Page 80 of Cookie: Part One
“I would never disrespect you, Pakhan,” Helena snarls. “But even I, who have never seen eye to eye with Veronica, can see she’s right. Look at Alik…” she pauses and points to Alik. “When has he ever acted like this? How are we to protect our spouses and families when there might be something dangerous in the house?!” Helena pleads. “I just want to protect my family from manipulation. We must rid the family of this… this whore!”
Helena’s words hang in the air and Grandpa Viktor grunts.
“I have great respect for you and your family, Helena. And I understand your doubts. However, Constance is a mere human vho’s innocent in zhis, so vatch your tone… and your tongue…”
“Zhat’s bold of you to say when my husband comes home smelling like her daily!” she seethes, eyes flashing, and I cut my eyes to Alik, who flinches and I want to slip the dog piss out of him. “I will ki?—”
“You vill vhat?” Misha and Pakhan cut her off in unison, and she cowers.
“I…” Misha steps forward, his authority brooking no argument. With cheeks burning, she goes stiff, while the room stays quiet and freezes over.
“She doesn’t even belong!” Helena grits, and Misha holds me tighter.
“She belongs vhere I say she belongs,” Misha growls, and she huffs, backing down.
“Misha, Dimitri, Nadya, Pyper…Alik, a vord,” Grandpa Viktor mumbles.
“Da, Pakhan,” Dimitri, Nadya, and Pyper stand in unison and go over, but Misha stays with me.
“Are you okay?” he asks, cupping my face.
“Yup,” I mutter, numb.
“Why did you make us hold back?” he looks me over curiously, and I smile even though I don’t feel like it.
“Because her beef wasn’t with y’all, it was with me, and I like to handle my own shit when I can.”
“Strong, Pechenye, but…” He kisses the middle of my palm. “Trust me to handle you and all vork you have from now on.” He looks me in the eye and I smile.
“Misha,” Grandpa Viktor calls, but Misha ignores him and keeps his eyes on me.
“You should go,” I tell him.
“I vill, but when I get back, prepare to leave.” He nods to some guards and they surround me.
“Okay.” I grin and he sets me down. I sink back into the chair until I can literally feel eyes boring into the back of my head, forcing me to stand, take a deep breath, and duck out the side hallway, shaking the guards off through the crowd, and thankfully so because I need to be alone…I need to get myself together.
My heels click fast against the floor like I’m running from a crime scene, and hell, I might as well be because what the fuck was that out there? I knew this shit would blow up in my face, but to this extent?
I don’t know what to do with what I just saw.
I know I pounded down the champagne after finding out Alik had been cheating on me our entire relationship. And I can attest I had one too many but…their bodies literally changed!
Misha’s hair had turnedwhite, and the sound that came from him wasn’t human.Nadyamoved with the unsettling grace of a ghost, whileDimitri’spupils looked like they harbored demons. Pyper’s nails… and then there wasAlik and the way his face and hands contorted…it’s all so fucking terrifying to think it was real.
Not to mention… that single, jarring word,mate, keeps floating around in my head, making my heart rattle.
They spoke it like Ibelongto them in a way that felt deep. My rational mind wants to dismiss it as some heat-of-the-moment nonsense, possessive sex talk, or just male posturing. But Ifeelit in my bones, in my soul, in my damnwomb. Whatever they are, whatever they’ve been hiding beneath the surface, Ineedit.
I stumble around the hall, trying to make sense of this shit, but the alcohol has my fucking head spinning so much that I grab it. I go to turn back around and head back to the guards, but I run into someone, catching myself and clutching my nose.
“Shit!” I flinch, heart damn near exploding as I stumble back into a pillar. “I’m sor…” I look up at the waiter and freeze, blinking in disbelief.
No.
My chest heaves, and I clutch it, sobering up instantly rubbing my eyes. But by the time my vision clears, the guy is gone,but I know I saw it…His eyes. His jawline. His height.
“D-Dren?” I croak, voice raspy, heart pounding.
