Chapter 22 - Igor

I'm exhausted. I'm not sleeping well without Arina in my arms. Her curves fit me like a puzzle piece. I can't stand to think what must be happening over at the Milov household. So far, we've only managed to discover Arina is staying with Kervyn himself.

I've just sent out another meeting request with Kervyn. I've been sending them every day, three times a day, requesting to meet and talk about the situation, but he knows he holds the power card. He has the ability to ruin my life here in America with a snap of his fingers.

I skip breakfast and go to my office. I've let my beard grow wild from the neatly, closely trimmed beard I had been sporting with Arina. My hair, too, has grown lengthy and wild, and I feel like a homeless person at this point.

Yvonne comes into my office and stands at the door. "Breakfast is ready," she says quietly.

"I'm not really hungry," I say without looking at her.

"How can you get updates about Arina if you're not talking to me," Yvonne says, stepping inside. "And you're not doing Arina any favors by letting yourself go."

"Have Kervyn's people come back with a meeting date?" I ask. "A time? A place?"

"They have," she says quietly, and I perk up.

"When?"

"Tomorrow at noon, at his offices on his estate. No weapons allowed." She comes inside and stands at my desk. "Come have something to eat, and then go to the barber for a haircut and a shave."

I stand up, suddenly energized. This meeting is my chance to get Arina back. "You know, I think I am a little hungry after all. What's for breakfast?"

"Oats," Yvonne says as she leads me out of my office and down the hall. "With sugar and butter."

"My favorite. When did you hear back about the meeting?" I ask. "Did they say anything else?"

Yvonne shakes her head. "It was just a few minutes ago. I came straight to you. They didn't say much, just that Kervyn agrees to see you tomorrow at his estate."

I sigh and rub my out-of-control beard. "Book an appointment with the barber for after breakfast. I'll go there as soon as we're done."

"I already have," Yvonne says as she sits down in her chair at the table. Out of habit, we both glance at where Arina would normally be sitting, and I know Yvonne misses her as much as I do.

Matvey still swears he didn't tip the Milovs off, and I reluctantly believe him. Although he's made himself quite scarce these days, which does make me a little suspicious about what he's up to.

Marie brings our food and sets it out in front of us.

I load my oats with way too much butter and sugar and stir it in, letting the hot oats melt the butter and blend with the sugar. I take a big spoonful and smile as I eat it. "Just like Mama used to make it."

"What are you going to say to Kervyn?" Yvonne asks quietly. "What can you say that will make him hand Arina back to you?"

"I don't know, but I cannot show weakness. That is the last thing I need to do because if he thinks I am weak, he can use her to hurt me."

"You're already hurting," Yvonne points out.

"I just want to know she's all right," I admit quietly. "That she's being treated well. I want her to be able to come home with us."

"Well, you better prepare yourself for some tough negotiations. I hear that Kervyn is a demanding asshole who doesn't take no for an answer." Yvonne blows on her oats before she takes a spoonful.

We finish breakfast, and I go upstairs to get dressed to go to the barbershop. I need to look my best after everything I've been through, so I put on a suit and fix my tie in the mirror.

Alfie is waiting downstairs for me and opens the car door for me. "We're going to the barber."

"Yes, sir," he says before closing the door and climbing into the front with my driver.

I rub the rough hair on my face, and now that I know I'm going for a shave, it's just irritating me more and more.

Once we arrive at the barber, I walk in, and there's a general hush around the place. The owner, Vlad, gestures to a seat. "You look like you woke up in hell."

"I did," I say, sitting at the basin and resting back. A woman washes my hair, and once done, she towel-dries it. Then, I move to sit in front of the mirror.

Vlad comes over and starts clipping my hair: short on the sides and back, and longer on top. I then rest back while he tends to my beard, trimming it into a neat, shorter style.

Once I'm done and feeling fresh, I decide to go to the resort to check on things.

It feels like no matter what I do, time is dragging by as slowly as possible.

I go through the paperwork Arina left me to check, and I take a stroll around to make sure deliveries are happening seamlessly. But nothing can fill the gap her absence has left in my life.

I have a drink in the suite before I head home, restless, and anxious for tomorrow's meeting.

I skip dinner, have a shower, and get into bed. I lie back with my hands behind my head and stare at the ceiling.

I don't know how I'm going to negotiate with Kervyn. I don't know what of mine he'll want in exchange for Arina, but I know I'm going to have to sacrifice a great deal to get her back.

I can't think of anything but Arina.

I turn and pull her pillow to me as I have every night since she's been gone—a week of torture. I hug the pillow tightly, but her smell is slowly fading away. I need to rectify that and bring her home.

I have another night of tossing and turning. I can't get comfortable unless she's in my arms.

