Relentless Sinner

Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Gabriella

Jaxon moves forward when Eve and I get closer, ending his conversation with his friend.

When we reach him he says something to Eve in Russian, to which she bows her head and takes her leave.

Anxiously, I glance at her, my stomach tightening as I watch her go. I was hoping she’d stay with us a little longer. Just until my nerves passed. I guess that may be never, though.

I look back at Jaxon and inhale a slow breath to clear my head. Sadly, it doesn’t work. My mind still feels scrambled and I’m still thinking of the way we were last night.

His lips tip into an easy grin as if he knows what I’m thinking, and his eyes become vibrant with desire. “You look good enough to eat, Krasota.”

My cheeks burn and I’m suddenly way too hot but I do my best to compose myself. “I wasn’t really going for edible.”

“I know.” He smirks, leans forward and brushes a kiss over my lips as if he’s tasting me. A camera flash goes off and I look in the direction, finding a photographer standing across from us.

“We’ll be having pictures taken at different points throughout the night,” Jaxon explains.

Knowing there will be pictures of us to remember the night makes me feel even more uncomfortable. It was silly of me not to factor that part in.

“Try not to look like a frightened rabbit every time I kiss you,” he adds, raising a brow.

“They caught me off guard. Perhaps if you give me a warning next time.”

“I’m not going to warn you every time I kiss you.” He chuckles. “Did you have a good day at the hospital?”

A pang of guilt sweeps through me but I force it away. “Yes. It was nice to be back there.”

“Good. Come on, let me introduce you to everyone.”

He slips an arm around my waist and ushers me toward the man he was speaking to, still standing by the bar.

“Gabriella, this is my best friend, Micah Delarosa,” Jaxon says.

It’s strange to hear that he has a best friend. I didn’t think he had friends because he’s never mentioned any. From Micah’s surname I’m guessing he’s from one of the high-profile families in the Italian Mafia that I’ve heard about.

“Hi, it’s nice to meet you,” I say.

Micah dips his head and gives me a welcoming smile. “ Buona sera, signorina . It’s nice to meet you, too. Jaxon’s told me a lot about you.” In just those few words, I can tell that Micah has the same sort of personality as Jaxon—commanding and firm. So my initial thoughts were right. “I hope you enjoy the evening.”

“You too, thank you.” Under normal circumstances I would have been my usual playful self and asked if he’d heard good things about me. But I get the feeling that these aren’t the type of people who joke around.

“We’re gonna see my father. I’ll catch up with you later,” Jaxon says to Micah.

“Sure thing.” Micah glances from Jaxon to me and smiles.

Jaxon ushers me away and we head toward the arched doorways leading to the adjacent hall.

“How is your father going to be with me?” I mutter, hoping he’ll give me a heads-up.

“The same way he is with me.”

I glance up at Jaxon, knowing that answer isn’t exactly good.

As we’re about to go through the door Jaxon’s face hardens and his eyes darken with what I’ve come to recognize is fury. I’ve just never seen it so intense.

I look ahead to find what he’s looking at and spot two men walking toward us. They look similar enough to Jaxon for me to guess they’re related. They have the same dark hair, strong jawline and sharp features. The only real difference between Jaxon and them is that he’s more muscular and his hair is longer. He also has bright blue eyes while theirs are brown.

“Hello, cousin,” the tallest one says in a vibrant voice.

Cousins . I thought maybe they were brothers. I realize at that moment I don’t know if Jaxon has siblings.

His steps slow and we stop when we get through the door, then he gives his cousin a stiff smile. I sense that’s for my benefit. I may not know Jaxon that well or for long, but I know when he doesn’t like something. Or someone .

“Levka, Yuri.” Jaxon acknowledges the men respectively, giving them both sharp stares.

“This must be the beautiful bride-to-be.” Yuri smiles at me and holds out his hand to shake mine.

I shake it and smile back politely despite Jaxon’s clear animosity. “Great to meet you.”

“Likewise.”

