Though he maintained his distance, I knew he kept tabs on me. I could feel it whenever Lucius took a phone call and glanced my way before leaving the room.
It was Sin. Skirting around my periphery, always watching. He’d chased me, caught me, and trapped me in his web. Once I was snared, he ran.
The last time I’d seen him was stuck on repeat in my mind. That night. I shook my head. The last night before he’d left the house for good. I rubbed my upper arms, a chill rushing through me despite the warm breeze.
He was gone, but I haunted his room, sitting on his bed and staring at my paintings. He’d seen every bit of me, all of my weaknesses, my dreams, and my thoughts. Each piece of whatever made up Stella Rousseau was spattered across his walls like blood at a crime scene. I’d seen him too. Knowing there was a splinter of a good man left beneath all his darkness had done me no favors. All was revealed, the masks gone. He still shut me out.
There were no secrets anymore, not from me. I roamed the house as if I belonged in it, as if it were mine. When Lucius was gone on business, which was often, I had the run of the entire estate. A prisoner with the keys to the castle.
The only place I didn’t set foot was the third floor. I’d had enough of its occupant for a lifetime. Sin’s mother’s revelations were freeing, but they were also a cage, one Sin had been living in since being chosen for the Acquisition. Now I could see the bars clearly, examine each one for a weakness.
After the initial shock of what she’d told me, I’d become focused. Sin would win the Acquisition. Teddy would live. I would do everything in my power to protect him. Endure what I had to do and survive. My sacrifice for my father had been made through deceit. The one I’d make for Teddy was of my own choosing. I would fight for it. I would see him live a long, happy life. Then I would set my sights higher. Dismantling the Acquisition was no longer a wish; it was my true goal. The reason I still drew breath.
Dmitri flung his arm out in a vicious jab, catching Lucius in the mouth.
“Fuck.” Lucius darted back and spit a wad of blood into the grass. “That’s cunt shit.”
“Come closer. We see who is cunt.” Dmitri lumbered toward Lucius, the men unevenly matched in almost every way possible.
“Hang on.” Lucius held up a hand. “It’s hot out here.”
Dmitri stopped and waited. “I tire of hitting this clown. You ready for another round, Krasivaya?”
“Almost.” I sipped the cold water as Lucius unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it off one arm. He began to pull it from his other arm then rushed Dmitri when he was halfway through the motion.
Lucius’ trick worked, and Dimitri groaned as the smaller man’s fist collided with his ribs.
“Blyad! Little prick.” Dmitri whirled and thundered after a retreating Lucius.
Lucius tried to spring back, but it was too late, Dmitri tackled him. They fell with a thud and Dmitri pinned him.
“Who is bitch now, eh?” Dmitri grinned and slapped Lucius playfully before squeezing his cheeks.
“Get the fuck off! You’re crushing my nuts.”
The Russian sat back and got up before offering Lucius his hand.
He took it and stood. “You need to lay off the fucking protein.” Lucius craned his head and tried to wipe the stray grass off his naked back.
“Protein make man strong. You too skinny.”
Lucius may not have had the larger build of Sin or the hulking Dmitri, but he wasn’t a small man by any means.
“Skinny huh? I’ll still kick your commie ass. Come on. Let’s do this.” He put his fists up, his abs and chest glistening with a light sheen of sweat.
“Again, then?” Dmitri shook his head but squared his shoulders.
“Okay, that’s enough of a pissing contest.” I stood and stretched, my muscles aching. “I need to get back to training.”
“She just doesn’t want you to get hurt, comrade.” Lucius dropped his fists and walked past me, plopping in the chair I’d just vacated.
I pulled the elastic from my hair and wrapped the strands around in a tight ball before re-tightening the band. Once satisfied it wouldn’t serve as an easy grip, I walked back out into the sun to take position.
I bent my knees and pulled my hands up. I was too small to win a straight-up brawl, but Dmitri had taught me to grapple and strike just enough to get my enemy into a submission move. Get them to tap out. But first, I had to get close enough. So far, I’d only gotten close enough to Dmitri to get my ass kicked. Bruises colored my legs, and no amount of warm baths and massages could erase the tenderness in my muscles from day after day of training. It was worth it. I had something to fight for. Something I would fight until my last breath to keep safe, as well as something to destroy.