Dirty Obsessions - The Lion and The Mouse

Valentina glared at me. “What are you doing here?”

“I am here to give you a ride.”

“Who were those Asian men that freed me?”

“Friends.”

Natalya whimpered and tried to climb out of her mother’s arms.

Valentina repositioned her daughter, picked up one of the bottles of juices, and opened it. “When I ask you questions, I want long and well-thought-out answers.”

I kept my hold on the gun hidden in my purse. “Ask Misha, when he has time.”

“Very cute.” She handed the juice to Natalya and then eyed my purse. “What type of gun do you have in there?”

“The kind that shoots bullets.”

“I’ve never known you to be a bitch, Ava.”

“We all have many sides to us, Valentina. This is the first time you’ve needed to see this one.”

“Do you think that being Misha’s girlfriend means that you can talk to me any way you want? If anything, you should be even more scared. If I get pissed, I’ll slap him and you.”

I rolled my eyes.

Natalya sipped on her juice and leaned her head against Valentina’s breast.

Meanwhile, Valentina never moved her gaze from the gun. “Do you plan to shoot my daughter or just me?”

“Neither.”

“Then why hold it?”

“Because I don’t trust you.”

“Why wouldn’t you?”

“You killed my best friend.” My eyes watered. “And I miss O very much. I get why you did it. But there could have been other ways to handle the situation.”

She gritted her teeth. “You get why?”

“I do.”

She frowned. “That’s a very dangerous secret, Ava.”

“Is it?” I shrugged. “Your daughter’s parents are known. O clearly didn’t do it, even though she claimed that she did.”

Valentina blinked. “You don’t think she did it?”

“Put your brother’s sperm inside of you?” I shook my head. “No. I think she told you that to make you mad. O was several levels of crazy, I knew that about her. Again I get why you did it. O would have never left you alone. But. . .”

“What?”

“I just wish. . .” I sighed. “I just wish I could see her again.”

Valentina looked away. “Me too.”

The limo drove off. My phone rang.

I used my other hand to answer. “Yes?”

Yefim spoke. “Where are we taking her?”

I stared at Valentina. “Where do you want to go?”

She sneered. “To Misha.”

“Take us to Misha’s condo.” I hung up and set the phone down.

She continued to sneer at me. “Is that where he is?”

“That’s where you’re going. You both need rest and time to—”

“Don’t tell me what I or my daughter needs!”

Natalya looked up at her mother.

Valentina steadied her voice. “You are not in control.”

“You don’t speak to Misha until I’ve spoken to him.”

“You’re lucky my daughter is here.”

I tightened my grip on the gun. “Maybe you’re lucky too.”

“Be careful, Ava. This isn’t the theater or the stage. You’re in my world now. And here, I’m the prima ballerina.”

I nodded. “I don’t doubt that. But it’s been a long day. I want to make sure Misha is okay and that Leonid is dead. After that, it’s up to him when he’ll go to you and get yelled at.”

“And does Kazimir know? If I were Misha, I would go into hiding.”

“My understanding is that Kazimir doesn’t know.”

Valentina laughed and extended her hand. “Wait until I tell him. Give me that phone.”

I didn’t move. “He’s busy too. The French took his girlfriend in Paris. Misha was there until Leonid showed him that he’d taken you and your daughter. We’ve all been running around today from Paris to St Petersburg, making sure that you all are safe.”

She set her hand down. “They took Emily?”

I nodded.

“And my brother is fighting them in Paris?”

“After Misha kills Leonid, he’s going to supervise the exchange between Kazimir and the French.”

“Exchange?”

“Kazimir has the French’s girlfriend.”

Valentina widened her eyes. “Jean-Pierre?”

“I think that’s his name.”

“The Butcher.” Valentina shook her head. “Dear God. It’s best we let Kazimir focus.”

The limo went silent for a minute.

Then Valentina broke it. “And I loved Paris. Only God knows what it will look like after this.” She studied me. “So, Misha has been helping my brother?”

I nodded. “All of Misha’s resources have either been focused on you or Kazimir.”

She sighed. “When they took me, I thought he wouldn’t free us in time. Misha was in Paris. I didn’t know how he would manage this. He’s already fucked up so much since Uncle Igor passed.”

“He’s working on it.”

Valentina studied me. “You think you’re going to be by his side? Through the blood and violence?”

I swallowed. “I’m going to try.”

“There is no trying, Ava. Either you’re in or you’re out. That is the only option.”

The rest of the ride was quiet. Tension rose in the limo. She continued to watch me. I wasn’t sure if she wanted to kill or fuck me. Knowing Valentina, it would be both.

Of all the women you get pregnant, Misha, why did it have to be Valentina?