Broken Whispers (Perfectly Imperfect #2)(15)

“Attracted to him? Bianca, are you blind? He is . . .”

“He is what?”

“He is . . . he has only one eye, for God’s sake, and you say you like him?”

“Yes, I like him. Do you have a problem with that?”

“No, I just . . . whoa. Did you ask what happened? To his face I mean.”

“No. He will tell me when he sees fit. I won’t ask.”

“And it doesn’t bother you? The scars? The eyepatch?”

“No. I find Mikhail sexy as hell.”

“You are out of your mind.”

“Wait until you see him in that tight Henley he put on this morning. Hot. I bet he’s even hotter without it.”

“My God, you really like him. How is that possible? I mean . . . look at you. You could have had any man you wanted. You . . . you dumped Marcus, for crying out loud.”

“Marcus is a spoiled idiot.”

“Okay, but . . .” She stops mid-sentence and stares at something over my shoulder. “Is that . . . that’s a child’s room. Why is there a . . .”

I take her forearm to bring her attention back to me.

“Mikhail has a daughter.”

“What? Did you know?”

“No.”

“Okay, I’m telling Dad. There must be something he can do to annul the marriage.”

“Don’t you dare.”

“Are you fucking serious? You are twenty-one and he expects you to raise his kid!”

“Lower your voice. He never said that, and believe me, he doesn’t need me to raise his daughter. He’s doing that amazingly well himself. And I like Lena. She’s a great kid.”

“Bianca . . .”

“How is Father dearest doing? Mikhail stabbed him pretty hard, I hope his hand isn’t too damaged.”

Milene looks at me with horror in her eyes. “Your husband did that?”

“Father hit me again yesterday when I came to get my stuff. Mikhail wasn’t pleased with that.” I smile when I remember the look on my father’s face as he stared at the letter opener lodged into his palm. “It was very exciting to watch.”

“Okay, that’s it. I’m calling Mom’s psychiatrist. You need professional help.”

“No, I don’t think I do.”





*


Milene went home hours ago, and Mikhail still isn’t back. He messaged me around two saying that Sisi will take Lena for a sleepover. He probably didn’t want to leave his kid with a stranger, although, I wouldn’t have minded watching her.

It’s almost midnight. Should I be worried or is this the standard occurrence? I have no idea what exactly his job is in the Bratva.

I take my phone and open the contact list. Should I message him to ask if everything is okay? Will it sound stupid? Yeah, it probably will. I don’t want him to think I’m checking on him. Maybe I could ask something benign. If he replies, it means he’s okay.

23:14 Bianca: Regarding my plans. I need to do some shopping tomorrow. Also, I accepted an offer to teach a guest ballet lesson in the local ballet school on Thursday next week. It starts at 9 and I should be done by 12.

23:22 Mikhail: I probably won’t be back before tomorrow afternoon. I’ll send Denis to pick you up at 10 and take you shopping.

I read the message and feel an unexpected pang of disappointment. Apparently, I was secretly hoping I would see him tonight. I start to place the phone on the table next to the bed, but then change my mind and type another message.

23:26 Bianca: Can I use the gym sometimes?

23:28 Mikhail: Of course. I’m usually done with my workout by 9, so it’s yours after that. Just one request - I don’t like an audience when I’m working out, so please wait until I finish.

What a strange request. I’m pretty certain I’d enjoy watching Mikhail work out, but I will respect his boundaries.

23:29 Bianca: Deal.

I leave the phone, turn off the light, and slide under the blanket when I hear a ping of an incoming message.

23:31 Mikhail: Can I take you to dinner on Friday?

An idiotic grin spreads across my face while I look at the screen. I feel like a teenage girl who just got invited on a date for the first time.

23:32 Bianca: Yes, you can.





I put my phone away, check the bandage on my arm, and turn toward the man tied spread-eagle to the wall.

“Now, where were we?” I ask as I take a knife from the metal table. I check its sharpness by holding it up to the light of the bare lightbulb, then stand in front of the bound man. He is already in a rough condition. To say he wasn’t happy when Yuri and I ambushed him as he was leaving his girlfriend’s house, would be an understatement.

“Oh, yes. You were going to tell me who paid you to send one of your gang members to my wedding, and who let the bastard in. That was a really stupid move.”

The Albanian gang leader spits on the floor.

“One of the tough ones. Great.” I walk back to the table, leave the knife, and take gardening scissors. “Let’s start with the ears, then, and see where it leads us.”





*


The door behind me opens with a squeak, but I keep sitting in my chair, watching small rivulets of blood trailing down the Albanian’s arms, and then dripping one by one into a big puddle on the floor. There is a severed ear lying next to his right foot, and several teeth scattered around.