Faithful

Chapter Twenty Four

Three Weeks Later

"Annabelle, please give me an idea of what the dress is going to be like," Viktor practically begged, "I'm dying to know what it's going to be like." I shook my head from my desk. "No chance Mr Petrov!" I teased. He pouted slightly, I never noticed how impatient this guy was. "Just when exactly are we getting married, you've still not given me a date and you can't literally just wake up one morning and say hey let's just tie the knot today!" I laughed. I'm pretty sure that's what he wants to do. "Let me think about it," he sighed. He has no idea, all he knows is he wants to get married.

It's late August. We have about six months to go until Eric begins with his petty war and a wedding that is just somehow going to slot itself in between it... which will only drive him to forget his deal and start it. I sighed at my desk and banged my head on the table a couple of times before saying, "what's the plan for today then?" He gave me a smirk which meant something not good. "We're having a huge meeting," he laughed.

"And who is attending this meeting?" I asked, wondering what he was up to. "Moretti and his alliances, our alliances and then the Stepanov's," he chuckled. Not good... "are you by any chance TRYING TO KILL ME?!?" I screamed. God how the hell am I going to marry this man if he drives me round the bend! "Just where exactly are we going to fit all these people in here?" I sighed. "We're holding it in the ball room giving us lots of space to... discuss our options," he explained. So basically he's having a brawl.

"When is this battle Royale going to take place my dear Fiancé?" I questioned in a teasing manner which he smirked to once again. Ivan walked in and said, "all of your guests are present." Viktor proudly got up from his chair and walked towards the door. Well this is going to be fun I must say. I walked with him towards his magnificent ball room... he's totally just using that room to show off. I didn't walk in straight away, I just listened to the crowd shut up as Viktor walked in.

"Just where is she Petrov?" Josh hissed. Well he sounds happy. I heard Viktor just laugh at him and then call out, "Annabelle." I walked into the room to be taken over by the sight of a crowd of lots of Mafia men and a few women. "Annabelle!" A load of them cheered especially Eric and Josh but I ignored them and ran over to my two favourite people in the room. "Josie, Nonna," I cried with happiness and went in for a big hug with them both. "How have you been my dear?" Josie asked in French. "You've gotten so thin... they've not been feeding you enough pasta!" Nonna told me. I just laughed with a smile and took turns changing the language to say that I was fine and I've been eating plenty.

"And where is our hugs?" Hugo questioned. I ran over to the boys and gave them all a hug. "How you lot doing?" I asked, "got any wives yet?" Then I spotted Antonio. "Antonio, Luca!" I sang, "how've to been?" And then I spotted her.... "Well look what the cat dragged in," Valentina hissed. "Nice to see you too bitch," I laughed. "He will be mine," she laughed haughtily. I pretended to yawn and placed my left hand over my mouth. "What is that..." she barked. "Oh it's just my engagement ring... I've been having soooo much fun planning our wedding," I giggled childishly.

"YOU BITCH!" She screamed. I was quick to grab my gun from my gun strap attached to my thigh and point it to her head. "You won't do it," she hissed. I laughed, "do you wanna bet?" I felt a firm grasp on my shoulder. "Don't... now's not the time to be killing our allies," Viktor whispered in my ear. I sighed and put the gun down. She laughed... big mistake. I shot her in the leg causing her to scream. Viktor frowned. "What... I didn't kill her," I smiled innocently.

The entire left side of the room where our lot were burst into laughter. Even her own brother laughed. I walked over to the door and pressed the buzzer, Ivan walked in. "Could you please get the doctor, it's seems the young lady has had an accident," I said blankly which made him have a faint smile. "Baby doll... come back to me," Joshua purred. "You had your chance Josh, but when I had amnesia instead of being straight with me you lied," I hissed, "you told me I had no family... you said I was already engaged to you."

"You said you loved me," he whispered. "I had just woken up after a substantial amount of blood loss and you messed with my head," I argued. He looked angry. "I'm not going to give up on you Annabelle," he exhorted, "you said you loved me once and you'll say it again... I'll make you scream my name again like you did in the shower." I felt the glares of a few angry men. I looked to see Eric, Alexei and his men standing in the middle between everyone. "How's your leg Alexei?" I said with a smile, ignoring Viktor's, Eric's and Josh's brutal staring competition.

"It's healed nicely, you've got a knack for shooting people in the leg," he chuckled. "Oh I was just repaying the time you shot me in my leg... you got it easy, I had to have loads of injections because no body bothered to clean it and dress it properly and it began to get infected," I sighed, "we even now?" He smiled and nodded. "Nice to see you too Eric," I said bluntly, "and how are you today?" He smiled and walked towards me, taking my hand and giving it a kiss. "All the better now I've seen you, two more months and I'll have you in my arms," he cooed.

"Wait... two more months, I thought the deal was a year?" I questioned, "Viktor..." He gave a smug grin. "You guys are fucking ridiculous," I snarled, "I've officially had enough, that's it... I'm done with the lot of you!" They all stood their kind of confused for a minute. "Annabelle, what do you mean by you're done?" Viktor asked. I laughed. "You want to know what I mean?" I shouted, "This is what I mean!" I took the ring off my finger and threw it at him. "I am done with the lot of you... you know what Valentina you can have Viktor, Eric go find someone else and Josh go the fuck back to Italy!" I exploded and was about to leave the room before a load of men got in front of me and stood in front of the door.

"You are not going anyway Annabelle!" Viktor screamed, "wherever you go we will find you and bring you back!" I turned around to face him. "Not if I go by myself, not contact anyone and work doing what I'm best at," I sighed. "Which is?" A man I've never met before stood near Josh chuckled. "Kill people and not give a single fuck about anyone or anything," I said looking over to him, "move your men guys, I'll be out of your way soon, no longer causing any of you headaches."

"You can't possibly think that Annabelle," Eric sighed, "you need to stay somewhere with consistency to keep you well." I looked at the three men fighting to have me and muttered, "you call this consistent?" I walked over to the door to see if the men will let me through, they weren't budging. I felt a few tears drip down my face. "Annabelle do you actually want to leave... truly?" Viktor asked. I shook my head, I didn't actually want to go I was just tired of all of this. He came over to me and lifted me into his arms. "Come on you, you've gotten over tired again," he whispered, "coffee or tea?" I sniffled, "tea... tea fixes everything."

"Spoken like a true Brit," he chuckled. He sat me of a chaise longue and Ivan came along with my tea. "Thank you," I sighed, "I think all this kidnapping and running away has took its toll." Viktor sat down next to me as I stared into my tea cup. Dr Sokolov walked in, completely ignored Valentina on the floor nursing her leg and came straight to me after noticing me in my own little world as my tears dried. "You men are going to have to come to some form of agreement and soon, she's only just come off her antidepressants and all of this is not helping her remain positive," he explained trying to get me to look up at him.

"Annabelle... would you take one of your meds if I offered you one?" He asked. I shook my head. Viktor groaned, "Annabelle, maybe it's for the best... it's around about your nap time anyway so please." I shook my head again and drank my tea. "I don't need them anymore and I don't want them," I replied and took a sip of my tea, "see I'm absolutely fine." I felt Viktor's fingers on my cheeks. "Then why are you crying kitten?" He whispered. I looked up to him and shrugged my shoulders with a meek smile. He took my tea and lied me down, taking off his suit jacket and placing it over me. "Get some sleep," he whispered. I did as I was told.