The Russian Fighter (Mafia Men #1)

A Crossroad Of Two Halves

Chapter 8

Edited

I caught up with Erik outside the parking lot covered in sweat and dirt. He jogged over to me and removed his helmet no longer wearing his gear, but a pair of gym shorts and a gray T-shirt.

"Did you like the game?"

"You looked great out there," I said, not telling him about my encounter with Arina. "I think all your screaming fans want to take you home after this."

He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my head. He was doing that a lot lately. Mostly since around the time I called him on his trip to Paris.

A thundercloud swept the field and the clouds began to pour. The rain came in droplets, barely a sprinkle that peppered my hair and dampened them to a wild curl.

I pulled back to peer up at him as he said, "You're the only one I want to go home with. But first we have a party to get to."

"What party?" I asked as the parking lot filled with both halves of the schools.

He raised his voice and put a fist in the air. "After party at my place!"

The crowds hollered in excitement while the team headed out the school domain with Nina's squad waving their pompoms. I followed slowly behind thinking about what Arina said. She made me question my relationship with Erik. He was adored by everyone, a jock with popularity and money and good looks.

And me? Well who could ever love the real me? I'm a poor girl under the payroll of the biggest mafia boss trying to support ten people.

I imagine if he saw how I lived, he'd laugh at me. I would too.

Who was I kidding? I didn't belong in their world.

Maksimillian might be intrigued now, but there was only a matter of time when he'd change his mind. I was a girl with dreams, but no bridge to help me achieve them. My lifestyle was like poison. I didn't want to infect him too. Or Aleks.

"You alright, little one?" Aleksandr cut from his friends as they were passing.

"I'm fine," I lied and watched the cheer and football team gather in several parked, yellow buses. "Go. I'll meet you guys back at the school."

"You sure?" He didn't sound convinced.

I nodded as a yellow and blue cab pulled up to the shoulder of the sidewalk. "Already called a taxi."

As his silhouette proceeded into the rows I couldn't help the guilt that was starting to gnaw at me. Mentally cursing myself I slid into the cab, throwing out the address of my school. I got there before anyone else, and waited in the parking lot after being dropped off in the front of Venice High.

The air was getting colder. I shivered in my tight, short dress and worked frequently to fire up my skin with my hands, striking up a slight warmth inside my blood as the sky darkened, and the stars came out to shine down on the world as bright as the moon. The rain had cleared, but I had a feeling the weather would get worse later tonight and return.

I was in the middle of singing to myself when my phone rang. "Mikhail?"

"What the hell happened?" He started, tone edged with concern. "We thought Boris may have killed you!"