Levka extends his hand next, taking mine. I expect a handshake but instead he brings my hand up to his lips to kiss it.

“The rumors are true. You are very beautiful.” He looks at me with open admiration that creeps me out.

“Thank you.” I’m polite again and try to remove my hand but he holds on to it.

“I’m jealous I didn’t get to you first.”

Jaxon clears his throat. “She was never available to you.”

Levka gives him an uncanny smile. “Maybe so.” He looks back at me. “I do hope we’ll get to see more of you in the near future and that Jaxon doesn’t keep you hidden away.”

“I suppose that will depend on what we’re doing.” I don’t like him. He’s the kind of guy who seems pushy. Like he doesn’t care for boundaries.

“You can let go of her hand now,” Jaxon cuts in, interrupting Levka’s next words.

“Of course.” He releases my hand and gives us a stiff smile. “Enjoy the evening.”

He and Yuri glance at each other then continue walking down the hallway.

Jaxon waits until they’re out of earshot before pulling me closer. “Don’t ever be alone with either of them.”

I look around at him. “But they’re your cousins.”

“You hear me?”

“Yeah, I hear you.”

“If they touch you I’ll kill them.”

My eyes widen at the harshness in his words and his tone.

He looks back at them while walking on and I realize he’s as serious as he was the other night when he said he’d kill anyone who manhandled me.

“I’m guessing they’re not very nice,” I say, pulling his attention back to me.

“Not one bit. Don’t be fooled by their smiles and fake charm. They’re not the kind of people you want to know or be around.” His arm slips from my waist and he takes my hand instead, pulling me along.

Holding his hand feels closer in a different way. More like a couple and like the version of us I’m trying to run from.

God … why is this feeling harder and harder? Right when I have a choice.

The first night we met I would have run from him and never stopped. Shit, I ran from him before I even met him, so I should be glad that I now have a plan to break myself free of this madness.

Logic and reasoning are both there screaming at me, telling me that I can’t stay with Jaxon no matter how close we feel. But maybe my heart has warmed to him because he’s managed to unlock a part of me I never knew existed.

It’s a dangerous thought because I can’t trust him. Apart from Cora I can’t trust anyone but myself.

I glance at him and he looks at me, too. I look away and try to school my thoughts, reminding myself to play the game.

Jaxon leads me to one of the private rooms. Once we’re inside we meet a small group of people. Among them is a man in a wheelchair. The moment he looks at me I can tell straight away that he’s Jaxon’s father.

Most of the people smile on seeing us. He does not. There’s a coldness about him that I don’t think I’ve felt even from my father, who’s king of the Arctic.

Eve told me that Jaxon’s father has a brain tumor and that he only has months to live. I was glad she gave me some background so I’d know what to expect and how to act. I figured that maybe Jaxon told Eve to bring me up to speed on things I needed to know. So everything I don’t know yet must be stuff about his life he either didn’t want to share with me or didn’t think I needed to know. It’s also possible that he didn’t want to talk about certain things with me. I imagine that no matter how horrible his father was to him while he was growing up he can’t feel good knowing that his father has months to live.

Jaxon introduces me to everyone and his father barely acknowledges us. All he does is watch us while Eric talks enthusiastically about the wedding and Jaxon. You’d think he was his father from the pride with which he speaks.

Everyone is nice enough but it’s quite clear that Jaxon’s father’s attitude has dulled the mood.

I would be quick to think he didn’t like me if I didn’t know he was sick. Thankfully we don’t stay long. But when we leave I become very aware that I’m yet to see my father.

We take more pictures and speak to more people who approach us with their congratulatory wishes, two of whom are Cora and Joey. When Cora hugs me she holds me for just a little longer, giving me the support and strength I need. I soak it up but don’t miss the curious look Jaxon gives her.

At that moment my paranoia goes through the roof and I pray he doesn’t suspect anything. When they leave he starts talking about the rest of the evening, so my nerves subside.

