Damned: Chapter 16) Leather & Lace

My eyes scanned past Rebecca and glued onto the person next to her. Her dark hair styled neatly into a bun and her brown eyes held so many questions, questions that I wasn’t sure how to answer right now.

“Mom.” I breathed with a shaky voice as I stood up.

My stepmother stood before me without a word and I was no different. Vitaly shifted at the side pushed himself up lazily while rubbing his face. What the hell was wrong with this guy? My mother found me sleeping with a strange man in my apartment and he was so calm about it. One thing Sara Donovan never appreciated was indecency and if my father found out about this, then I’m dead.

“Kat, what is going on here?” she asked with raised eyebrows.

 “Mom- mother- I- I just-” I couldn’t do this. My voice was uneven and I stuttered more than a little kid.

“Forgive me, Mrs. Donovan.” Vitaly’s soothe voice suddenly caressed and he extended a hand towards my mother.

He was doing that thing with his voice again. His ‘make a woman melt’ tone.

Hesitantly, she placed her hand in his to shake, “Mr…?”

“Rostov,” he warmly smiled as he bought his small hand to his lips, gently kissing.

Great, now he was trying to get at it with my mom. And to think the man had limits.

My mother blinked a little surprised at his gesture.

“But please, you can call me Vitaly.”

“Vitaly. Are you-”

“Russian, yes.” He replied with a wicked smile.

No- no- no. Stop being sexy in front of my mother you douche.

Is he forgetting Rebecca is right there as well?

To be honest, I didn’t even want to look at Becca expression at all right now. She would kill me with questions that I’m not ready to answer.

“Believe me when I say, this is not the way Katherine and I had intended to meet you.” He stated, “I wished to take your permission first.”

“Permission?” Rebecca suddenly interjected, arching an eyebrow.

Without looking at her, he curved the edge of his lips in a dangerous yet subtle smirk, “Yes Miss Banks, permission.”

Wait. Miss Banks? Did he know her?

“Katherine told me a lot about you.” He said with a soft chuckle.

No. I didn’t. I told him nothing about Rebecca.

“Oh, did she? Well, she certainly was quite secretive about you.” Becca stated. I could have heard the hurt in her voice when she said that. I told Rebecca everything and I know finding something like this out must have crushed her trust in our friendship.

I didn’t want to look at her. I would have gotten too emotional.

“And what exactly are you taking permission for, Mr. Rostov?” My mother suddenly asked.

With a smile, he replied breathlessly, “To continue this relationship with your daughter.”

What?

What relationship?

The one in which he wanted to kill me?

This guy was insane.

 My mother smiled, walked over to the table, and sat at the chair, “I’ve never met a young man like you, Mr. Rostov. Your thinking is immaculate.”

Please, mother, he’s probably thinking about who he’s eating for dinner tonight.

“I was brought up quite differently from others. My grandfather had his unique beliefs.” He stated, “He’s very traditional, you could say.”

Yes precisely, quite differently is very accurate, Mr. Rostov.

A sudden knock at the door alerted our attention. A young boy dressed in a classy uniform stood there. He looked like one of the employees from my mother’s catering service.

“Oh! Bernard, I almost forgot about you. Bring the food to this apartment alright. I’ll meet you downstairs.” she smiled.

“Food?” I asked.

“I was visiting so I thought I should bring your favourites. Becca told me how lovely you cook.” She smiled playfully, “I brought a lot so I’m expecting everyone to have breakfast together.”

“Madam, I forgot, there’s a potential client downstairs. He wanted to speak to you.” Bernard quickly interjected.

“Bernard, you’re so absent-minded. My goodness!” she scolded and got up, “Excuse me.”

She quickly walked out the door with the boy, leaving Rebecca, Vitaly, and me behind. It was a bit awkward for me to be honest. With Rebecca’s gaze away from us, he quickly winked at me with a smirk. She headed to the kitchen while Vitaly headed to the door.

“Where are you going?” I stopped him.

“Did you see the child’s arms, Katrina? It looks like noodles. The least I could do is help him.”

And with that, he walked out.

Vitaly was being nice.

It was unusual.

It was an act.

“He’s a real keeper, Kat. I mean he doesn’t even remember your name. You did well.” Rebecca suddenly stated while pouring a glass of wine for herself.

Rebecca? Drinking wine? Okay, she was mad.

“He knows my name, Becca.”

“Katrina isn’t your name, Katherine.” She frowned.

“He knows that. It’s just a thing he does.”

“Are you serious?”

“Do you know him, Becca?”

