Chapter Text
I checked the time on my watch, wiped down the last two tables and then ran behind the bar. I slipped my apron over my head and hung it on the wall. “I’m clocking out!” I yelled over the sound of dishes and voices to my manager.
Sydney waved her hand at me, not turning from the till at the bar, “Thanks, Rose.”
Glancing at my watch again, I rushed to the back to change. I had ten minutes to get across the campus and into class. I didn’t want to have another stern lecture from Stan about being late. Never mind that other students also showed up late; he just had a vendetta against me.
Rather than change out of the dress pants and white button-up, I threw on my boots and leather jacket. With my bag in hand, I ran.
Luckily it was downhill, but I was still out of breath by the time I reached the building, sliding into the elevator as the doors closed. I bent over with my hands on my knees as I tried to catch my breath. I didn’t want to look like a complete mess when I arrived at class.
“Running late again?”
I jumped, straightening up instantly at the deep tone of that voice. Of course, it was him. I ran a hand over the top of my hair, brushing back the flyaways. “Yep,” I replied, trying to act nonchalant.
Dimitri towered over me in his usual duster and jeans, always dressed relaxed but pleasant. The air had started to chill in the afternoons as autumn approached; the leather duster was sensible considering we finished class at six p.m. Except he had worn it every day since August.
I eyed the motorbike helmet he held. Despite the many times I had seen him riding it, it still turned me on. Dimitri was everything my mother hated. With a mysterious air about him, he just screamed danger and it appealed to me.
I knew a lot of people saw him as a troublemaker. Word around the campus was that he put his own father in the hospital when he was a teenager. And after he was almost expelled for beating up another student at a frat party, everyone kept a distance from him.
But there was so much more to Dimitri. I watched how dedicated he was in class; while most of us were yawning through Stan’s class, Dimitri took notes and answered the questions none of us wanted to. The few times he showed up at the restaurant I worked at, he was always polite and easy-going.
“Aren’t you normally in there by now? Sitting at the front with your pencils all lined up?” I teased. Our conversations were always fleeting, but I enjoyed them.
The corner of his lips quirked up. “Small family emergency.”
“Oh,” I paused, fumbling for a response. “I hope everything's okay.”
“It’s fine, Roza.”
My body flushed as he all but purred my name, his accent wrapped around it like honey, and god, I wanted to hear him say it again. I didn’t get a chance to respond.
The doors to the elevator opened and he held a hand out for me to exit first. I tried to keep my expression blank, and not give away that I was wondering what it would sound like if he was whispering my name in my ear. Preferably somewhere private, and with a door that locked.
Entering the lecture hall, Dimitri took his usual spot in the front row and I chose the middle row, slouching in my chair and hoping Stan wouldn’t pick on me for the next two hours. It never made sense to me why Dimitri chose the front, he definitely didn’t need it to be able to see over people’s heads.
It was bad, but I spent most of the class watching Dimitri rather than paying attention. I couldn’t be sure, but I swore he knew, angling his head to glance over his shoulder occasionally.
Dimitri was forbidden fruit and I wanted a bite.
Lissa was already waiting in the parking lot in her yellow VW bug, fixing her lipstick. I opened the passenger door, pausing when I heard the sound of a motorbike revving. I watched Dimitri take off, giving me a nod when he passed.
My heart fluttered in my chest as I dropped into Lissa’s car with a sigh. “Guys and motorbikes. I love them.”
Lissa giggled, well aware of my crush. “You know, you could just ask him out.”
I scoffed, unbuttoning my shirt to change into clothes for tonight. “Yes, the super hot Russian would totally date me,” I replied sarcastically. Lissa shook her head at me.
“Maybe if you tell him you’re rich, he will,” she joked with a laugh.
I rolled my eyes, kicking off my boots and shimming out of the dress pants. It was Friday night, which meant dinner with my parents, so I needed to look presentable. I hated sitting through it, especially when my mother was in a mood, so I brought Lissa along as backup.
The dress was more conservative than I normally wore, and I would rather have my boots instead of the heels I slipped on. There was an expectation with my parents, for what I wore and how I acted—just as there was for who I dated.
My father was a millionaire after all.
A business he built himself when he was young. I never found out what exactly he started off doing, but after meeting my mother, it all became legitimate and they both lived the high life while staying out of scandals, and the same was expected of me.
