“I’m tired, Edie.” my head snaps toward the cutest face, and my heart pats. This beautiful life is worth more than my father's debt, and I have to fix this. Picking her up, I take her upstairs and get her ready for bed. Two books, a story about her mother later, and she is out like a light. I wish I could say the same thing.
I cannot believe I am doing this. I must be going crazy. No. I am desperate and crazy. I am standing here, outside of the office of Lennon Semenov. Yes. You heard me right. I am outside his office, hand poised to know so I can...what I don’t know. Make a deal or something. Deal with what, I have no clue. But I can’t let my sister be hurt or worse...separated from me. That little girl is my life. Knock. Knock. I knock quietly, half hoping he doesn’t hear it so I can find any excuse to not do what I am doing.
“Voyti.” I hear gruffly from the other side of the door. I do not know what it means, so I simply stand on the other side of this closed door like an idiot. “Enter,” he says, this time in English. Hand barely able to grab the knob, I twist it and open it, nearly falling in. Trying to right myself, I find my knees shaking as I stare into the eyes of a killer. Everything about him exudes power and death. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” he asks, leaving back in his chair. Oh, God. Here goes.
“My..my name is Eden Vastiya, and I came here to negotiate my father's debt with you. I heard him try to sell my sister and myself, and I will do anything for that not to happen.” Ok. I got that out.
“How pre-tell do you think you can do that? Do you have something better to offer?” he asks, his face smirked with amusement. “Perhaps you can repay it on your back like your father insinuated.” Shit. Was this a mistake?
“I would like to pay back in cash.” I am definitely losing it.
“Your father doesn’t have fifty thousand dollars, but somehow you do?” he laughs at this evil, maniacal bellow, and my skin crawls. I need to get this worked out so I can get out of here.
“I-I don’t have it right now. But I will. I swear I will have your money. Just please leave my sister and me alone.” he sits back and pretends to think, though we both know he is simply humoring me. He doesn’t believe I can come up with it, and to be honest, until this very moment, I had no clue I was going to go this route, but now I have no choice.
“You have five days, little girl. You fail, and you and your sister will become Semenov Property. Now get out.” I nod my head and run, chest heaving as I hold back the tears until I leave his building and round the corner.
“Eden, what did you just do?” I ask myself as I wipe my face and regain my composure. Opening my purse, I pull out the card from Lilith and close my eyes. Stealing myself, I know I am going to do something I never thought I would, but it is the only way to make sure Katya is safe. I would do anything for her, including selling my innocence. Like I always say, innocence is overrated.
2
Viktor
Why do I always do this to myself? Oh, yea. I love my mom. “I am old, my son. I would like to see you settled before I die. Or at least before I go back to Russkiya.” she says as she makes Borscht in my kitchen.
“Mother…”
“Don’t mother me, moy syn.” She reverts to her native tongue when she is frustrated. “Find a nice girl and carry on our name.” I hear the same thing every time she comes here for six months. See, my mother certainly wants grandchildren, but what she really wants is a daughter. She was blessed with two boys, me and my little brother Lennon. She never got her daughter, and she wants one. By any means.
“Mother, you leave for home in two months. How do you propose this is going to happen?” I ask her, trying to keep the exasperation out of my voice.
“You don’t need a lifetime to know you have found the one syn. Look at me. I found the love of my life when I was thirteen. I knew he was to be my husband. If it weren’t for your grandfather promising me to your father without my knowing, I would be married to the love of my life and maybe our life….” her voice trails off and I know she is thinking about the monster that is my father. I used to get lost with her in the past, But I choose not to go there in my mind or physically.