All The Pretty Little Lies (Second Sons Duet #1)

4. Vesper

VESPER

The remaining hours of the school day felt like trudging through waist-deep snow. Luca, always playing the role of my overprotective brother, stuck to my side between classes. His dark eyes constantly scanning the halls for any sign of danger, his presence almost suffocating me. I could see the tension in his jaw and the tight fists at his sides.

Finally, the final bell rang, signaling the end of the day. Dread formed a knot in my stomach as I headed from my last class, knowing that Luca would be waiting outside for me. As expected, when I stepped out of the classroom, he was there with an even deeper scowl on his face. Without a word, he grabbed my arm and marched me towards the exit.

As we weave through the crowded hallways, I feel Luca's grip on my arm tightening.

“What’s wrong?”

“We need to get home,” he growls under his breath. He tries to cut down the side hallways, but it’s just as crowded as the main hallway. “Fuck,” he snarls. He tries another one, but it too is blocked with a throng of students gathering their belongings to head home for the weekend.

“Where are you going, Rossi? I hope you don’t think our little one on one this morning was the end of the conversation.” I peer away from my brother and notice that Oscar and Zaire are waiting ahead of us with two other guys with them. On one side stood Talon St. James, known as the golden boy of our school and the bastard son of the leader of the British mob. His perfectly styled brown hair was pulled back into a man bun at the crown of his head. To his right stood Alexander Rafnar, a recent transfer from Iceland and member of one of Europe's biggest drug smuggling families. While the Petrov twins and Talon exuded effortless confidence and tanned skin worthy of Gods, Alexander’s pale blonde hair, lean frame, and towering height set him apart like a beacon amongst darkness.

“If shit goes south, I want you to run to the car and call Father.”

“Wait, why would it go south?”

“Just listen to me, Vesper. Run and call Father. Do you understand me?”

Luca pushes me behind him, his stance defensive and strong. I can see the tension in his muscles as he prepares for whatever may come next. His action must be amusing to them because Talon laughs aloud at Luca’s reaction.

"Little Luca playing protector for his sister. Remind me, that’s our job, isn’t it, brother?" Oscar sneers. He stands with his arms crossed, a smirk playing on his lips and daggers in his gaze as he stares down Luca and me.

“Yes, it is.” Zaire steps forward, a sinister glint in his eye. "It's cute that you think you can keep her safe from us. Adorable, really, considering in what, six days, she’ll be a Petrov, too."

A surge of fear rushes through me as I stand behind Luca. The tension between our two groups crackles like electricity on a stormy night, the air thick with hostility. Luca stands tall and unwavering, his jaw clenched and his eyes blazing with determination. “She’ll be a Petrov over my dead body,” he growls, his voice low and dangerous. His words are a promise of protection, and I can feel shivers run down my spine at the strength in his stance.

Zaire sneers and examines his nails with a smug smile, goading Luca further. “That can be arranged,” he taunts. “The world could use one less Rossi.” His words hit Luca like a slap in the face, stoking the fire of anger within him.

Luca's fists clench tightly at his sides as he locks eyes with Zaire, their gazes filled with silent defiance. A tense energy radiates from both of them, threatening to erupt into chaos at any moment. But instead of backing down, Zaire only laughs cruelly, his arrogance fueling Luca's temper. The hallway walls seem to tremble with the force of their animosity.

"What are you going to do, Luca? Cry for mommy and daddy to come save you?" Zaire taunts, dripping with scorn. “Not even your father would be stupid enough to let this kind of alliance slip through his fingers because his heir objected.”

“There’s always another heir to take your place,” Talon chimes in. “Oh, wait. I guess there isn’t in your case.”

“You’d know all about that, wouldn’t you, Talon? How many bastards has your father sired?” my brother fires back.

“You say that I should care about being his heir. I'm not daft enough to want the title. You, on the other hand, relish it. That title defines your very existence. Without it, you’d be nothing more than a low-level lackey for your father. A role that would suit you better now that I think about it.”

My heart races in my chest as I frantically plead with Luca to halt, but it's already too late. With a guttural snarl, he charges at Zaire, his body tense and ready to attack like a predator stalking its prey. Zaire's eyes widen in surprise at Luca, but he quickly regains his composure, his own stance shifting into one of deadly readiness.