“You know they are going to ask about the party,” Lissa pointed out, making me scowl.
“I’m not taking anyone to that thing.”
Lissa pouted. “But what if you find your soulmate? Christian and I are doing it this year,” she tried to encourage me, a giddy smile on her face.
I hated soulmates, and I hated that it was turned into a big party. The story we all got told was that everyone had a soulmate, some multiple. It wasn’t so much that we were destined to be, but that your souls resonated enough that you could be together forever and be happy. I called bullshit.
Each year, when the seasons changed from summer to autumn, one of the families in our circle would host a Soulmate Ceremony which was basically a large party where people would force their kids to pair up with someone from another well-off family in hopes that they could bring the families together. This year, my family was hosting it.
I turned and gave her a firm look. “I’m not taking anyone. And that’s final.”
“So, have you found a date for the party yet?” Janine arched her eyebrow, eyeing me from across the table. Lissa took a sip from her glass of wine and shot me a look, her eyes screaming I told you so.
I pressed my lips together, pushing the food around my plate. “I’m still thinking about it,” I replied, hoping it would be enough to stop the questions.
It was not.
“Why not? It’s a week away?”
I dropped my fork, knowing this would take a while. “I’m deciding okay.”
“If you can’t decide, Galina said Nathan is still interested in taking you,” Janine offered. It took everything I had not to groan out loud.
Nathan had been following me around for the last two years, hinting that we would make a good couple, even boasting about it to my parents. I was honestly an inch away from punching him in the face if he tried to grab my ass again.
My mother shook her head, looking at my father that sat back in his chair, a glass of brandy cradled in his fingers. When he didn’t offer any help, she sighed in frustration. “Nathan is a good man, and you could do worse. You can’t be the only one attending without a partner. Especially when we are hosting!”
“I went alone last year. Why is it any different this year!”
“Because,” she started in a serious voice, “you are an adult now. You need to start thinking about the future. And Nathan–”
“I already asked someone!” I shouted, cutting my mother off. Three sets of eyes snapped to me, in various states of surprise.
“Who?” Lissa asked, genuinely shocked. She knew I hadn’t asked anyone, and now I had to make it up.
Shit.
My father grinned, perking up in his seat. “Yes, Rose. Who did you ask? Do we know them?”
My fingers bunched up the napkin in my lap, fiddling with it. “No, you don’t know them.” I was stalling for time, desperately thinking of someone I could use in the lie.
“Where did you meet them?” Janine pushed.
“I met them in class. They’re another student.” My eyes flicked to Lissa. I didn’t know who I could say, yet for a split second, the image of a tall man in a duster flashed in my mind. “Dimitri.” The name slipped from my mouth before I could stop it. My cheeks flushed and Lissa choked on her drink.
“Dimitri?” Abe asked, tilting his head to the side. “No last name?”
“I–” Crap, I was going to get caught two words into my own lie. “Umm… It’s Russian. I always forget how to pronounce it.”
“You are dating this man?” Janine questioned, her expressions switching between being glad I had a date and annoyed that I had a fake boyfriend she didn’t know about. Her eyes moved to Lissa, asking, “Have you met Dimitri?”
I silently pleaded for Lissa to go along with it. Slowly, she nodded her head, “I’ve met him in passing. He seems nice.” It wasn’t the best, but I was going to take it.
“He’s in my Behavioural class. He’s nice,” I added, building onto Lissa’s lie. “It’s still new.” I wanted to cringe at my own words. Why was I even doing this? Next weekend was going to come by and they would know it was a lie when I showed up alone.
“Well, that sounds splendid. We look forward to meeting him,” my father cheered, tipping his cup towards me and then taking a sip. I forced a fake smile, nails digging into my palms under the table.
What the fuck was I going to do?
I took a breath, trying to psych myself up for what I was about to do.
Originally, I was going to make up another lie to go with my first one, that Dimitri couldn’t make it, then we would have broken up and our fake relationship would be forgotten.
But then my mother spoke to her friends, and they spoke with their friends, and now I was getting messages from people saying they were looking forward to meeting my mysterious new man.
It didn’t help that towards the end of dinner, and after a glass of wine, I was more loose-lipped about my fake relationship with the very tall, smart and handsome classmate of mine.
My plan of quietly ignoring it would be impossible now, which left me one option—I had to ask Dimitri to the party.