In the morning, I shower again and dress, but I can see the bags under my eyes from the lack of sleep. I go downstairs to the dining hall, where Yvonne is pouring me a cup of strong coffee.

"Are you ready for this?" she asks.

"How long do I have?" I ask as I take the cup.

"Two hours. You must convince him to hand her over so you can bring her home." Yvonne sits beside me. I wave Marie off when she brings food and I sit nursing the coffee.

Yvonne eats quietly and only looks up when Matvey comes into the room. He claps a hand on my shoulder and smiles. "Today's the day."

"You didn't tip them off on anything, did you?" I ask casually as I look at him.

"Are you going to hold that against me for the rest of our lives?" he asks. "Because it's getting old real quick. I said I was sorry. I said it was an error in judgment, and I can't undo it, so what do you want me to do?"

Yvonne looks at me with a raised eyebrow, and I let out a sigh. "Nothing. I don't want you to do anything. I just want Arina back where she belongs, with her real family."

Yvonne reaches over and puts her hand over my hand, which is resting on the table. She gives it a squeeze and smiles. "You'll get her back. I know she won't let them keep her without a fight."

That's what I'm worried about. If she found out that they didn't know about her, she might want to stay with them. I finish my cup of coffee and go to my office, restlessly going through papers and pacing in front of my oak desk as I wait for the time to pass.

Finally, I leave to go downstairs and meet Alfie in the car. "Kervyn said no weapons. You guys aren't armed, are you?"

"No, sir, but we will have men outside the estate if anything goes pear-shaped," Alfie says.

I nod and get in the car. I don't even pay attention to the scenery as it flashes by. My thoughts are squarely on Arina.

We pull into a beautiful estate, no bigger or smaller than mine, and stop in front of the house.

Alfie lets me out, and I button my suit jacket.

Danil Milov stands at the door, waiting for me. I walk up the stairs and stop in front of him. There's no gesture to shake hands.

"Sidorov," he says at last. "Pakhan Milov is waiting for you in his office. I am to show you where that is. Your men can stay here."

I look at Alfie and then at Danil. "How do I know I'm safe within these walls?"

"You have Kervyn's word that you will leave here unharmed today," Danil turns and walks inside the house, and I nod to Alfie before I follow.

He takes me straight to Kervyn's office and leaves once I'm inside.

Kervyn is standing by the window overlooking the grounds. I clear my throat to let him know I'm here. "Milov."

"Sidorov, you know I didn't think you'd survive Russia, let alone make it to America." He turns to look at me, and I see his eyes glance at the scar on my face—the scar he gave me. A wave of anger fills me, but I keep my voice calm.

"Where is Arina?" I ask.

"Straight to business then," he says as he walks to his desk and sits behind it. I slowly walk to the armchairs opposite the desk and sink into one.

"I don't have any other reason to engage with you. I just want Arina to come home with me, and we can keep our business separate."

Kervyn pauses as one of his servants brings in a tray with two steaming cups on it, a sugar jar, and a jug of milk.

"Coffee?" he offers, making himself up a cup.

"No, just Arina," I say through gritted teeth.

"You should teach your brother to keep his mouth shut if you don't want people to find out the truth," Kervyn says. "You're lucky I don't have you killed for kidnapping my little sister."

"I'd like to see you try," I growl. "I'm not some young pup you can bully on the way to school anymore. I'll fucking destroy you and your entire fucking family."

Anger flashes in Kervyn's eyes, and he sets his coffee cup down. "I'm not giving you Arina. She deserves to be with her family. If you had told her that we didn't know about her, you wouldn't have easily won her over."

"Why would I tell her that?" I spit out. "You don't deserve her. You don't deserve to know her even if you didn't know anything about her."

Kervyn glowers at me.

I square my shoulders and stand up. "If you don't give me Arina, I will declare war against your family. I will not stop until she is mine again."

The door creaks open, and footsteps walk in. I turn to see Arina walking toward me. My shoulders go slack and relax a little. "Arina."

She purses her lips, frowning, possibly at the last words I said to Kervy. She must have heard. She comes right up to me and slaps me in the face. It stings, but not as much as knowing she's upset with me.

"You knew. You knew my brothers didn't know anything about me and kept it from me." She glares at me. "You knew how much family meant to me and still lied to my face."

"Arina, I was only protecting you…"

"Protecting me from what? You're the one who kidnapped me and forced me to be your wife. Kervyn and my brothers have been nothing but kind to me." She sniffs as tears form in her eyes. "I want nothing to do with you. I am not going with you and never want to see you again."

She turns and storms out, and I feel my heart shatter into a million pieces.

"Arina has spoken. Now you can start a war, Sidorov."

I ignore him as I walk out of the office, to the front door, and to my car. I haven't got it in me to argue with him, not after what I've done to her.