Regency Romance: The Rake's Fake Marriage (Historical Arranged Marriage Romance) (19th Century Victorian Romance) (31 page)

The Russian’s Secret Love Child – Brandy’s Story

A BWWM Billionnaire Romance

I nervously toyed with the small porcelain mask I
was given
.  The silver along the edge was starting to come loose from my handling it, and the plumage that jutted from the top
was
beginning to bend slightly.  Still, I felt that nobody would notice the small wear and tear at the masquerade party.

My driver wasn’t particularly chatty, which was probably for the best, as my Russian was still a little rusty.  So, I took out my phone again and checked the time.  It was just a little past eight in the evening.  The night air slipping through the slightly-open window was crisp and refreshing, and it helped me
clear
my head a little.

The car turned down a
driveway,
and we passed a pair of ornate iron gates.  We came to a full
stop,
and
a pair
of well-dressed and muscular men approached the window.

“Invitation,” they ordered.

I pulled the glossy paper
invitation
from my clutch purse and held it up. 

The talkative of the two men snatched it and examined it for a moment before passing it back. 

“Enjoy your evening,” he said.

I nervously rolled the window up and affixed the mask to my face.  I
really
doubted that it would hide my real identity.  My gown for the evening left little to the imagination, and the mask wouldn’t hide my dark skin. 

As we continued to drive, the estate came into view.  It was possibly the largest house I’d ever laid
eyes on
.  It may as well have
been called
a castle, as the brickwork alone made it appear to be so.  Massive windows stared at anything that dared pass their gaze, and it felt like it wasn’t just the windows doing the staring.  Lights erupted from the house as though a beacon, both warning and inviting travelers.   Guests walked to and
fro,
drinks in hand and masks planted on their faces, making merry around the looming castle of a house.

We came to a
stop,
and my door was tugged open by a well-dressed attendant whom also wore a mask.  He provided me a hand and assisted me from the car.  My heart began to beat a little harder as my nerves continued to surmount.  I inhaled deeply and exhaled, pushing back the nerves for another moment.  I had been in situations like this before and wasn’t about to lose my composure.

I strolled up the red carpet leading into the manor with
an aloof
gaze and curious mind.  I had been to gala’s and gallery openings, but this was something to behold.

People danced and drank without a care, I couldn’t say I
really
recognized anyone, but that feeling was quite liberating.  I wanted to commence my
own
drinking, but my situation held me back.

“I see you’ve arrived fashionably late,” said a man’s voice from behind.

I recognized the voice quite
easily
as Viktor’s, the man who was kind enough to send me the invite and the mask. 

“A girl needs to look her best for these sorts of things,” I replied.  I began to turn but his arms caught me and held me in place.

“You needn’t have worked so hard, knowing what’s under that dress would make any man weep with joy.”

“Yes, but I find it best to wear clothing when I’m still easily recognized,” I replied. 

“I need to speak
with
you in private,” he said. “Follow me to my study.”

I nodded.  He released me and pushed his way through the opulent crowd while I followed.  As we made our
way,
I couldn’t help but get the feeling that I was
being watched
.  I looked
about,
and nothing seemed
completely
out of place, considering the party, except I noticed one person standing near the library with a drink in hand that tried his best
not to make
eye contact.

I didn’t have much time to think about the stranger as I was
being shoved
into a small office room that opened beneath the entry stairs.  Viktor closed the door and twisted the key.

The room was surprisingly quiet and very cozy.  A desk sat in the middle of the room with a high-backed leather chair protruding from behind.  In front of the desk stood two smaller leather chairs.  The wood paneling adorned the
walls,
and rich green carpet stained the floor. 

Viktor dropped the key and bent down to kiss me deeply.  I craned my neck to reach him, standing on my tip-toes as I did.  His lean muscular arms grasped me tight as I melted into them.

He massaged his arm down my
bare-backed
dress,
but I stopped him before he could go any lower. 

“I’m here to talk, and it’s rather important,” I said.

“I have much to say to you as well, have a seat.”

I sat
myself
in the smaller of the chairs; Viktor walked to a nearby decanter and poured himself a glass of Cognac before sitting himself next to me.

“I hope you like the party, it was the only way I could think to get you here without pretenses,” he started.

“You are having this party because you couldn’t just invite me to come over?” I asked. 

“Yes.  I have too many people watching my home right
now,
and it’s important that I speak
with
you as soon as possible.”

I sighed, slumping into my chair and getting a little more comfortable.  My nerves were back, and
this time,
it wasn’t about being the only
dark-skinned
woman at a party. 

“There are a lot of people that don’t like me,” he said, “and many of them would stop at nothing to get revenge in any way they can.  I want you to know this.  I cherish our time together, and I need to keep you safe.”

“Viktor,” I said.

“Yes?” he asked.

“Before you continue, I need to tell you something …”

I stood back up and began pacing near the door.

“Last month, after you bought that painting from the gallery, we slept together.” 

