46. Daniela

FORTY-SIX

Daniela

T he water doesn't go above my hips and there's no pink bath bomb this time as Val gently wipes across my skin. He keeps kissing my head with every pass of the washcloth. A lump builds in my throat and I try to take it from him. It turns into an angry sob as he lifts his hand away from me, and my voice comes out too harsh.

"You don't need to wash me. I can do it."

I'm not inept, I might not know how to fight back or keep Viktor safe, but I can wash myself.He pauses and tilts my chin up with his knuckles. There's a war in his eyes and emotion in his low whisper,

"I need to do it for me, not because you can't." Blinking the melancholy away, he turns into his usual dickhole self and taps my shoulder. "Now put your arms up, we need to get rid of the stink."

It stops me crying and I weakly splash the water up, being petty. It hits his thigh, but his smile gets wider.

He's gentle and caring. The opposite of who he is naturally and it's fucking with my head. It gets worse when he moves on to wash my hair and parts it down the middle, so none of the shampoo or water touches the dressings on my back. His fingers are gentle massaging my scalp and he doesn't speak as he focuses on each strand. My heart melts when he stretches out his hand creating a barrier on my forehead and washes the suds away.

Lifting me out of the tub once he's happy with my state of cleanliness, he wraps a towel around my front and holds the ends away from my skin. He cups my cheek with his free hand and brushes his nose against mine as his voice cracks halfway through his sentence.

"I thought I fucking lost you both."

I press my lips to his as proof that I'm here, and Viktor's low voice filters through the crack in the door like he knew he needed to do the same.

"Dad?"

Val hesitates, physically torn about who to go to. I press against his chest lightly making the decision for him and point to the clothes he's left out for me.

"I'll get dressed, go."

My legs ache and the bruising is already coming out, but I ignore his fists clenching and pull on the sweats to hide the marks as he leaves the bathroom and softly closes the door. Thankfully my hands aren't broken, and I'll still be able to work. It doesn't stop anger taking over, I wish Carly died. All of this shit is her fault.

She invited Leno into her life and he's a sick cunt.The memory is blurry between the shocks and repeatedly getting hit in the head, but they were all stood there talking about selling a child. Sick cunts, it wasn't enough that they forced Val to pay for his son, but they needed to voice it as though it makes them better people.

Once I'm dressed, I go out and Viktor sits in the middle of the bed with Tali laid flat out on his back at one side and Val tapping away on his phone.

Viktor's eye is scary as fuck, the usual dark blue has clouded over and the slash running from the top of his brow curves to the top of his cheekbone narrowly missing his eye. It's angry and painful but he just sits there flicking through the options he's been given of whatever he wants to watch. It turns into a family affair as Inessa sheepishly comes in, her eyes are red as though she's spent all night crying.

I watch the door waiting for Vlad to follow after her, but no one else comes in. He wouldn't disappear on his family so it's weird as fuck. He's probably out killing people. I go to Viktor's side when he pats the bed. Inessa is cuddled up on his other side and Tali springs up at the same time as Val finishes whatever he was doing.

They have a silent conversation, and he sheepishly walks over to him. Their voices are too low to hear what they're saying but he nods at whatever information has been mentally given to him.

"Give me five, need to change."

I'm clearly the only person missing something as Inessa fills with deadly authority and dares anyone to argue with her.

"He said he will be home."

The brothers share a look that has my heart sinking. They're wrong. Everyone knows Vlad is a nutcase, you can't kill crazy. It's impossible.

Tali kisses all three of our heads but Val doesn't have any humor as he threatens us, "Do not leave this room, Katya and Ana will bring you everything you need." He looks older as he stares at Inessa. "Try it and I'll lock you inside."

Turning without saying anything else, he walks away like a dickhead. I'm sat staring at the door confused as fuck while Inessa silently rages, Viktor is blissfully ignorant in the middle, too young to understand and flicks through the channels putting on his show.

But Inessa mumbles to herself as she sits straight, her shoulder proud, and chin in the air.

"He said he would be home."

Katya pokes her head around the door and gives me a small smile as she discreetly nods her head. Her eyes are red rimmed, and I know she loves Vlad. They all do, I think I even do, he's one of the most difficult people I've ever met, and his personality doesn't make it easy to like him, but he's family. He's like a dad who takes over everything and Ana follows Katya.

She's the only person who isn't emotional and she throws herself on the bed. It makes her bounce, and she tickles Viktor before looking at his injured eye. He allows the examination and tilts his head to give her a better vantage while she narrows her eyes.

"That's cool, you'll look scary, and no one will come near you. "

He smiles widely and Inessa keeps muttering to herself. Katya joins us on the bed as Ana voices my thoughts with utter conviction and contempt.

"He's not dead, he's too annoying."