Our class was scheduled twice a week on Wednesday and Friday afternoons. I spent the day psyching myself up on Wednesday only to completely chicken out. I walked up to him, and then turned around and hid in the back row.
Now it was Friday and the party was tomorrow night. Maybe I would be lucky enough that this would be too last minute and he had work. Yeah, that would be good. No one could fault me or him if he had work. My parents would like him more if he was a man dedicated to his work.
No!
This was all fake! I wanted to slap myself.
“You’re early today,” a voice greeted me. I jump, spinning around to find piercing brown eyes looking down at me in amusement. After a moment of silence, Dimitri tilted his head, “Are you going in?”
In my panicked state, I stopped in front of the doors to the class and did not move. I forced a smile, stepping to the side, arm stretched out behind me for the door. Dimitri reached for it at the same time, leaning in closer to me to hold the door open.
My face flushed, noticing just how close we were. I could smell his scent—pine and leather.
His lips quirked up, “After you.”
I wanted to melt to the ground. I wasn’t used to a guy having this kind of effect on me, especially when saying something so innocent. He could read me the grocery list and I would be putty in his hands. Normally, I was the one making boys forget how to speak with a saucy smirk and a wink.
Dimitri walked calmly behind me, and I was so focused on it that I ended up walking straight to the front of the room and sitting in the chair next to his usual one. He was surprised but took his seat without question.
There were ten minutes before class started, much earlier than I usually arrived, but I wanted a chance to talk to Dimitri. Now, I was sitting next to him and couldn’t make the words come out.
What was I even going to say?
I didn’t know how to start the conversation.
“Something on your mind?”
I looked at him with wide eyes. “What? Why—Why would you think that?” I asked, fumbling with my hands, resting my elbow on the armrest and my chin in my hand. “I’m not thinking about anything.”
Great. I sounded like an airhead, and Dimitri probably thought I was one too.
A single eyebrow arched, and I got lost in marvelling that he could do that. “You look nervous,” Dimitri pointed out. “Is there something you wanted to ask me?”
Shit. He could read minds. It was the only possibility.
I dropped my eyes, shifting back in my chair. “What makes you think that?”
“Well, the fact you sat next to me, and you keep looking at me like I’m going to bite.” He leaned in, a smirk on his lips and a smouldering look in his eyes, “I don’t bite.”
I think I forgot how to breathe for a minute.
He pulled back, nonchalant as he pulled out his book and pens, “So, what’s on your mind, Rose?”
This was it. I worried my lip between my teeth and scraped together some courage. “Okay, there is something I want to ask you,” I admitted. Dimitri gave me his full attention, shifting in his seat to face me. “Are you busy on Saturday? This Saturday.” I felt the need to clarify, giving him a hopeful smile.
“Saturday? As in tomorrow?”
I racked my fingers through my hair. “Yeah, I know it’s late notice. It’s just—There’s a party that I have to go to and well…”
This was the bit that I dreaded telling him, the part that made me sound crazy. “I may have lied and said that you were coming with me. And you can say no. I just wanted to ask. You know, in case you wanted to go with me. But you can say no.” I was rambling, cheeks aflame, and embarrassment at a high.
Dimitri didn’t reply, brows furrowed and I realised he thought I was crazy.
I gripped the strap of my bag, and rose from the chair, “I’m sorry, this was weird. I shouldn’t have–”
A hand caught my wrist; Dimitri gently tugged me back down to the chair. “It’s not how I’m usually asked on a date, but it’s not the strangest,” he assured me with a kind smile. His hand lingered on my wrist, warmth coming off him was like a furnace. “So, you already said I was going?”
My breath caught. Was he actually considering it?
“Yeah,” I replied, “I was being pushed about it, and I panicked and said that you were my date and that we were dating,” I finished in a small voice.
Both of his eyebrows raised. “I’m your fake boyfriend?”
I groaned, covering my face with my hand. “I know, it’s crazy. I just panicked. It was either lie or go with that asshole Nathan that always tries to feel me up. I was going to say we broke up or something, but now everyone knows and they are expecting me to show up with a date and I–”
“I’ll go.”
“–thought I would give it a try, cause what’s th—Wait.” I turned to him, blinking in confusion, “Did you just say you’ll come?”
Dimitri’s expression was amused, eyes gazing at me in a way that made my stomach flip. “Yes, Rose.”
My jaw dropped. “I haven’t even said what kind of party it is.”
