Chapter 24 - Alexei

I arrive at Giorgio's house after receiving an invitation to the latest alliance party.

I hate these things, and most of them I manage to avoid, but this time I am going for one reason—because I want to see Clara.

I don't care if it's just for a minute, from a distance. If I can just watch her for a little while from across the room…

I just need to see her.

I can't stand this anymore. This massive, empty black hole where my heart used to be filled with her.

Oleg and Anya are standing by the bar when I walk in. I wander over to them.

"Alexei. I wasn't sure if you were going to come tonight."

"I thought I'd better show my face a bit."

"Probably a good idea. How have you been? Still partying up a storm?"

"Whatever, man. Yes. I'm fine."

Oleg shakes his head. I don't feel like being nice. I don't feel like talking at all, actually—not to anyone except her.

Anya hands me a drink which I take with a smile. "Thanks, sis."

"You look like shit."

"Wow. Thanks for that too."

"Pleasure." She grins sarcastically.

I can't keep up this stupid conversation anymore, so I turn my back on them and wander back into the crowd.

I need to find her. She has to be here. It's her uncle's party.

I spot Giorgio talking to a group of our business associates and I make my way to him. I hardly ever speak directly to him. I just don't like the guy. And it's even worse since I learned about how he treated Clara.

And now she's back living with him.

It makes my insides churn.

"Giorgio. Thanks for the invite."

He turns to face me, a diplomatic smile on his lips.

"Alexei, good, good. How are you keeping?"

"I'm good. How are you doing? You must be happy to have your niece back?"

"I'm so grateful the universe bought her back safely to me." He nods with a serious look on his face, his eyes narrowed and his brows knotted.

"How is she doing? Is she here tonight?"

"No. She needs to rest. She's been through a lot."

"Of course, yes. I imagine she does need to rest."

For a moment, we stare awkwardly at each other. Neither of us knows how to talk to the other. We are such different people.

"Alright, well, enjoy the party." I lift my drink and smile.

"You too, Alexei." He nods and moves off to talk to other people.

She's not here.

Well, that's not what he said. He said she's not at the party—it doesn't mean she isn't home at all.

She might be up in her room. I mean, where else would she be resting?

And it just so happens that I know which room is hers.

Determination sets in way before my logical mind has a chance to rationalize whether this is a good or bad decision. I put my drink down as I walk past a table and head straight into the house, up the stairs, walking around as though I belong here, looking as natural as possible.

I turn a corner, knowing that her bedroom is the next door in this passageway. My heart is beating wildly at the thought of seeing her again. It's been far too long.

Except what I walk into is a wall of security guards.

What the fuck?

"What are you doing up here, sir?" One of them steps forward.

"I wanted to say hello to Miss Vitali and see how she was doing."

"Miss Vitali is not to leave the room and will not be seeing visitors this evening. You can make your way back down the stairs, and do not come up here again."

I glare at him. I want to bash his face in. But behind him are three more just like him.

Four guards outside her bedroom door. A bit overkill, don't you think?

"Of course. Well, if you see her, please send her my regards."

I smile, as gentlemanly as I can manage, and then turn to leave.

I know another way in.

Leaving the party, I walk around the back of the house, keeping my eye out for security who might be patrolling the grounds, but it seems they are all inside and around the front. I stare up at Clara's room. I've climbed this bit more than once. I grin, remembering how I used to stalk her.

It feels like forever ago now.

I lift myself up onto her balcony outside her bedroom window.

She is sitting on the bed, reading a book.

I stare in wonder.

My heart going crazy with excitement at the sight of her.

She looks up as though she can feel me watching her through the window.

Her eyes grow wide with shock.

She jumps off the bed and rushes to the window, pushing it open for me.

But what I expect to maybe be a warm welcome does not turn out that way at all.

"What the hell?" she hisses at me.

I step through her bedroom window, forcing her to step back.

"You can't just come barging into my bedroom." She is whispering, but the anger is unmistakable.

"Wow, Clara—no I miss you, how have you been " I hiss sarcastically.

"Why would I care to be nice to you? You don't give a shit about me. What are you doing here, anyway?"

"I came to see you. But clearly, it was a fucking mistake."

"Yes, it was a mistake. What did you expect?"

"I don't know." I throw my hands up in frustration. "I guess…"

I just want to pull her into my arms and hold her close to me.

She is glaring at me, and when I stare back down at her, really looking at her for the first time, I see the dark shadows under her eyes. Her face looks pale. She looks like she's sick.

I reach my hand up and touch her face. She brushes my hand away.

"Don't touch me," she snaps, still speaking softly.

"Are you sick? What's wrong with you? Why do you look so exhausted?" worry starts swimming through me. I want to protect her. I want to take care of her. The idea of her being hurt or in any kind of pain is instantly tearing me apart.

"Just leave it, Alexei. Please."

"I won't," I insist.

She turns her back on me with a sad sigh. She walks back towards her bed.

"Just leave it. You didn't even care enough to say goodbye before sending your brother and sister to take me home, so don't pretend to care now, okay?"

She's crying. I can hear it in her voice even though she isn't looking at me.

"Send my brother and sister—Clara, what do you mean?"

She spins around to glare at me with hurt and anger in her eyes, her fists clenched and her breath tight in her chest. "When you were done with me and you wanted me to leave your home. When you decided you were bored with your little game and you wanted to move on from it. You couldn't even be bothered to kick me out yourself."

"Is that what they told you?"

"They just came to take me home." She sighs, wiping the back of her hand across her cheek.

"Clara, when Oleg and Anya came to talk to me about how it was time for you to go back home, I told them I was never letting you leave. Oleg drugged me. He knocked me out. I was unconscious when they took you. I woke up and you were gone. I thought—I thought you went willingly. My brother and sister thought they were doing the best thing to keep everyone safe. They were trying to protect me and my family because your uncle was making crazy threats against the kidnapper—but I never, ever wanted to let you go. If I had my way, you would still be there with me."

We both stare at each other for the longest time before she whispers, "You didn't want me to leave?"

"Not a chance in hell. I never wanted to let you go."

I step closer to her and she turns her face away from me. "But—you've been out partying every night."

I snort a dark, sinister laugh. "Partying is not what I would call it. I've been a wreck. I've been drowning my sorrows. Trying to, anyway. Trying to numb the pain and forget everything."

"You wanted to forget?" she asks, unsure of what I mean.

How could she ever think I would want to forget her? I just wanted to forget the pain of not having her. I wanted to forget how beautiful life was with her only because I couldn't have it.

I shake my head. "No, you don't understand—"

The bedroom door practically explodes open and guards rush into the room, followed by Giorgio, who looks enraged.

"What the fuck is going on?" he screams, his voice bellowing through the room.

I push Clara behind me, protectively, wanting to keep her safe from his temper.

"Get him away from her. Lock him down. I want him restrained," he barks orders to the guards, and they start moving towards me. "Finally, the truth comes out. You were behind this whole thing?"

As the guards surround me, I stand my ground, getting ready to fight, but the truth is I am outnumbered and don't stand a chance. It takes all four of them to get me down, but they do it.

Restraints are locked over my wrists and I'm pushed into the corner of the room away from Clara.

Clara is crying again, and she looks bewildered, panicked and scared.

"Uncle Giorgio, please let him go—don't do this," she begs.

"Shut up, Clara. Is this the man who took you? Did he…is he responsible?"