“No, but I know guys who are similar to him. Kat, I don’t like the vibe I’m getting from this guy. I mean, sure he’s hot but looks aren’t everything honey. This Vitaly guy, I don’t know, there’s something odd about him. He-”

“Hold on.” I stopped her with a frown, “I know what kind of man he is, Rebecca. You don’t have to tell me. I can think for myself.”

“And you’re with him? Are you insane? Kat! He’s only using you.”

“You don’t know him, Rebecca. You can’t judge him just yet.” I stated a bit harshly.

I didn’t like that we were disagreeing with each other but at the same time, I didn’t like that she was treating me as if I was a child without a brain for myself. Of course, Vitaly was bad but his bad was actually worse than what she was thinking. So technically, she was wrong.

“You’re innocent, Katherine. You’re naïve. Men are pigs.”

“You know, I never told you anything about how much I detested your previous boyfriends Rebecca. I respected your decisions because I trusted that you knew what you were doing. I believed that you knew right from wrong. Can’t you do the same for me?”

I wished I could tell her the truth to avoid this drama but I couldn’t. I couldn’t risk putting her life in danger. I did that with Cara and I regretted it every second.

“You know what,” she stated putting the glass down and grabbing her purse which she came with, “If you can’t take my advice then maybe I should leave.”

“Becca, I didn’t mean it like that.” I protested, feeling my insides hurt a bit.

“No, it’s alright, Katrina. I understand. Vitaly must mean a lot to you for you to treat me like shit.”

“You’re over-reacting.”

“He must have done a lot of pretty things to you.”

“Rebecca!” I scolded angrily that she would actually say that to me.

Without another word, she walked out the door.

How could she even think like that? Rebecca never spoke to me like that before. Her anger was justified but she had no right to say that to me.

It wasn’t long after until Vitaly came back with Bernard and placed the trays on the table. Bernard left as soon as he did that and I sighed just replaying my disagreement with Rebecca. A sudden thought popped into my head and I frowned towards the Russian douchebag who leaned against the door with his phone.

“I’m honestly glad you left my phone, Donovan.” He chuckled.

“How do you know her?” I asked, ignoring his question.

“Who?”

“Rebecca.”

“Banks,” He gave a soft throaty laugh, “Wouldn’t you like to know.”

“Rostov,” I warned, “For God’s sake, just answer me.”

“I’m in the Mafia, Angel. I know a lot of things.”

“You had homework on me?”

He curved his lips wickedly upwards, “Not particularly you, baby.”

 “What?”

“Your brother to be precise.”

“Anthony? I don’t understand. What did Rebecca have to do with him?”

“You don’t know?” he arched an eyebrow playfully yet surprised.

“No.”

“How interesting.” He chuckled, “Then again, I see the need for him to keep his baby sister out of his intimate life- especially if it’s with her best friend.”

“What?” I asked, quite shocked.

“It’s cute how oblivious you are to these things.”

“You can’t be serious. This isn’t true. You got the wrong info, Rostov.”

“I’m not asking you, Angel. I’m telling you. It’s the truth. Your brother and Banks were in a relationship.”

“I can’t believe her!” I madly erupted, “Who the hell does she think she is getting mad at me while she was the one who’s been lying to me all this time!”

Vitaly chuckled at me, “You know, you’re a real sight when you’re angry.”

“I swear, when I confront her-”

“You can’t do that.” he finished.

“What do you mean I can’t do that? Who do you think you are?”

“I’m a man who could strip you of your name Angel, and make bad things happen to you. And to be honest, I wouldn’t want that for you. You can’t confront Banks about this. Not many people know about it.”

As much as I wanted to argue with him, he was right. If I did confront Rebecca about it then she’d want to know how I knew about it. And truthfully, I’m not a very good liar. No matter what, I wasn’t getting Becca involved.

Vitaly neared me and looked at the pictures on the wall of Rebecca and me.

“Sara’s your stepmother?” he suddenly asked.

“No,” I stated dryly and rolled my eyes, “She’s Santa Claus and I just so happen to call her mother.”

“What else can that mouth of yours do besides throw attitude at me, Donovan?”

“Want to find out?” I smiled innocently towards him.

He chuckled, “Your mother’s home.”

“Don’t be such a, baby.”

“Baby?” he re-stated suddenly pinning me against the wall, “Go ahead, do whatever you want.”

I placed my arms around his neck teasingly and took a soft breath, “Okay.”

“Your funeral though.”

“I know, but we have to do this quick before she gets back.” I frowned.

“Are you serious or are you insane, Donovan?”

“A little of both right now. Now lock the door, I’ll get the ice-cream.” I stated slipping out of his arms.