He smiled, appearing to remember fondly the night we gave in to our passions.

“Well, I visited a
doctor,
and
I
found out that I’m pregnant.  You’re the only person I’ve been with in quite a long
time,
and I know you’re the only one who could be the father.  I want to carry this baby to term.”

Viktor’s smile faded, but only a little.  I started shaking, fearing the worst was in store for me.  I waited for him to yell and me, and throw me from the building, but it never came. 
Instead,
he just took me by the hand until I stopped shaking before answering.

“I would love to be the father
to
your child.  But, this is very distressing for me.”

I nodded, assuming that he just thought I was telling him so that he would offer me money, but I so wished that he wouldn’t.

“Now I have two people that I must look after.”

He guzzled the last of the cognac in the glass and walked over to pour himself another.  He turned to offer me a drink, then realized, shaking his head that I would surely turn it down.

“I have received a few warning calls this past week.  There is a man that I used to work with, Anton.  He’s dangerous and will stop at nothing to take his anger out on me.”

He returned to his seat, and I to mine.  He leaned close to me and kissed my cheek. 

“Brandy, he may try to kill me.”

I couldn’t believe the words I was hearing.  It was at that moment that I wanted a drink quite badly.

  “Why is he trying to kill you,” I asked.

He let out a sigh.

“I suppose now is as good a time as any to tell you,” Viktor stood up and went to his desk.  From the top
drawer,
he produced a small wallet and handed it to me. 

Inside the wallet was a hunk of bronze in the shape of a shield with a sword stabbing through the top. 
A familiar
hammer and sickle displayed prominently in the middle.  The markings and text were
unfamiliar
.

“That’s my badge
from
the former secret service.  Anton was my partner,” he said.

I returned the
badge
and attempted to make sense of everything I had just heard.

“You didn’t answer my question,” I replied
through
a creaky voice.

Viktor flashed a smile.

“Ah,
clever
girl,” he said. “You’re right, I haven’t answered.”

He took the seat next to me again.

“You
see,
when Anton and I were coming up in the service he wanted more power.  The more he grasped for it, the more it slipped through his fingers.”

“I don’t understand,” I said.

“He took bribes, loaned his services out for favors, and even kidnapped public officials.  He’s dirty.”

I thought for a moment. “Wait, you stayed his partner while knowing all this?”

“I’ve done some things I’m not entirely proud of
to
keep my country safe.  For doing
so,
I have been rewarded with great success.”

A shock of horror crept upon the back of my mind as I tried to understand the man before me.  I had only known him for the last few months when he would come into my gallery and buy pieces for his
own
collection.  To imagine the sweet man that I met as a thug and a gangster was becoming unbearable. 

I stood up and walked to the door, unthinkingly.  It
was still locked
.  I felt Viktor’s arms around me
again,
and I lingered for a moment. 

“Where’s the key?”

He didn’t appear to be in a talking mood, but I wasn’t in the mood for intimacy.  I pushed him off and searched around for the key, which I spotted on the floor.

“Don’t go.”

I looked him in the eyes as he begged me to stay.  It was
a soulful
look, a look of longing, and it was difficult to say goodbye.

“
Goodbye,
Viktor.”

I twisted the key in the lock, while replacing my mask, and made quickly for the front door.  I could hear Viktor coming from
behind,
but he was too late. 

I pulled myself into the car I had arrived in, which wasn’t too far from the entrance, and my driver knew I was ready to leave. 

I removed my mask and turned to
Viktor,
who stood at the end of the red carpet, in an attempt to get my attention. 

I couldn’t tell if it was my imagination or not, but I could make out the appearance of the same masked man from before, this
time,
it seemed he was staring at my car.  If I weren’t in such a foul
mood,
I
might
have found myself more than a little unnerved.

My phone began buzzing before I reached the end of the driveway, it was Viktor calling me.  I couldn’t think
of anything
he could say that might calm me down right now.  I’m not a person who gets involved with gangsters, but now that I had
was
it
really
so bad?

Viktor was still a good man, in my eyes.  I had never seen him treat anyone with disrespect, and that included the few times I met his personal driver. 

The odd part of the night was that I couldn’t help but find his new persona, the dangerous and
wild
gangster, as a serious turn on.  I could feel my chest grow heavier as I thought about it more, and my brain was alight with possibility.  I slept with a
gangster,
and I was having his baby.

I tried my best to think of something else, but the more I denied myself the pleasure, the stronger it became.  I could feel myself becoming more aroused by the second.  The yearning I had for his touch took over my hands, giving them a mind of their own as they caressed my gentle curves.

I
was snapped
from my fantasy by the car coming to a stop in front of my apartment.  The driver was already walking around to my door, so I tried my best to hide my excitement.

I have a suspicion that he knew what was on my mind, considering the cheeky smile that seemed plastered on his face.  My cheeks were flush with embarrassment as I
half
sprinted up the stairs toward my room.