“Soon,” I said with a nod as I slowly walked backwards towards the house.
“I’ll only be able to wait so long, Ana,” I held my breath, praying double time that he doesn’t mean… “and then I’ll be right back here to get you. Kicking and screaming, I will take you back to our home.”
I released my breath and nodded, I could work with that. He was trusting me, giving me time to get my shit sorted. As I turned my back, he spoke again.
“And Ana... if you marry that asshole I’ll be back here before the ink dries, to kill him.”
Forgive me, but I’d never been more turned on in my life. At his deadly serious tone and the fiery look in his eyes, I smirked and turned to enter the house. I closed the door behind me and nearly fell against it with weak knees. I barely had three seconds to wipe the dreamy look off my face before Rachel strode out of the kitchen and into the foyer.
Well, this should be fun, I thought as she opened her mouth and proceeded to rapid-fire twenty questions at me.
Well, we found her.
We went to Philadelphia to find Anastasia. It wasn’t a guarantee that we’d be bringing her back home with us. But she was there, we’d found her, but she was there because she wanted to be.
Out of all the scenarios I’d pictured, walking away empty-handed hadn’t even crossed my mind.
I didn’t know what to say so I stayed quiet the entire ride home. My brothers were curious about what happened but thankfully left me alone after I shut them down. I wasn’t much up to talking. Instead, I sat in silence thinking about what Ana had said. Drex had insisted on driving home, I wasn’t sure if that was for my benefit or theirs.
I hadn’t asked them to come. If they didn’t like my driving they were free to stay in Boston.
Her words had cut me deep but they kept running through my head.
The only reason I was able to walk away was because of the look in her eyes. Serious and determined. She was not backing down. So, I put my trust in her and walked away - just as she asked me to. As defeated as I felt, I loved how much that fiery determination she had turned me on.
Wait...
My world spun, my stomach dropping at the thought that she could’ve been in danger. She was all alone, miles away. If anything happened, I wouldn’t be able to get to her quick enough. How would I even know if something happened?
“Stop! Turn the car around,” I demand hurriedly.
That saying ‘I trust you, but not them’ finally rang true and clear in my head. Just because she didn’t want me there doesn’t mean she didn’t need me. So, I would stay away but still stay close enough that I could watch over her.
My heart began beating quicker and for the first time all day, I smiled as we drove back to her.
A few days before my welcome home party Rachel dragged me to the high-end boutique in town. Apparently her dressmaker had finished with my dress - one I’d yet to be consulted on - but needed a final fitting.
As soon as we arrived at the store, I knew this party would not be like any I had ever attended. The custom dress boutique was on a whole other level, and it was safe to say I didn’t fit in amongst the beautiful silk and hand-stitched beading. I may have been raised by Anton, who did nothing to hide the fact that he had money, but that had never been me. He had liked the flashy things, the status symbols, I preferred to blend into the background.
It made me think that I’d had two families and I didn’t fit into either one. The only place that I’d felt like I was wanted had been Nikolai’s. It was peaceful there, comfortable.
My heart ached as I thought of it. Soon...
Rachel rushed delicately to a woman arranging a range of puffy dresses on a rack. They kissed and hugged like they were lifelong best friends. It was strange to see my mother's reaction to the woman. Obviously I hadn’t known her very long, but I’d still had time to pick up on a few noticeable idiosyncrasies.
While Rachel hadn’t been cold or standoffish towards me, I had noticed she was towards other women. Even women she had introduced as her friends.
This tall, rail-thin woman clearly meant a lot to Rachel.
With childlike hype, Sara handed me a garment bag and shoved me into the lavish changing room. After about a dozen relented sighs, some pinching and a lot of awkward twisting, I looked into the mirror.
I was stunned. The dress was beautiful. The red satin clung to me in all the right places. With a sweetheart neckline, a jewelled bodice and a fluffed out tulle skirt, it looked like something a princess would wear. I tried to remember if I’d ever worn something this extravagant before.
The party dresses from my former life at Anton’s were always beautiful but there was something different. They somehow seemed informal in comparison, like cocktail dresses.
“How’s it going in there?” Rachel called out. She giggled as she continued her conversation with Sara.
I quickly swiped at a tear that had escaped as I was lost in my own reflection. My mind raced, my heart thundering in my chest. I wondered if this would have been my life if I’d grown up in the Varela household. Beautiful dresses, parties filled with obnoxious people and a mother that only extended care for me when she had something to gain.
It didn’t sound all that different to living with Anton, and he had kidnapped me. Somehow though, it was so much different.
I chose this.
I chose this.
I chose