The sound of their fists colliding echoing through the now silent hallway of other students. Zaire's eyes narrow in determination, his stance firm as he meets Luca head-on, each blow exchanged with a ferocity that sends shivers down my spine.

“Luca!” I bellow out, but he doesn’t hear me.

I watch in horror as Luca fights with all the pent-up rage and frustration he has carried for so long, his muscles strain with every powerful strike he delivers. Zaire, no stranger to combat, matches him blow for blow, his face a mask of grim determination as he defends himself against Luca's relentless onslaught.

"Run, Vesper!" Luca's voice cuts through the chaos of battle, his words a desperate plea that tug at my heart. But I am rooted to the spot, unable to tear my gaze away from the brutal spectacle unfolding before me.

Zaire stumbles back after taking a punch from Luca, blood trickling down his face from a split lip. He wipes it away casually, flashing a twisted grin that sends chills down my spine. He seems almost feral, driven by a primal urge to dominate and destroy.

“Didn’t know you had that in you, Rossi,” he taunts my brother, which only enrages him further. “Figured your sister would have more of a right hook than you would.”

Luca charges toward Zaire again. His attention is so focused on him that he doesn’t notice Alexander moving behind him.”

“Luca!” I bellow. “Watch out!”

Luca swings wide and falls back against Alex. Both tumbling back in my direction. Suddenly, a hand reaches out and grasps mine, pulling me away from the chaos. I turn to see Oscar, his face a mask of determination as he yanks me out of harm's way.

“Delivering damaged goods is not on my death wish list, solnishko. I’m not taking shit for you getting banged up for being too close to a fight.”

“Let go of me. I have to help my brother.”

Oscar's grip tightens on my arm, his eyes pleading with mine. “Can’t do that, solnishko. It’s better for us both if you’re away from the fray. Well, better for me.”

“I’m not going to leave my brother like that.”

“Yes, you are.” Before I can register his movements, he effortlessly lifts me off the ground and tosses me over his shoulder as if I were weightless.

"Where are you taking me?" I shout, my legs flailing against his solid stomach with no effect. My heart pounds in my chest as I try to make sense of what is happening.

"Somewhere safe," Oscar replies, his voice surprisingly gentle compared to the chaos raging behind us. He leads me through a maze of hallways, the sound of the ongoing scuffle fading into the distance as we move further away.

"I don't need your protection," I say defiantly, my voice laced with resentment. "I can take care of myself."

Oscar chuckles softly. "Oh, I have no doubt about that." His words catch me off guard. We finally come to a stop in a secluded classroom far away from the chaos of the fight. Oscar puts me back on my feet and turns to face me, his gaze searching mine. I reach for my phone in my pocket, but Oscar plucks it from my hand before I can even unlock the screen.

“You won’t be needing this.” He shoves it in his back pocket. “Now, where were we?”

“Take me back to my brother. Let me go.”

“Can’t do that, solnishko. We need to talk without an audience.”

I narrow my eyes, wariness creeping back into my heart. “I have nothing to say to you.”

“Are you so sure about that?”

I hesitate, unsure of what to make of his unexpected statement. "What do you want from me?”

Oscar stills in front of me. As I stand there staring at him, a mixture of confusion and fear swirling within me, Oscar's eyes seem to pierce into my soul. He moves closer to me until the wall is at my back, the only barrier separating us. His eyes blaze with intensity, and I can feel the danger emanating from him.

“I don’t think my fiancé would like you being this close to me.”

“No, he wouldn’t, but I don’t see him around.”

“What do you want from me?”

A predatory smile forms on his lips. “Everything.”

"You don't know anything about me," I whisper, my voice barely audible.

"Oh, but I do," he replies, leaning in even closer. “You’ve spent your entire life locked in your family's cage. The Rossi’s prized pretty little princess whose unspoiled pussy everyone has been salivating to get a chance to taste. I wonder if it’s as sweet as we’ve been led to believe.”

I gulp at his words. “You wouldn’t dare touch me. Do you know what my father would do to you and your entire family?”

“Your father is no concern of mine,” he chuckles. “It’s a shame that my uncle chose you for my sick bastard of a cousin. Dmitri will take no pleasure in ruining another expensive toy, whereas I would relish watching you break in front of me.” His words are like a cold slap to the face, and I feel myself trembling under his intense gaze. “The things I would do to you, solnishko.”

