Page 53 of Marked By His Touch
"Mamma," a deep voice says smooth and almost seductive, a voice that makes me stiffen.
It’s not Alexander.
I freeze up, trying to breathe, but the air doesn’t come in easily. My whole body tenses, every muscle coiling in preparation for a fight.
“Syn,” Katerina says, her voice steady. She slowly walks toward the door, embracing the man in a stiff hug. “You—late, my son,” she says, her tone a mixture of reprimand and affection. She straightens his tie, a gesture of motherly care that makes my stomach churn.
My head spins. The world feels like a dizzying carousel, and I feel like I will faint. This can’t be true. It must be some cruel joke played by someone inhumane.
“I had— business I needed to take care of,mamma,” Nikolai says, his gaze falling on me. Burning with an intense heat, his voice is annoyed. “I thought we getting along,Anya.”
“Don’t call me that!” I hiss, turning my head frantically for another way out. I don't see any. I tremble, and my vision turns blurry.
“Alexander,” I mumble.
“He— not come for you,” Nikolai says, a smirk on his lips. “What I offer him—-bigger than anything you—-ever give him.”
“Y-you bribed him?” I ask, my voice shakes.
“I made him an offer he couldn’t refuse,da?Like in movie,” Nikolai says, licking his lips and stepping towards me. “I promise I keep you alive, and he can run EverBlue from here, unlimited resources, millions of dollars for him to please himself with money, women. He say yes to me.”
“He wouldn’t!”
“He already did. EverBlue—better hands now, with him.”
“You’re lying! Besides, Cole is in charge of the company. He won’t give up his power,” I say.
“Cole is—tool. A means to an end,” Nikolai says, his voice dismissing. “The Raven, his alias, his dramatic cover, and his over-the-top actions. We can’t have that. He too—sloppy.” He shakes his head, his gaze fixed on me, a possessive gleam in his eyes.
I can’t breathe. This is a nightmare.
I stand there, rooted to the floor, my gaze locked on Katerina. She's a different person now, a stranger in the shadows of this room. She betrayed us. She betrayed me. Just like Zara.
“Katerina,” I rasp. "Why? Why did you do this?"
“Sssh,Anya,” she says. "Blood—family—is stronger than friendship,devushka."
My heart sinks. It's like everything I knew about her was a lie.
“So, you were just pretending too, like Zara?” I ask, my fists clenched at my sides. "You helped us! You were on our side!"
Katerina shrugs, her gaze cool and distant. She's so calm, so collected. It's unsettling. “I did—I had to do it to get—the bride for my Nikolai. He's been—enthralled—by you for a long time,da?Watching you grow into beautiful, smart woman."
She reaches out, her fingers tracing the outline of Nikolai’s face. She pinches his cheek playfully, her lips curving into a chilling smile. "He needs someone like you,Anya. Special.”
She laughs, a brittle sound that echoes through the room.This is so wrong. So twisted.
Everything I thought I knew about Katerina, her loyalty, and her motherly compassion, crumbles. I almost don't feel sad anymore. I feel a load of anger, a strong current, like a hot spring, bubbling inside me.
“Katerina,” I say. “Why? You were with Cole, a prisoner, too, in his warehouse. I don't understand—”
Her gaze shifts to me, and the playfulness in her eyes vanishes, replaced by a cold, hard stare.
She steps forward, her hand raising swiftly. I duck, but the slap isn’t for me.
Instead, it connects with Nikolai’s cheek, causing what looks like a stinging, burning sensation that sends a shockwave through him. He reels back, his hand flying to his cheek, his eyes wide.
“Mamma!” He says.