He shrugged, “Okay. What kind of party is it?”
“A Soulmate Ceremony,” I winced. This would be the make-or-break. Granted I never expected to get this far.
Dimitri shifted in his chair, the first hint of doubt in his eyes. “Those are–” he paused, tongue darting out to wet his lips. “You have that as a party?”
I realised then that Dimitri probably had a very different upbringing from me. While the rich used the ceremony as a reason to throw lavish parties, others saw it as something sacred or something to avoid altogether. I quickly waved my hand in front of me. “I’m not looking for a soulmate or expecting you to be mine,” I explained, “We might have to take part in it, but it’s not like the candle would light.”
There was still an uneasiness in his eyes. “You aren’t looking for a soulmate?” he asked carefully, shoulders relaxing slightly when I nodded my agreement.
“I couldn’t care less about that stuff.”
Silence stretched between us, Dimitri thinking over my offer. Finally, he nodded his head. “Alright. I’ll go with you tomorrow to the party.”
All of the air left my body as relief spread through me. “Are you sure?”
That smirk returned, “Sure, Rose. It could be fun.”
I couldn’t hold his eyes, feeling a blush spread across my face. God, he was going to be the end of me tomorrow night. When I looked down, I noticed that his hand was still holding onto my wrist. He must have realised too, releasing me with a quick apology.
“It’s okay,” I told him, readjusting myself in the chair in preparation for Stan to start the class. Remembering one last thing, I leaned close to Dimitri, “Don’t suppose you have a suit?”
I paced in front of my apartment building, my heels clicking on the cement walkway. Lissa had left with Christian earlier, and I promised that Dimitri was picking me up. He should be. He said he would.
I gave him my number after class and told him where and what time, but he was almost ten minutes late and I was getting antsy.
What if he wasn’t coming?
Then not only would I have to explain why I didn’t show up at the party, but I would have also been stood up by my fake boyfriend. This was a low that I never thought I would reach.
I checked my phone again and groaned. I didn’t get his number, so I couldn’t call and ask where he was.
I felt like an idiot.
Of course, he wouldn’t want to go to this stupid party, with the crazy girl that stares at him four hours a week and made up a lie that he was my boyfriend.
My shoulders sagged and I pulled my leather jacket tighter around me.
I had even spent extra time on my hair and make-up, changing my mind on what to wear as if it was a real date. But I was just an idiot standing outside their apartment in a red cocktail dress, waiting for a guy that wasn’t going to show.
Giving up, I turned to the glass doors; there was a pint of ice cream in my fridge with my name on it.
The sound of a loud engine drew my attention; it was familiar and made me look over my shoulder. There, on his black motorbike, was Dimitri pulling up to the curb. He quickly shut off the bike, removing his black helmet with a look of regret. “Hey, I’m sorry I'm late. I forgot your helmet and–” He stopped mid-sentence, eyes widening as I turned to face him.
A heat spread through me as his eyes travelled down my form and then back to my face. I felt a small sense of victory that I was able to make him speechless for once. While the dress didn’t cling to me like a second skin, it hugged my chest and hips, flaring out around my legs; a pair of red heels and stockings that made my legs look smooth and long. Again, I would prefer my boots, but I was already pushing the dress code with the jacket.
Dimitri swallowed, eyes snapping to mine. “You look amazing,” he complimented, hand patting the dress shirt under his duster. “I hope my suit will be okay. It’s kind of old.” His eyes dropped as if ashamed.
I stepped towards him with a small smile, “I’m sure it’s perfect. I was starting to think you weren’t coming.”
He reached behind him, fiddling for a moment and then produced a half helmet. “I had to go back to get this, though now I’m realising I should have asked before riding over here.” His eyes dropped down and I followed his eye line to my short skirt.
Showing up on a motorbike, wearing a dress this short would give half of the mothers at the party a heart attack, especially Galina. A smirk pulled at my lips, “It’s alright.” I held my hands out for the helmet, grateful that I didn’t put my hair up.
All I could think of as I approached the bike was the number of times I’d imagined riding on the back with him, arms wrapped around his waist. I pulled on the helmet, securing the chin strap before I placed my hands on Dimitri’s shoulders. He directed me where to put my feet, glancing over his shoulder as I swung my leg over.
My dress rode up my thighs, my heels scarcely balancing the foot peddles. Dimitri’s fingers curled around mine, guiding my hand from his shoulder to his waist.