Quickly, I went to the kitchen and took the ice-cream out. Turning around, Vitaly glared at me with folded arms, “And what exactly are you planning to do with ice-cream?”

“Oh, you know what.”

“No, Katrina, I don’t.” He stated walking to the kitchen and arched an eyebrow confused behind the countertop.

I stood behind the countertop, opposite him, with the bucket of ice-cream and grabbed the sprinkles.

“You can do the honours.” I smiled and gave the sprinkles to him.

“What?”

“You asked me what I can do with my mouth, didn’t you? Well, Mr. Rostov, I eat. A lot of ice-cream. I’m not supposed to because my mother says I get a sugar rush but I don’t care. YOLO right?”

 Vitaly sat at the stool, rubbed his temples almost as if he had a headache, and muttered something in frustration, “Myi dva raznye leudy.” We are two different people.

“You know, I really don’t appreciate your use of Russian towards me. I mean, you wouldn’t like it if I start speaking Minion towards you.”

“Speaking what?”

“Katherine, what are you doing?” my mother suddenly interrupted at the door, “Why aren’t you two eating?”

“We were about to,” I smiled sticking the spoon of ice cream in my mouth, “Weren’t we, Vitaly?”

He glared at me murderously but spoke nonetheless, “Take care before you get a sugar rush, Sweetheart.”

“Sugar rush?” my mother laughed, “The day she starts getting that we’ll all be damned.”

“It’s sweet how much you care about me,” I said in a whisper while twirling my tongue around the spoon teasingly and winked at him.

“I won’t be able to stay for breakfast, Mrs. Donovan.” Vitaly stated, turning away from me, “I’m getting late.”

“Late?” she asked.

“I have some business to see too.”

Okay, he was mad at me. I knew it. Somehow I didn’t like it anymore. I pissed him off and it was justified but I didn’t mean for him to just walk out on me like that. Rebecca was already mad at me and now Vitaly? No, I didn’t want that. If it wasn’t for him being there last night I don’t know how I would have managed alone. When he turned back at me, I already held sorry eyes but he quickly diverted his attention.

 “Then we’ll meet each other some other time perhaps.” My mother smiled and greeted him goodbye and he also mirrored.

Vitaly walked past me and I felt as if my heart deflated. He couldn’t be that mad at me, could he? When he walked out the door, I also did.

“Rostov, wait.”

“Katrina.” He iced turning around to face me.

I blinked unsure what to say now. It was awkward and painful at the same time. All I did was stare at him with big remorseful eyes.

“Perestani smotreti na menya tak.” Stop looking at me like that.

“What?” I asked softly.

“I’m getting late, Katherine.”

“You’re not. You’re just saying that because you’re mad at me.” I frowned.

With a sigh, he neared me and pushed a strand of my hair behind my ears, “I’m not mad at you, Angel. What kind of man would I be if I got mad at you for something so trivial?”

“Then what’s wrong? Why do you need to leave so suddenly?”

“Like I said, I have some business to take care of.”

“Business? Is it that same ‘delicate’ matter you were dealing with?” I asked, with a worried expression.

“Yes. Katherine, it’s better if you be oblivious to this. I don’t want to get you involved.”

“Vitaly,” I breathed, afraid of his answer, “This matter of yours… it involves me, doesn’t it?”

He didn’t answer.

“Come back and stay with me, Katherine. It’s safer.”

“I-I can’t.”

“Katrina, for Christ’s sake, try and understand.”

“I can’t understand if you won’t tell me what the matter is.”

“Did someone say something to you, Katherine? Did my grandfather tell you something?” he frowned, ignoring what I said.

“No, he didn’t. I kept my promise. I never met him nor Mikhail.”

“Natalia, what did she tell you?”

“Vitaly, it’s nothing- it’s fine. Just forget it.”

“You’re being difficult, Katrina. I’m trying to help you.”

“Please try and understand what position I’m in as well.” I sighed, “Rebecca’s back, I can’t just leave. And if my mother finds out about this, she won’t like it. My dad would kill me, Vitaly. I’ll be skinned alive. This isn’t how I was raised. I can’t break their trust.”

“Their perspective of the situation isn’t the reality.”

“Exactly, it’s worse.”

With a tired sigh, he leaned in on me. Pressing his lips on my neck, he muttered something softly, “Budyi ostorodjna.”  Be safe.

“I’ll try.” I smiled as he pulled away with a slightly surprised expression.

“You understood that?”

“I had a Russian swimming instructor. He used to say it a lot at the end of class.”

 “I’ll call you tonight.” He stated, “Don’t forget.”

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