“You do it with an open heart and remember you are not your father. You are Anastasia. That’s all you need to be. That’s who he fell in love with.” She nods and gives me a little smile. “You should go see him later. Okay?”
I think about it, pushing past the guilt ravaging my mind, and I nod.
ChapterThirty-Seven
Anastasia
Imake my way up the wide, sweeping stone steps of The Langham Hotel and the gentle night breeze lifts the ends of my hair.
As Leif is so distinguished in the Knights, and generally throughout Boston, I’m not surprised his retirement party is being held at one of the city’s finest hotels.
It’s located right across from Boston Harbor, so the slight salty scent of the sea tickles my nose. A little distraction from my shaky thoughts.
I’m not a hundred percent certain about this idea of just turning up and seeing how things go with Desmier, but I’m doing it.
This is me trying. This is me fighting for the pirate man who holds my heart.
The doormen open the doors for me and I walk in, immersed in the music and people dressed in formal wear. It’s almost a déjà vu moment from the fundraiser, but this time I’m by myself, and people notice straight away.
The hotel’s facilities have been booked out for the event so everyone around me is here because of it. But there is no mixture of what I callnormalpeople and those who belong to the Knights.
Those around me are either from the Knights or the Bratva. There are also those from the alliance. As such, there’s a different vibe in the air. Something that commands authority and attention.
Immediately, I feel out of place, but I push my feelings aside.
I’m not here for these people. All I need to do is find the one man I came here for.
Walking through the ballroom, I search the crowd, but I can’t find Desmier anywhere.
I head across the room, walking out into the other foyer which has a balcony.
That’s where I see him talking to Leif.
My heart warms just from seeing him. Instead of the few days that have passed, it feels like years since we last saw each other.
I hope I can fix this, but more than anything, I pray he can look at me as Anastasia again, not Uther Sidorov’s daughter.
Whatever Desmier and Leif are talking about looks important as they seem deep in conversation. But Desmier must feel my eyes on him because he glances my way and our eyes lock.
We’re about thirty feet away from each other, but the intensity of his stare is so potent he could be standing right in front of me.
Heat streaks through me, warming every particle in my body just from his stare.
But I can’t tell what sort of mood he’s in. He looks neither happy nor sad at seeing me. He’s just looking.
I stare back, thinking of everything my father did to him. I almost feel like abandoning this plan and going back the way I came. I just know that if I do, I will regret it. Just like Ehlga said.
With a deep breath, I summon the strength from my heart and continue my path across the foyer to the stairs that will lead me to him.
It’s only when I reach them that I look away from Desmier and take the stairs up.
When I arrive at the top and walk onto the floor, someone calls my name.
It’s Viktor, and I’m determined not to make tonight go as badly as it did at the fundraiser.
When he rushes up to me, I stop, turning to face him, ready for whatever he’s going to say to me. Good or bad.
“You’re here.” His voice takes on a softer tone than the other night, without that vindictive air.