That Summer In The Country

Twenty-six:

Twenty-six:

He'd gotten her flowers. Maybe it was stupid. But he wanted to do this right, even if it was only for pretend. The company needed him to be dating Alina because Aleksander dating Alina was too messy. At least while she was still considered a student. Once she graduated, she was still too young, but she would be an adult in all the ways that mattered. When he got home, he knocked on her bedroom door, and was somehow unsurprised to find his brother standing there in Alina's room. Her hair was slightly mused, her face flushed.

He tilted his head to the side. "Blowjob?"

Aleksander smirked at him, then patted him on the shoulder. "It's only fair that I get to eat too, brother."

Alina blushed. "You two are terrible."

Aleksander kissed her on the cheek. "Yes, but that is why you want us around, remember? Have a wonderful evening, Kiska, and remember...anything you do, I get to know about."

Mal winked at his brother. "Naturally. It'll be a full-service meal. Private room."

He offered Alina his arm, and he took it. The two of them made their way down the stairs, out to the car. "So," he said as he drove them into the city, "I hear the internet likes you with Aleks."

Alina glanced at him. "How'd you hear that?"

"It's all over social. People keep on asking me when the wedding is," he admitted, "you did a good job, making the office feel more personal with your posts. Nadia says HR has gotten at least a dozen or so applications for interns, which will be great for next summer. Of course, the media wants to turn everything into a sex scandal though, and our competitors would love to destroy Aleksander with one. So, we've got to really sell that we're a couple."

"For the media, and my aunt," Alina reminded him.

He smirked. "Shit, almost completely forgot about that. Yeah, for the media and for your aunt. Well, no worries there, Lina. Aleks might not have practice at being the perfect boyfriend, but I've actually been in a normal relationship."

"What about Aleks?" she asked. "I know your long, complicated history. But surely there's got to be someone that he was with long term?"

He shrugged. "Aleksander isn't exactly an open book. I know he's dated a slew of models and would be actress types. If he wants a companion, he can get one. But he keeps to himself, mostly. Until we started sharing, that is. Now, I know everyone he does, and he knows everyone I do. It's easier."

"So you keep on saying," she said, "but did you see him tonight? He was a wreck...."

"He's a big boy, Lina. He can take care of himself. He runs one of the most important companies in the world. If he couldn't handle this, he would tell us. Besides, he knows what needs to be done. Scandals aren't good for companies. When a scandal happens, the stock plumets, board members lose faith and start to flee and you, my darling Lina, are a scandal waiting to happen."

She heaved a sigh. "Then why risk it?"

Mal glanced over at her. "Because Aleksander always gets what he wants. No matter what it means to other people. He knows that I want you. That I've always wanted you, for as long as we've known each other. But it would be too simple to let me have something for myself. Can't let the poor orphan take anything that he might want...and Aleksander wants you. Even though it might kill him to admit that, because it would mean admitting that he has feelings for a change. Don't worry. This will all sort itself out, you'll see. It won't be like this forever, you know."

"What makes you say that?" Alina asked.

"Well, because that's what always happens. Either Aleksander will find someone new for us, or you will. Something like what we have isn't meant for white picket fences and happily ever after, Lina. It's great for summer afternoons, you know, but anything else other then that? Its not sustainable."

"Do you really believe that?" she asked.

"I know that," he said bitterly, "I've seen it happen too many times. Zoya found someone willing to give her what she wanted, so did Nina. Aleksander is a man with unusual tastes. He's never going to want normal. As long as he's my brother, I'm never going to get that either."

"Is that what you want?" Alina asked.

He shrugged. "It doesn't matter. What I want has never mattered in that family, not for one second. I've always been the charity case, the son that was their burden, and not their joy. The only thing that matters is what my brother wants. If I want to keep my place in my family, I've got to do what he wants. That includes whatever ridiculous nonsense this thing is that we've got going on. If he decided he wanted you tomorrow, I'd have to give you up. No questions asked. At least if I still wanted to be part of this family."

"I don't see why it can't go on forever," Alina said, "I want to be with both of you, always. I think I always have, from the first time that I stayed here with my parents. The Morozova boys. You've both been the one thing I've wanted for as long as I could remember, Mal."

He reached out, and took her hand in his, kissing her knuckles. "And you'll have us both. But only for as long as he allows. It's Aleksander's world, Alina. And the rest of us just live here."