I swallow hard at the thought.

He runs a finger down the side of my face before his hand wraps lightly around my throat. Black inks his irises as his grip tightens like he’s considering his next move very carefully. I force myself to remain still. Fighting back is pointless. Oscar could overpower me without even breaking a sweat. The only way I am getting out of this unscathed is to fake it. Playing along and living seems like a much better option than defying and dying.

“If you defile me, my father will kill you.”

“Might be worth it,” he shrugs.

“I’m not worth dying for,” I mutter. The darkness around his eyes recedes at my words.

“Whoever told you that is a fool, solnishko. There are three things in our world that matter. Power, money, and heirs. Without all three, you’re nothing. You have more power and worth than you realize.”

“Is that what you’re doing? Seizing your chance for more power?”

“Power only matters to those who need it. I have it in spades. If I wanted to defile you, as you so eloquently said, I could for nothing more than my own pleasure, and yours, of course.”

I feel my face pale.

“You’re afraid of me,” he declares flatly, cocking his head slightly. “Interesting.”

"You...you don't scare me," I manage to say, trying to keep my voice steady. But inside, my fear is growing with every passing moment. No one has ever dared to be this close to me or talk to me in such a vulgar manner for fear of my father’s wrath. Even the hint that my virginity is threatened would incite a war from the Rossi’s. If any of my father’s men happen to stumble into this room, and see us this close, Oscar would be dead on the spot. No questions asked. “The contract has been signed. I belong to your cousin.”

“You belong to no one.” Oscar's eyes narrow, his expression darkening. "Dmitri will not be just your husband; he is your captor, your warden, your tormentor. He will break you, Vesper, and not even your family will be able to save you. Your father has set wheels into motion that will not stop. Try as he might, your brother cannot stop the inevitable hell coming your way under the guise of this marriage alliance.”

I try to pull away from him, but he holds me in place, his hand tightens against my throat. His touch is suffocating, and I can barely breathe under his dominance.

"I know what life is like for women in my position. I see it every day in the face of my mother."

Oscar shakes his head, a bitter smile playing on his lips. "You have no idea what true suffering is, Vesper. Your father treats your mother far better than most wives in her position. In the brief time I was in your home, it didn’t take me long to ascertain that information. You, on the other hand, will be lucky to feel the sunshine on your skin again once your feet touch down on Russian soil."

“You say that like I have a choice in the matter. You said so yourself: the wheels are in motion. My fate is sealed. Luca’s trying…,” I blurt out before I stop myself from revealing my brother’s plans any further. Oscar is a Petrov. For all I know, this could be nothing more than a test from his uncle. A test of my loyalty to my future husband.

“So that’s why he’s suddenly following you around campus. Your brother is trying to save you.” Oscar smirks, the corner of his lips curling up in satisfaction. "That’s adorable. Misguided but adorable. What is his grand plan? To hand you cash and help you disappear into the night?"

I try to stop, but my face flushes instantly.

“He really thinks that will work. Luca is dumber than he lets on,” he mutters to himself. “He’s brave for attempting to go against your father. I will credit him for that, but it won’t work. You’d be better off with my alternative.”

My heart races in my chest, unsure of what he could mean. "An alternative to what?" I ask.

Oscar's intensity doesn't waver. "An alternative to being a pawn in your family's twisted games. Being a prize for Dmitri to claim." His eyes bore into mine, challenging me in a way I've never been challenged before. "An alternative to being locked away, controlled."

My breath catches in my throat. "What do you want from me?" I ask again.

He leans in closer still, his face mere inches from mine. "I told you, Vesper. I want everything," he repeats, his voice a low rumble that sends shivers down my spine.

“You mean you want to take his place.”

“You think that’s why you’re here with me, isn’t it?” he laughs. “Don’t be as foolish as your brother, Vesper. It’s beneath you.”

"Then what do you want?”

“For you to not marry my cousin.”

“You say that like you can snap your fingers and make it happen.”

“What if I can?” He releases his grasp from my neck, drawing his hand up between us. “What if with a snap of my fingers,” he snaps them, “I could not only free you from your poor excuse of a marriage but give you what you’ve always wanted. A choice .”