“Hold on to me,” he instructed in a low voice that made my toes curl.
I shifted closer to hold on, effectively blocking anyone from seeing up my dress. I could feel his body heat through his duster; smell the scent of pine. His body felt firm under my hands; I knew he was in shape, but he was solid like a rock.
He put on his helmet once I was seated, patting my hands before he turned the bike on. A rush went through me; I couldn’t tell if it was nerves about the party or excitement about being so close to him.
I took a deep breath and pressed against his back, his broad shoulders blocking the wind from whipping my face as he revved and pulled out of the parking lot. I would allow myself just this day to bask in the pretend.
Tomorrow we would go back to just being classmates.
I directed Dimitri on where to drive once we got closer. As the houses around us became grander, the more he looked back at me. When we spoke after class, I’d mentioned I was well off, but I didn’t go into detail. My parents weren’t flashy compared to some other families we knew, but it was still a lot when he pulled up to the entrance gate.
My parents didn’t choose an extravagant house, but they liked their privacy, which included a ten-foot fence and trees to block the view. The guard stationed out front eyed us as we pulled up. Dimitri tensed under my hands.
“Mr Mazur isn’t taking visitors today.”
I stuck my head out from behind Dimitri, grateful that my face was covered by the helmet. “It’s okay, Emil. We are just running late for the party.”
Emil raised his eyebrows in surprise, eyes shifting to Dimitri, the bike, and then back to me. With a sharp nod, Emil waved to the other guard to open the fence. I gave Dimitri an encouraging smile when he peered back at me before he continued down the driveway.
Our house was built on the side of a mountain, looking down at the city. Watching the twinkling lights from my room at night was my favourite thing to do. The paved driveway led up to the white double-storey home, flower bushes framed the driveway on either side. There were attendants out, directing the cars and guests where to go.
They looked bewildered, unsure where to park the bike so I pointed to the garage. “Park in there,” I directed Dimitri. He did as I said and pulled in beside my father’s Cadillac Town Sedan, his pride and joy. He liked to show it off, a hint of the gangster he wished he was.
My fingers dug into his shoulders as I climbed off the bike, trying my best to be graceful getting off a motorbike in heels and a dress. I smoothed out the material and avoided Dimitri’s eyes.
“Who’s house is this exactly?” Dimitri asked, taking off his helmet and looking around.
“Well–”
“Hey, you can’t park there!” an attendant from the front ran towards us. I spun on my heel and removed my helmet.
“It’s okay.”
The attendant paused, eyes widening. “Oh, Sorry, Miss Mazur. I didn’t recognise you.” They quickly backed away, leaving me with a very quiet Dimitri.
I looked back to find him staring at his hands, expression guarded. Slowly he stood and swung his long leg over the bike, kicking the stand, before he turned to me. “I thought your last name was Hathaway?”
“That’s what I go by now, so I don’t get recognised,” I explained. My fingers caught the ends of my hair, twirling them anxiously. “Mazur is my real last name.”
“So, this is your house.”
“My parents,” I replied lamely. “Look, I should have told you. It’s just that when people find out who I am, they get weird. But it’s no big deal, we just pretend to be dating for a couple of hours and then we go back to normal. Okay?”
Dimitri looked hesitant, studying me as he considered my words, and for a moment I thought he was going to back out completely. Instead, he fiddled with the collar of his shirt, “Are you sure what I’m wearing is okay?”
I breathed a sigh of relief, taking his helmet and placing it on the table against the wall, placing mine beside it. “You look great,” I promised. I took his hand and led the way to the front door; I would go through the kitchen, but it would look better coming through the front.
My hand curled around his arm, “Remember, if anyone asks, just say we’ve been dating for two weeks and it’s still new. If they corner you, say you were meant to be getting me a drink. Oh, and don’t let anyone called Kirova get you alone. She will eat you alive.”
He nodded his head along with everything I said, though his eyes were taking in the house's towering structure. It was an older style, wood panelling, painted white with red accents. I decided against telling him that compared to others, my house was small.
Dimitri came to a halt at the foyer, wide eyes taking in the large room with the winding staircase leading up to the second floor, an iron railing with gold leaf decorations. A glittering chandelier dangled from the ceiling, lighting the room. There was a man at the piano playing soft music to greet everyone, another holding a tray of drinks to give to the new guests.
