Page 100 of Shadows of the Past
I bury my nose in the curve of her neck and breathe in the scent of honey and something sweeter, right here in the middle of the woods outside Chicago.
Yeah, I feel it too, there’s still work to do. But after a day like this, all I want is to lose myself in her and forget, just for a moment, that there are still snakes lurking out there.
Chapter 37
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Maksim
After a few days, Roman sets up a gathering so I can officially meet Victoria. I knew she needed time to process the idea of me, and even though I never pushed, letting Roman decide when the moment was right, I can’t help but feel a little nervous.
What if I say the wrong thing? What if she’s scared of me? Next to Roman and Niko, I look like I just got out after twenty years in prison.
That’s how I end up standing in Roman’s entryway, Julia’s hand in mine, waiting for an eighteen-year-old girl I’ve never met.
Roman and Luna come down first, followed by Niko and a woman in her sixties carrying a tray of cookies. The scent of vanilla and strawberries drifts through the air, calming me for a moment until I spot a messy bun tied with a pink ribbon.
She’s wearing a pale pink sweater and black leggings, with giant unicorn slippers on her feet that make her look like a yeti. I can’t help but smile.
When I focus on her face, I notice tears in her eyes. They’re the same color as mine, but hers are clearer, brighter, holding a kind of light I’ll never have.
A lump forms in my throat, and Julia’s grip tightens around my hand.
As Victoria steps in front of me, my mouth goes dry. Not a single word wants to come out.
She studies my face for a few seconds, seconds that feel like forever. Then, all at once, the sweetest smile takes over her features. She looks like an angel, and I know that if anyone ever tries to dim her light, they’ll beg every god to turn them to dust before I get my hands on them.
“Maksim,” I manage, my voice rough, as I reach out my hand.
She frowns at my hand for a moment, then suddenly throws her arms around me, holding on like I’m a life raft in the middle of the ocean.
“You can call me Vi. I love pink, but I can shoot, and I love ballet…oh, and fantasy books, but they have to have some romance, otherwise I get bored. And I really like powdered donuts,” she rattles off in one breath, still hugging me tightly.
I take in every detail, every inflection, trying to figure out what matters most. I’ve missed her entire life, but I want to believe that someday she’ll turn to me the way she does to Roman or Niko.
“Vi, I don’t think he needs your whole autobiography,” Niko jokes.
Vi lets go of me, but grabs my hand and turns to Niko. “You’re just jealous you’re not the prettiest brother anymore,” she teases, sticking out her tongue.
Niko clutches his chest, feigning heartbreak. “You wound me, Vi. That’s all it took for me to lose my place in your heart?”
Roman rolls his eyes. “We’re twins, and everyone still thinks you’re the better looking one,” he grumbles, making everyone laugh.
“For me, you’ll always be the most handsome,” I hear Luna whisper to Roman as she kisses his cheek.
Roman kisses the top of her head, and for the first time, I feel a warmth in my chest that’s different from what I feel for Julia. It’s a sense of belonging, of being included, of comfort. Maybe this is what it feels like to be surrounded by family.
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Later, after Victoria shows me all her ballet trophies, I notice her hesitate at one particular newspaper clipping. It’s from her first performance, the one I watched from the shadows. I realize why she doesn’t want to mention it.
“You remember the girl who pushed you and made you lose your balance?”
Her eyes widen, and confusion flickers across her face as she wonders how I could possibly know about that incident.
I just keep scanning the other photos of her on stage, letting the moment hang.
“Rumor has it, there might be some nude photos of her floating around online. She had to move to another city because of it,” I say, still not looking directly at Victoria.
