Roses & Ruin

Chapter 62 (Lexi)

         I was sitting cross legged on the living room floor of Vitaly's house, eating a happy meal from McDonald's when the man himself walked in. Not Ronald Mcdonald. Vitaly. He gave me a scowl that leaned more towards disgust than anger. 

"I have a $4,000 sofa and you're sitting on the ground...eating that" he waved to the red box and the toy still wrapped in its plastic. "Is it the toy you want?" I asked him. I don't mean to piss him off, I don't, but he's just such a miserable man that it's just inevitable. He hates my personality, so what can I do?

        "Aleksandra, you are to be a wife in the coming months. You think this is how you should present yourself to your husband?" He asked me. I had a fry halfway into my mouth when he asked that and I had to pull it back out to say my piece. 

"Sexist. If you don't understand that word in English, look it up in the Russian dictionary. I'm sure your study has one" I told him. He bit his tongue, which I learned is his way of saying your one comment away from a back hander.

        "You think this isn't happening. I can see it within this ease you still carry. You think you're going to get out of this contract. You won't be Aleksandra, so prepare yourself. You could do a lot worse than a handsome and rich Italian man. You should be thanking me, not mocking me" he spat. Don't laugh Lexi. Don't laugh.

"Thank you otets, for selling your eldest daughter to a handsome rich Italian" I saluted him. When I saw his face flush red I knew it's because his blood pressure just skyrocketed.

"Aleksandra! You provoke me to no end!! Don't make me lay a hand on you, but so help me god you are testing my patience" he came forward quickly, which made me crawl backwards to be out of his grasp. He didn't touch me, but he towered me and those thick fists were closed tight and shaking like restraint was barely there.

        Aside from that smack he gave me once not too long ago he'd never struck me before. I don't remember him doing so when I was a little kid, and as a teenager when I reunited with them he hadn't gone there with me either. 

The tension has grown as the years have passed. I slowly learned all the reasons why my mom wanted me away from them. His coldness reached me. No fatherly affection.

Maybe I could say it's partly my fault. That maybe since I didn't grow up with him that he too feels I am a stranger to him, and therefore its hard to bond with me, but fuck that. I'm not taking on his blame.

        When Vitaly charged at me and I scrambled back I hopped to my feet to be sure to get away if I needed to. All at the same moment I heard someone clear their throat. We both snapped our heads in the direction of the sound. 

Andrei was leaning into the door frame with a lifted brow and a smirk. "Problem here?" He asked us. Vitaly started cursing under his breath and turned in the direction of walking out.

"Set her straight" was all my father said to Andrei as he walked past. 

When he left the room my brother looked over at me. I retook my seat and grabbed a new fry. Andrei walked over until he was just above me. He pointed a mock scolding finger at me and said, "You heard father, I'm here to set you straight. Give me a fry or else."

I shook my head but held a fry up. He leaned down and snatched it between his teeth. 

        "Have you been having fun playing mobster with your new Italian friends?" I asked him to break through the silence. He grinned like a Cheshire cat. "Oh yes, I've become quite a valuable asset, you know."

"Oh yeah? Why's that?" I asked, but sarcastically. I didn't believe him. He's as sarcastic as I am. "Because I cracked an undercover operation and murdered several of their enemies all in one truck drive" he told me. Truck drive? I didn't ask.