"May I take your coats?" a woman in a black suit offered.
It shocked Dimitri back to himself, helping me out of mine before taking off his duster. Without the long leather coat on, I could see the suit he wore. It was a dark blue jacket and dress pants, with a crisp white shirt underneath. His shoes were real leather, appearing almost blood red in the light. The suit must have been tailored to him, fitting nicely across his shoulders and chest.
Again he brushed a hand down the front of the shirt as if unsure. I met his eyes and let out a low whistle, "I think you look better than me."
Instantly his demeanour changed, his usual confidence showed when the corner of his lip twitched. A hand rested against the small of my back, a move done so casually you would have assumed he had done it before. "That's not possible, Roza. Shall we?"
Dimitri concealed his shock at the rest of the house, following as I led him to the back of the house, stepping past the glass doors to the paved patio. My parents had gone all out, the large grass area was covered with fake flooring so bar tables could be arranged and space made for a dance floor. The infinity pool was off to the side, lit up and with flowers floating in the water.
People were wandering about, some in crowds discussing work or hopes for the ceremony. I already hated it here and I hadn't even spoken to anyone.
I eyed the bar across from us, "Did you want something to drink?"
Dimitri shook his head, "No thanks, not when I'm riding."
"Oh, that's good. Very responsible," I replied. "I need a drink."
"Are you old enough to drink?"
"I–"
"Rose! You're here." I was interrupted by my father. Abe and Janine approached us, and I tensed up. Abe pulled me into a side hug and kissed my forehead, "You look lovely."
"Thanks." I shot Dimitri a pointed look. His expression became serious, standing tall. "Mom, dad, this is Dimitri," I introduced, "Dimitri, these are my parents."
My father offered his hand, giving Dimitri's hand a firm shake, "Call me Abe." He studied Dimitri, "It's nice to meet the man we've heard so much about."
“And so recently,” Janine added with a cool expression. Both of my parents enjoyed giving every guy I introduced the third degree; my father was better at concealing it. She gave me a once over, “You’re late.”
Dimitri began to speak, but I cut him off, “My fault, I was being fashionably late.”
Her lips pressed into a firm line. “I’m assuming your hair looks like that because of the motorbike you arrived on. Do you think that is safe to be driving my daughter around on?” she directed to Dimitri.
He swallowed thickly. “I can assure you, I have a lot of experience and am very attentive when on the road. Rose’s safety is always my main concern.” His response seemed to please Abe, though Janine narrowed her eyes.
She dropped it and nodded at my hair again. “You should go clean up.”
If we weren’t surrounded by others, I would have scoffed, instead, I forced a small smile. “I guess I’ll give Dimitri a small tour of the house.”
I took Dimitri’s arm and pulled him away before they could come up with a reason for him to stay behind. We walked back through the living room and into the foyer where I swiped a glass from the offered tray.
“Come on, it’ll just take a second,” I nodded to the staircase. We made it halfway up before I heard a bout of laughter.
“Rose, isn’t it a bit early to be sneaking off?”
I glanced over the railing at the family room on the opposite side of the foyer. My friends were gathered in a group, including Lissa and Christian. Mason shot me a playful grin, making kissy lips. I flipped him off and continued up the stairs, dragging Dimitri after me.
The only ones that knew it was all fake were Lissa and Christian. She just had to tell him, and he spent a good five minutes laughing.
Once on the second floor, I waved my hand around, “This is where the bedrooms are, and five of the bathrooms. Gym through there.” I pointed to the door on our left and then walked in the opposite direction down the hall. “Master bedroom, study, spare bedroom,” I listed off each door as we passed until I reached my door.
My room was on the opposite side of the house; I wanted to be as far from my parent’s room as possible. The windows overlooked the backyard, with built-in seating under them with cushions and pillows arranged. My bed sat against the wall; a terrible rose-patterned quilt laid over it.
Despite my photos and things filling the shelves and dresser, it didn’t feel like my room. It was more for show.
My room in the apartment I shared with Lissa and Meredith was more mine than this room ever was. I had great memories of living in this house and being with my parents, but living in the spotlight was never what I wanted.
I left Dimitri in my room and walked into the ensuite, picking up my brush and attempting to tame my curls again. Janine might have been right; the wind was not kind to them.
I could hear him moving about, hesitant footsteps around my room. “I think your pool house is bigger than my house.”
