Foreign

31

Havana

I screamed a laugh as Nikolai picked me up and span me around over his shoulders. He was spinning so fast both my flip flops flew off my feet.

"Nik!" I said, struggling to catch a breath through all my hard laughing. I squeezed his arm as he dropped us on the sand, letting me roll onto the sand. "You're such a dork." I said nudging him with my toe. He recoiled, slapping my foot hard.

I let out a loud laugh, "Ava Mia! You know I hate feet!" He said almost gagging. I pout playfully, sticking my foot up.

"My feet aren't ugly. See Niki, my toes are even painted." He glared at me playfully.

"Don't mess with me, Ava. I'll drown you in the sea." He said teasingly.

"Where's your boyfriend at?" Nikolai asked, swallowing all the food he just had shoved in his mouth seconds ago. We were eating a well deserved lunch together, we had spent nearly all our time at the beach.

"He said he had some work to deal with. What do you think of him? Do you like him?" I asked with an eager smile. I had someone, I had my brother and all I wanted for him to give me was some what of an approval. It sounded stupid but...he was my big brother. The only one I've ever loved. Who's ever loved me.

"No one is ever good enough for you, Mia." He said smiling at me, playfully pinching my chin. I let out a noise, pushing his hand away. He sighed shrugging his shoulders. "I don't know yet. I'll tell you when I get a solid answer, okay?" I nodded my head giving him a deflated smile.

"Ava," Nikolai groaned, noticing the look on my face. "What do you want me to say? You know I just met him Mia. It's been what? Three days?" He told me soothingly. I nodded my head understanding where he was coming from. "You almost done? Look at you so skinny. You're all tall and lanky." He teased squeezing my arm.

I pouted slapping his hand off of me. "Let's go!" I cheered, hopping off the chair and landing on my feet.

We walked around the city, Nikolai I had bought me an ice cream cone. I left like he was trying to make up for all these things he didn't do when I was little. "We have a have nephew." Nikolai says, I gawk at him.

"Really?" I asked breathlessly. Nikolai nodded his head with a smile.

"Yeah," He chuckles smiling fishing in his pockets for his phone. "Baron's boy. He's maybe going on seven. His names Seth." He shows me the picture of my nephew. He had to be the cutest thing I've ever seen. He had thick brown hair and a cute smile, a few teeth missing, and an adorable button nose.

"I love him...has Baron changed. Has any of them?" I whispered. Nikolai sighs and looks away, he shakes his head no.

Chills run down my body, "I left a few months after you did. I tried to find you, and I knew if I stayed there with them I would've ended up just like them. They all abuse their girlfriends. Heaths been arrested a few times, so has Xavier. But you know, dad gets them out of it. And through dads connections they all succeeded in becoming powerful men...I wouldn't be surprised if your boyfriend knows Xavier or Andre."

"Even if you have long legs, Ava, mine are longer. It's no competition-" I burst out in a sprint, cutting Nikolai's speech short. "Havana! You cheater!" He yells, I look behind me and let out a loud scream as I see him chasing me from behind. I fly to the left, using the corner wall as a long shot to boost my speed.

I slap the door of my hotel room first. Grinning up at Nikolai with a loss of breath. "First." He rolled his eyes. I jumped back as I heard a voice.

I looked back to my brother in a panic. "Let's go. Come on, hurry." I begged, grabbing his arm and trying to turn the other way. Nikolai laughed. Thinking I was messing around.

"What's wrong you little weirdo." He said laughing.

"And you're telling me she's not a whore? Look at her, frolicking with some boy behind your back." Nikolai turned around, a fierce look on his face. His eyes zoned in on Dante's mother.

"Who the fuck are you talking about lady?" Nikolai growled out, I looked away from the woman.

"Nikolai, just forget it-"

She scoffed. "So I see your entire family is as shameful as you! I am the mother of the engaged man that wench is having an affair with!" She shrieked.

Nikolai laughed, "Wow. This lady is bat shit crazy. Look, you've got the wrong girl. My sister would never do something like that. So I suggest you go on your way."

"Oh? She wouldn't? Why don't you look up her name. Go ahead." She laughed when Nikolai didn't. She pulled out her own phone and typed it in.

"Wait! Please-" She shut me down with a hateful look and handed my brother her phone. He squinted his eyes as he scanned through the phone. His face slowly dropping. He looked at me, the same way my classmates did. He shook his head handing the phone back.

"Nik," I sobbed as he turned and walked away from me. "Nikolai I can explain!" I scream out for him.

"Lowlifes like you don't deserve any type of clean slate. You are a sicking woman! You are tainting my son-"

"You don't know anything! I am in love with your son! I care for him more than anyone else! More than you-" She slapped me across the face.

"You dirty vile thing! How dare you-" Lola spat with outrage. Her rings and nails had made a mark from the impact.

"Lola!" I looked to see her husband, Jonatan Dante following him. He grabbed his wife and pulled her away from me. I stood up straight, "I'm terribly sorry, Miss Sanchez." I blinked away the tears. I shrugged my shoulders. I turned and slipped inside the hotel room. Locking the door.

It must've been early in the morning when I had slipped out of the hotel room. I traced my steps back to Nikolai's room. My hand trembled as I raised it to knock on the door. "Nik, please, please talk to me. Please." My voice cracks.

I flinched as the door swung open. My brother looked like he did in the past. Completely turned off in the world. No emotion flashing over his face. I creeped inside the room.

"You knew all along that he would be getting married?" He asked as we situated ourselves. I nod my head.

"But-"

"There is no but in this situation, Havana!" He boomed. I quickly shut up, tears dropping in my lap. "You've proved what father and the brothers thought of you! You proved me wrong! When I've always, always thought you'd be better!" I shake my head, sobbing.

"You have to believe me, Nikolai. I-it's an arranged marriage. The g-girl s-she has a g-girlfriend. All that s-stuff in the media is fake. I swear, Nikolai." I wailed.

Nikolai clenched his jaw and shook his head. "It's not a lie that you're his mistress, Havana. That's all you'll ever be now."