40. Andrey

40

ANDREY

Laughter filters in through the open windows. If I turn around, I'll be able to see them all, spread across the lawn, Remi frolicking between the girls while Leonty and Shura pretend they're on duty.

It's been two weekends straight of picnics and movie marathons and dinners. Last Saturday, there was a barbeque. I watched from my office as Shura overcooked the steaks and Leonty mixed way-too-strong drinks for the ladies. Yelena kept Natalia in lemonade since she couldn't partake.

Misha was there, too, though always lingering on the periphery, watchful and quiet. Even Olaf, Leif, and Anatoly made their way out to join at one point or another.

I kept my distance so they could have their fun, but now, I have half a mind to order Shura and Leonty into my office right now to remind them that they're supposed to be overseeing this shit, not participating in it.

I'm still trying to block out the sounds of uproarious laughter when my door opens and Natalia walks in.

I rise to my feet, taken aback to see her here at all. Ever since her little seduction ploy in the pool house, she's seemed as keen as I am to keep a healthy distance between us.

"Hi," she greets awkwardly. "Can I come in?"

"You already did." I pretend to be preoccupied by the expanse of papers demanding my attention "Shouldn't you be out there hosting?"

More laughter rolls in from the lawn and Natalia peers out the window. "Wow, you can really hear everything from in here. Have we been distracting you?"

"I've barely noticed. I stay focused on what's important."

Not you . Not anything beyond my work and making sure my child is safe.

As if she can hear my train of thought, Natalia juts out her hip. "You know, you could join us," she spits in a way that isn't really an invitation at all.

"I'm busy, Natalia."

"Of course you are." She turns to the door again. "I'd hate to keep you from all of your important?—"

"Did you need something?" I ask. "I assume you came here for a reason."

She swallows, her eyes flitting towards the open window yet again. "I'm taking next Friday off work."

"And?" I pick up a file to peruse, though I don't read a word.

"And I thought we could have lunch. Or dinner, I guess. Whatever's more convenient for you." My silence has Natalia rushing to fill in the blanks. "It wouldn't be a date or anything. It's just a meal. I think we should talk."

But she's holding herself so stiffly that I have to assume that accepting her invitation would, in fact, mean something.

Talking is never just talking with Natalia.

"I'll be busy on Friday."

She stares at me. I don't meet her eyes, but I feel her sharp gaze practically sawing into my skull. Finally, she sighs. "Yeah, I figured. Forget it. Bye, Andrey."

With that, she backs out of the office, leaving me wondering what the hell she wanted from me.

I'm still trying to figure it out an hour later when Shura and Leonty walk into my office. "You wanted to see us?" Shura asks.

He has the good sense to look nervous. Leonty is buzzed and too pussy-whipped to gauge that I'm annoyed as hell at both of them.

"Enjoyed your little party, did you?"

Shura clears his throat. "It wasn't a party. Leonty and I were just?—"

"I know exactly what you and Leonty were doing," I snap, forcing him into silence. "How reassuring it is to know that my men aren't afraid of grunt work. I'm sure those bellinis you were guzzling made you so much more effective at your duties."

"Wait—are you pissed at us?" Leonty asks, finally catching on.

Shura squares his jaw. "You tasked us with watching Natalia. That's what we're doing."

"If I remember correctly, you weren't appointed to her security detail."

"No, but I do oversee it. In any case, I had a free evening and, if I remember correctly, I can spend my free time however I choose."

"Fine." I turn on Leonty. "What the fuck is your excuse?"

"Listen, Andrey," he starts, "I don't want you to think I'm slacking. I appreciate that you went to bat for me with Viktor. I'm not about to repay that by dropping the ball."

"Glad to hear it. Let's hear your latest report then," I growl. "Anything happening at her work that I should know about?"

Leonty wipes his palms on the seat of his pants. "Uh, work has been relatively quiet. I don't know. She's just been… yeah, quiet."

"Uncomfortable? Is it Byron?"

"No, Byron is behaving himself."

"Then what is it?" I growl, more than a little aware that I could know exactly what Natalia's day-to-day life is like if I asked her.

"It's just little things I've picked up on." He shrugs. "She eats by herself and she stays at her desk more. People go out of their way to keep their distance from her. But I'm there to make sure she's safe, not to make sure she's popular with her coworkers."

