. He can't keep treating me this way. I was pushed around most of my life, until my parents took me in, and I won't do it again.

Twenty minutes later, I arrive at his building and park out front. I walk into the building, and the concierge smiles and waves at me. I wave back, and go into the elevator and press the penthouse button.

Once I get to his door, I put in the code, and it denies me. I frown and try it again. It denies me a second time, and a realization comes. He really does just see me as a booty call. I no longer have access to his private space. Tears fill my eyes and I drop my head in defeat. I need to get the hell out of here.

I should have known he was too good to be true.

As I turn, the elevator dings and Sergi walks out with Alexandr behind him. His hair is a mess and he's now sporting a beard that I can't even enjoy to look at because he is covered in blood that doesn't appear to be his own, the same as Alexandr. My heart stops and eyes widen at the sight of them, making me gasp out in shock, my whole body frozen.

I hear Alexandr mutter, "Fuck" and he clears his throat. Sergi looks up and scowls when he sees me. There's no love in his eyes, only irritation and disgust, making my heart break with another realization: I've lost him,

"What are you doing here, Avery? I told you I'd come to your place when I want to see you."

My eyes fill with tears again, he didn't call me my nickname in Russian, and he's speaking to me like I'm some sort of hook up.

I rasp, "Who's blood is that, Sergi?" I see Alexandr stiffen at his friend's detachment and then at my question, while Sergi chuckles.

"How thick are you? Months we've been fucking, and not once did you pick up on my day job."

He chuckles darkly while I flinch at his words. He said he loved me, I gave him a part of me that many tried to steal. My tears fall as Alexandr clears his throat.

"Serg," he says, but before he can continue the man who owns my heart speaks up.

"I'm the motherfucking second to a Mafia Don, who also happens to be a Pahkan for the Russian Bratva. All this blood on me, it belongs to men I've just fucking slaughtered for being involved with hurting my cousin." He smirks evilly at me, and I feel like I'm going to throw up again for the third time today. I shake my head, my heart tearing in two. Alexandr squeezes Sergi's shoulder, but he just shrugs him off and states, breaking me completely, "Don't like it, then you know where the door is. You're not the only woman in New York that I can fuck regularly, which seems to be the only good thing about you these days."

My tears fall faster. There's no guilt in his eyes. He means every word. I can't stand here any longer, I've got to leave. I don't recognize him. I rush past him, and he chuckles darkly, grabbing my arm hard, most likely leaving bruises, pulling me close.

I smell the alcohol on his breath when he sneers, "Tell anyone what you saw, and you'll end up like those bastards, and will be joining your adoptive parents."

I shove him hard, and he stumbles.

I snap, "Fuck you." Then I run away from them both. I take the stairs instead of waiting for a elevator, not wanting to wait and be in the same space of the man who's just tore me into pieces. I hear Alexandr shout my name, but I keep going.

Once I'm down a few floors, I take the elevator to the lobby. The concierge looks at me and frowns, but I don't stop. I run to my car with my tears falling faster, and as soon as I have it the car in gear, I speed away, leaving tire marks on the ground.

I drive around for hours, before I finally make it home. My heart is broken.

He's a killer.

I head into my apartment and fall apart. I sob for all the pain and hurt he's put me through. I never knew the Mafia existed. I heard rumors, but always thought it was hearsay, and I didn't think the love of my life would be a part of it. But that's not the thing I'm so focused on, it should be, but it's not. He only sees me as an easy lay, he told me he loved me, I was bound for him, but it turns out he wasn't bound for me like I thought. I sob for hours until my body gives out and I fall asleep clutching to the picture frame of us both. In the picture, he's holding me and my legs are wrapped around his waist, and our foreheads are touching, and we're smiling at each other. A woman walked past and saw our love, so she took the photo, then sent it to me. But it's not love, is it? How can it be when he's been lying to me about who he really is, how can it be when he just threw us away, like I meant nothing.

I wake up to messages from Melanie a few hours later.

Mel: Well how did it go? x

Mel: Okay, you're not responding, which means great sex, get it girl. X

Tears fall from my eyes; it wasn't a dream. I message her back.

Me: I think we broke up. Don't really want to talk about it. I'll see you later x.

I put my phone down and get ready for my shift at Brew Box. Someone asked if we could switch shifts, and since I didn't have classes this morning, I said okay. And as much as I want to hide away and cry, I can't. I made a promise to my parents, and I'm going to keep it. Plus, it's better than drowning in pain all day.

I've been at work for about an hour, when the door opens and the bell rings. I stand up from the small stool behind the counter on a sigh, ready to serve the customer. A man with my eye's stares back at me. Fury and anger take a hold of my veins. How dare he show up here? He looks at me with guilt, but screw him.

I sneer out, "What can I get you?"

He swallows hard and rasps, "A black coffee and a minute with my daughter."

My body vibrates with anger, I turn around and grab a to go cup and fill it with black coffee, then hand it to him and say, "Get out."

He sighs and rubs a hand through his hair. "Avery, please, your moth..."

I don't let him finish, how dare he? I growl, "I don't care about your excuses. I am practically your twin, and you have the nerve to deny your own daughter so she gets dragged into foster care? Get out before I throw you out, you're not welcome here." I look at him with cold eyes and he looks at me sadly.

He murmurs, "I'm not giving up. You are my daughter, I see it now. We will talk." He picks up his cup of coffee and drops a $50 on the counter, and turns to leave.

I reply coldly, "My father died seven years ago. Have a good day, sir."

He tenses and walks out while saying, "Your biological father is still around and will get to know his daughter." I grab his money and take out the change for the coffee he bought, and shove it in the children's hospital fund.

Fuck my life!