The party almost feels like a party at one point, until I spot my father walking down the wide staircase of the lounge. In his black suit and with that dark aura surrounding his presence, he reminds me of the Grim Reaper.

Dad sees me looking at him straight away. I feel like he watched me through the walls before he walked in and knew exactly where to find me.

Jaxon and I are standing by the chocolate fountain. Jaxon is busy talking to a few people he introduced as work colleagues, so he hasn’t noticed my father yet.

As those evil, hawk eyes bore into me I recall last week’s encounter with Dad and how he hit me. Although I expected his rage and am used to his abusive ways, every time he gets like that it’s always hard. It never gets easier.

This is just the first time I’ve had someone stronger than he is to stop him.

I don’t want to speak to him but it’s going to look weird to the family and other people who know us if I don’t.

Not speaking to him would be the sort of thing to cause the kind of gossip I don’t need to bite me in the ass. I’m certain that by now people know Natasha is pregnant and has run off with our bodyguard. What will they say if they see that Salvatore De Costa’s youngest daughter refused to speak to him at her own engagement party?

But they don’t know how dangerous and evil my father is.

I don’t realize that I’m holding Jaxon’s hand again— and squeezing it—until he squeezes my hand back and looks at me with concern.

He takes one look at me and must read the fear in my eyes because he turns and sees my father taking his last step down the stairs.

Jaxon’s brows snap together and he leans close to whisper, “You don’t have to speak to him.”

He looks up so he’s gazing into my eyes. I swallow hard and try to breathe.

“I should.”

“No, you shouldn’t. He’s only here out of formality.”

“I know.” And I know I agreed for him to be here. After what happened he shouldn’t be anywhere near me but, once again, I’m trying to keep the peace. “It’s okay. He won’t do anything to me in front of all these people. And I think he may be scared of you.” Actually, I’m pretty sure about that part.

“I’m not leaving you with him.” Jaxon gives me a unyielding stare.

Just then my father approaches us and the people we were speaking to previously say their goodbyes.

“Good evening,” Dad says in a welcoming voice. As if nothing has happened between us.

“It was until you arrived,” Jaxon replies and the smile falls off Dad’s face.

“Surely we can put aside our differences to celebrate your engagement.”

I don’t know who Dad is trying to fool but it’s not me. He won’t fool Jaxon either with his foolishness.

“You’re here as a guest. That’s more than enough.”

“I agree. I was out of line when last we met.” He looks at me and gives me a fake-as-fuck smile. “Bella, I know you can forgive your dear father for the stress he’s under.”

“You want forgiveness?” My question is obviously rhetorical. My father would never want anything of the sort. Not even if he was lying on his deathbed and knew it would save his soul.

“Of course, my dear. I would never want to drive a wedge between us.”

I glance at Jaxon who is also not buying the bullshit my father is serving.

“What do you want, Salvatore? It sounds like you’re about to get on a soapbox,” Jaxon says, tilting his head and regarding him with the scrutiny of a lion.

“I’d like to speak to my daughter in private. Father to daughter.”

“Really? You think I’d allow that after last time?”

“Last time was a mistake that won’t happen again.”

“No.”

“Jaxon Bortsov, are you seriously going to speak for my daughter? I raised her to have a voice. There are things we need to talk about as family. Like her sister’s disappearance.”

My blood spikes when I think that he might have found Natasha. I need to know if he has. Even if he hasn’t I need to know what he’s planning.

Jaxon tightens his jaw. “I said?—”

“It’s okay, Jaxon,” I cut in, tugging on his hand.

Dad drops his gaze to our hands joined together at my side and his smile turns sour.

“Alright,” Jaxon rasps. “I’ll be right here, though. Remember what I said, Gabriella.”

Of all the people Jaxon has threatened to kill my father is the only one who I’ve felt no remorse for. “I remember.”

“Follow me, Gabriella.” Dad gestures for me to come forward but keeps his eyes on Jaxon.

Jaxon gives my hand a squeeze before I let him go. I move toward my father, glancing back at Jaxon over my shoulder. He gives me a reassuring nod and I feel assured that he’s there if I need him. What a complete juxtaposition that I felt safe with the Beast when I was with him.