I grit my teeth and turn back to Shura. "Has Natalia mentioned anything to you?"

"Nothing at all," he swears.

I could ask Mila, but she's made it clear she doesn't like reporting on Natalia anymore, especially now that she, Natalia, and Katya are all close. I should be happy that Natalia has more friends in this house, but it would be easier if her friends weren't my former informants.

"Where is Viktor?" I ask, scraping the bottom of the barrel for information I care about.

"He's booked a room at the Red Palace," Shura informs me.

"Fucking typical. Probably whoring his way through half the staff. Alright." I turn back to my work. "If that's all?—"

"Why did you turn down her dinner invitation?" blurts Shura.

Slowly, I raise my eyes, giving him ample opportunity to recant the question. But the silence stretches and deepens, getting darker and thornier with every passing second.

"Because I'm busy," I snarl at last.

Shura meets my gaze. "I happen to know you're not."

"You don't know a fucking thing about my schedule. Some of us don't have time for parties by the pool." I point to the door. "Out. Both of you."

They rise and shuffle out. But I don't miss the glance that Leonty and Shura exchange before they leave the office.

How is it that, in the space of a few short weeks, she has managed to bewitch everyone in this fucking house? And how exactly did I become the odd man out?

That evening, once dusk has fallen and the gardens are finally quiet, I make my way to the pool house.

Thanks to the canine pest, I'm forced to keep my distance, just in case he sniffs me out and alerts Natalia to my presence. It's just as well, really—I have no desire to get too close.

Every time I've made that mistake, I've let my guard drop.

I settle myself by the pool, just under cover of one of the larger trees. Even if she happens to look out, I'll be disguised in shadow. But I know she won't look out. She can play the piano for hours without stopping.

I close my eyes and let the music wash over me. It's the only sliver of peace in my life at the moment—these nights by the pool, listening to her play.

A half hour passes in what feels like seconds when Natalia stops playing to answer her phone. Her voice carries through the open window.

"Aunt Annie! Guess what I was doing when you called?" she laughs, standing to pace across the floor in front of the window. "Nope. Not even close. Getting colder. Okay, I'll tell you… I was playing the piano!"

She smiles, and she's beautiful. Forget the stupid dog; I want a closer look. But before I can stand up, she turns back to the piano. "Okay, hold on. Let me put you on speaker and then you can listen."

She places the phone on the surface of the baby grand and starts a new song. This one is light and happy. It's the most upbeat tune I've ever heard her play, and I've been out here all week listening to her find her way through one song after the next.

"What do you think?" she asks once she's done playing.

"Oh, sweetheart!" Aunt Annie's voice is exactly what I would have expected. Soft, maternal, like a caramel sweet warmed in a pocket. "That was wonderful. You haven't lost your touch. Where did you get a piano?"

"Um, Andrey… He gave me a baby grand."

"I told you I liked him. When do I finally get to meet him?"

I expect Natalia to make excuses. Maybe tell her what an arrogant ass I am. Warn her that she doesn't actually want to meet me at all.

"He's so busy," Natalia says instead. "He works really hard."

"I suppose he must if he can buy you pianos and trained support animals! Then at least tell me when I can see you," Annie continues. "We haven't met since you told me you were pregnant."

"How about next week?" Natalia offers. "I'll check with—I'll check my schedule."

"Wonderful. And the baby? How's my little grandchild doing?"

Natalia gets to her feet and grabs the phone but thankfully, she doesn't take her aunt off the speaker. "Grand daughter, you mean?"

Annie shrieks with delight and the rest of the conversation sort of slides into the background.

I sit there, under the shadows, staring at the silhouette of the beautiful woman carrying my child, wondering how I could possibly have found myself on the outskirts of this pregnancy.

I should have been there for the gender reveal. I meant to call the doctor yesterday after her appointment. But there was a Nikolai sighting in Chinatown. Two of my men were on his tail before he disappeared into thin air. I was busy. Again.

When I tune back into the conversation, Natalia is saying goodnight to her aunt.

"Enjoy your happiness, my beautiful girl," her aunt croons. "You deserve it more than anyone I know."

Is Natalia happy? I want her to be. I hope she is.

But as Natalia puts her phone away and sits back down at the piano, her smile disappears. She drops her head into her hands and cries.

I stand and walk away.