The idea of leaving everything behind, of escaping the life that has been chosen for me, is both exhilarating and terrifying. I've never known anything outside of the life that has been forced upon me. The pressures of being a Rossi, the suffocating expectations and duties that come with the family name. But to have a chance at true freedom, at making my own choices and following my own path. It's too much to comprehend.

"What if I want it?" I dare to ask, feeling some sort of rebellious streak rising within me. “What would you do?”

Oscar's smile widens ever so slightly as if he knows exactly what he's capable of igniting within me. "That," he says, leaning in until his lips are just barely brushing against my ear, "is a question better left unanswered until you’re sure.”

As I stand there, lost in thought, trying to decipher what this all means and what I want, the door bursts open, and Talon runs into the room. "Time's up. Cavalry is here. We've got to move. We can't risk getting caught." His urgent voice snaps me out of my trance.

Oscar steps back, his eyes never leaving mine. "Think about it. There is a choice beyond the fate your family has laid out for you. I’ll be in touch." He shoves away from me and joins Talon at the door. With just a wink, he disappears into the hallway. As the sound of footsteps fades into the distance, I'm left alone in the room with my thoughts. My head spins with possibilities and consequences, swirling like a tempest in my mind.

My chest tightens as the weight of Oscar's words settles upon me. The room suddenly feels smaller, the walls closing in like a vice around my trembling form. I gasp for air, but it's as if all the oxygen has been sucked out, leaving me dizzy and disoriented. Images flash before my eyes: my father's stern face, Dmitri's cold smile, and the suffocating future that awaits me as a pawn in their power games. But now, interwoven with these familiar nightmares, are new visions - Oscar's intense gaze, Talon's roguish wink, and the tantalizing promise of freedom they represent.

The enormity of the choice before me crashes down like a tidal wave. Loyalty to my family or a chance at true happiness? The safety of the known or the terrifying allure of the unknown? My mind races through countless scenarios.

I take a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. The idea of leaving everything behind - my family, my life as I know it - is both thrilling and petrifying. But the thought of having a choice, of having the power to control my own destiny, is intoxicating.

I've always been told what to do, who to marry, and how to behave. But Oscar...Oscar represents something different. Something wild and free. And the idea that there might be a way out - a way to escape the life that's been chosen for me - is almost too much to bear.

I can’t think about that now. I need to find Luca. I need to make sure he’s okay. I head for the door. A voice calling my name echoes through the hallway, jolting me out of my hiding spot. I quickly step into the open, trying to find where the sound is coming from. As soon as I'm out in the hallway, one of my father's guards appears before me, his gun poised at his side. He grabs my arm, muttering a response in his earpiece. He leads me towards where I last saw my brother fighting with Zaire, Talon, and Alexander.

My vision blurs as we reach the center of the hallway, my heart sinking at the sight before me. My brother Luca lies on the ground, his head a bloody mess from a brutal beating. I struggle against the guard's grip, my body shaking with fear and anger. With every step towards Luca, the blood splatters on the ground stains my light-colored tights. But I don't care. All I care about is my brother's life. "Luca," I scream, but he doesn't respond. Desperation takes over as I turn to the guard, pleading and begging for him to call for help. But he just stands there with a blank expression, ignoring my desperate pleas. In a fit of frustration and rage, I shout at him once more to call 9-1-1.

Suddenly, heavy footsteps approach us, and the guard quickly straightens up, fear evident in his eyes. A commanding voice orders him to take my brother outside. My heart drops as I look up and see my father standing before me with a cold, angry expression on his face.

"Get moving to the car, Vesper," he repeats sternly, disappointment laced in his voice.

As my father grabs me harshly by the arm, I resist the urge to cry. This isn't the first time I've seen Luca hurt, and it won't be the last. We walk out of the hallway, my blood-stained tights catching the attention of a few passersby who quickly look away as soon as they make eye contact with my father. In the car, the tension is unbearable. My father doesn't say a word as he rides next to me. Luca lies motionless in the backseat of my father’s limo. His guard sits quietly next to Father’s driver in the front.

As we pull into our driveway, I can feel my heart breaking at the sight of Luca's battered body. My father shoves me out of the car before we’re even stopped by the front door.

"Go clean yourself up. Come to my office when you’re done,” he orders coldly as he slams the door behind me.