Dad leads me out onto the balcony and we move to a spot where there aren’t any people around. I’m glad, though, that I can still see Jaxon in the hallway.

“Wow, you and he are really getting on, holding hands and all that shit,” Dad sneers.

“This is our engagement party.”

“I know when something is for show and when it is not. I guess it’s good for you that you’re falling for him.”

I don’t know which scares me more—the idea of falling for Jaxon or the fact that my father thinks I am.

“You don’t know me.”

“I do, my dear daughter, and I can tell you that the Beast will not be your savior. He's not the white knight you want him to be. He’s no different from me.”

His words cut through me like a laser. It was bad enough to think Jaxon was like my father. But to hear my father himself say it? It makes my insides feel like they’re being torn apart.

“Have you found Natasha?” I decide to change the subject but I hate the quiver in my voice and the devilish smile that spreads across Dad’s face.

“Not yet but my intel has informed me that she’s left the country and is somewhere in Europe.”

Oh no. Oh, Natasha.

A weight slams into my chest, leaving me feeling unsteady. My heart races, hammering against my ribs. If Dad knows she’s in Europe it’s going to be easier to find her. He has eyes in Europe.

I have no way to warn her. I tried to reply to the email she sent but it came back undelivered. I knew it wouldn’t work because she would have taken precautions to protect the message she sent. I just thought I’d try anyway.

“Cat suddenly got your tongue?” Dad smiles.

“No. I’m just wondering if you’d really be so evil as to kill your own grandchild and its father.”

“You already know the answer to that question. I’m a man who always needs to have a plan. You girls messed up my plans.”

“I don’t understand how I messed up your plans when I was supposed to marry Jaxon.”

“You are a fool if you think things aren’t a mess. When have I ever done anything and gotten nothing out of it?”

I give him a hard stare as realization dawns on me. I don’t know why I didn’t see it before but…I don’t think he wanted Jaxon to have me. He was so angry when I last saw him and talked about his plans being a mess then, too.

Was the marriage contract a decoy?

“Did you have someone else in mind to marry me?”

He gives me a taciturn smile. “Do you seriously believe I’m going to share my plans with you when you’re all cozy with the Beast? Tell me, what did it take for you to spread your legs for him?”

My mouth drops. “How dare you?”

“You are no different from your little whore of a sister, fucking around with scum. But mark my words I’m not done with either of you.” That’s what he wanted me to know. That he’s planning. Still planning.

“What are you going to do?”

“Let’s put it this way, if I find your sister in the next few weeks you have nothing to worry about until your next birthday. Rest assured, I always find a way”

He laughs and a dark tremor runs through me. Dad moves away, still laughing as if what he said was the most hilarious thing in the world.

He walks down the path and heads back into the hall. Jaxon walks toward me and touches my cheek.

“What happened?” he asks.

I’m so numb I can’t even think. What do I say to him? Dad didn’t exactly tell me much. He just said enough to scare me. I also can’t breathe a word about Natasha’s whereabouts to anyone, so I can’t tell him I’m worried Dad knows she’s in Europe.

“He was just his usual horrible self, threatening my sister and me.” My voice shakes from the tremor that’s still ravaging through my body.

Jaxon leans forward and cups my cheek. He brushes his thumb over the skin and stares down at me.

I can still see the foreboding, dominant man he is, but deep within his eyes is something softer that calls to me.

He leans in, moving toward my lips, and I move into him, too, stepping past the mental walls I built up to protect myself from him.

When our lips meet a rush of emotion floods me from head to toe.

Shivers erupt all over my body and a desperate need for more of what only he can give me washes over me.

Jaxon pulls away, out of the kiss, and stares at me with that wild hunger that instantly makes me wet. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Yes.” I’ve never agreed so quickly to anything he’s ever suggested before. But tonight I feel like I would do anything he wants me to.

Because he feels like the escape I crave.