Once Upon A Lie

Fifty-six:

Fifty-six:

Leo had a strange fit of good humor and let Alina go to the hospital with Mal. On the way there, Alina called Genya from the ambulance. She met her there. Mal's shoulder was broken so they had to put it back in place. She and Genya sat in the waiting room together.

"What happened?" Genya asked.

"He was trying to save me," Alina replied, "he climbed up my trellis and was trying to get me out. I'm sorry."

Genya sighed. "I should have known that he was going to try and save you. He's got a little bit of a hero complex; in case you haven't noticed."

Alina smiled softly. "I noticed."

"He told you the truth then? About us being here?" Genya asked.

She nodded. "Yeah. Nina mentioned that he'd been here longer, and it kind of freaked me out. He told me about the pictures, too."

"I'm sorry about that," said Genya.

Alina glanced at the girl. "Were you part of it? I mean, aside from knowing that he was working with Nikolai. Did you know about the pictures and everything?"

Genya shook her head. "I knew he came here, but he told me in the beginning that he came here because he was trying to make things right with Nikolai. And because he couldn't stomach being in Ketterdam anymore. Everyone knew who he was, even though the Lantsov's tried to keep the truth about Vasily's death out of the press. I think Nikolai was just angry and hurt so he decided to use Mal to whatever end he needed."

"How...how badly did Vasily hurt you? Because there were rumors about some of the things he did to other girls. You don't have to tell me if you don't want. I just...."

The redheaded girl smiled softly at her. "It was grabbing, more than anything else. He grabbed me too hard and wouldn't let go. Mal and me, with our mom, haven't had the best childhood. She's had a lot of men going in and out of her life. So, things get...messy. Mal's had to interfere on our behalf more than once. I think that's why he fights because he's always worried about us. The fights help him keep his skills up, and so if something happens, he won't be caught off guard."

Alina sighed. "You're brothers nice. Far too nice to like someone like me."

"I think he sees a little of me and mom in you," said Genya, "someone he can save."

She frowned. "I don't know how I feel about that."

"Oh, it's not a bad thing. Mal knows I could take care of myself if I needed to. It just means that he cares about you."

Alina blushed. She thought of the day that the two of them had spent together. When they went to the river and swam, they'd kissed. Mal's kisses were completely different from Aleksander's. When Aleksander kissed her, it was like he was drinking her in. Like he was worried that he might break her.

When Mal kissed her, there was no hesitation. He went for it.

It was wrong to compare the two. They were completely different guys. But Mal was the first boy that had liked her just because. Not because of her money or family obligation. For Alina, there was something special about that.

And it made her heartache to think that she would hurt him. Because in the end, even with Nikolai trying to make her his, she knew one way or another it would be Aleksander that she ended up with.