“Yeah, it’s a bit much,” I replied, gathering my hair over my shoulder and attempting to make it look presentable again. With a once-over of my make-up, I returned to the bedroom. I leaned against the door frame and watched him look out the window. “I really should have warned you.”
“Are your parents always that–”
“Intrusive?” I offered.
He dipped his head with a slight smile, “I was going to say protective.”
I pushed around from the frame with a sigh, joining him at the windows. “My dad can be nice but is definitely overprotective, and my mom… Well, she has expectations for me and makes them known. Such as who I should date.”
“The asshole?”
I smirked. “That’s the one. If I didn’t say I was bringing you, she would have set me up with him.” I cringed, shaking my arms to rid myself of that thought. It was bad enough that I ran the chance of seeing him at the party.
“What are you going to do after the party?” he asked, “Won’t they push you to date him again.”
“Probably,” I shrugged, “but at least I’ll have another year before there’s another one of these parties.” I scowled out the window. It was all fake. Very rarely was there real emotion between the people that took part.
At sunset, they would make the couples line up and someone would fasten our hands together with a strip of silk fabric, a candle held between our hands. If you both focused on the candle, it would light up to show you were soulmates. But it was reliant on if your souls resonated together, so the candle would light even if there was a small chance—the flame would be tiny and weak, but they accept it as good enough.
I had only seen two instances where the candle burned brightly; Eddie and Mason last year, and Adrian and Sydney the year before that.
“I’ve never been to an actual party for a ceremony. I’d heard of them,” Dimitri commented, glancing out the window again. “I’ve seen a few. The last one was at my friend’s wedding last year.”
“Wow, waiting for the wedding. That’s risky,” I joked. I had heard of people doing one within the first week of meeting because they didn’t want to waste time.
“They believed they were meant to be and didn’t need the proof. It was more for the tradition of it.”
I picked up the drink I had brought up with me, throwing it back for a little liquid courage. “Hope you’re ready to go back down. Just a few more hours and then we can get out of here.” I told myself more than him—this wasn’t my world, at least, not the one I wanted.
“Rose, can I ask a question?” I tilted my head, nodding in approval. Dimitri stepped towards me, hands in the pockets of his pants. “You have all of this, and yet I knew you work constantly, and you live in the cheaper area of town.”
“Are you asking why I don’t live on my parent’s money?” I asked with a laugh.
He grimaced, “I don’t mean to offend you, I’m just curious.”
My fingers tapped on the stem of the glass. “I don’t mind. I guess I’d always seen it as their money. I would rather build my own life instead of it being handed to me.”
A smile graced his lips, eyebrows raising in surprise. “That’s very mature of you.”
I wasn’t offended by his reaction. Compared to some of the others I had met at University, some were immature. I knew he was a couple of years older than me and probably expected me to be the same as them.
I placed the empty glass on my dresser and shot Dimitri a flirtatious smile, “I’m full of surprises.”
Returning to the main floor, we slipped into the roles of our fake relationship. Dimitri’s hand rested on the small of my back, and I ignored the rush of warmth that burst from his touch as I leaned into him. It was only because I had a slight crush on him, nothing else.
My friends all looked up at us as we approached; Lissa sat beside Christian, maintaining a respectable distance despite dating for over six months. Eddie and Mason sat close, Eddie’s arm around Mason’s shoulders; they were both tamed with displays of affection at these parties. The year they decided to take part in the ceremony had raised a few eyebrows, but no one could deny the strength of their flame.
“So, this is the mystery man,” Mason drawled, wiggling his eyebrows. “You’ve been holding out on us, Rose.”
I rolled my eyes, laying a hand on Dimitri’s chest, “Feel free to ignore him. That’s Mason and Eddie, and that’s Lissa and Christain. You can ignore him too.” I added with a scowl. “Only Lissa and Eddie are worth talking to,” I decided. “Everyone, this is Dimitri.”
Dimitri leaned forward, offered his hand and shook theirs. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“How long have you two been dating?” Eddie asked, canting his head to the side. His eyes met mine. He always could tell when I was hiding something.
“Two weeks,” Dimitri replied, lying easily. “She asked me out during our class.”
“Guess we know why she was always excited for that class,” Christian jibed. My cheeks heated—that part was not a lie.
Mason’s eyes lit up. “Oh! He’s that guy?”
“Right. Maybe we should go outside. Hungry?” I asked Dimitri. He eyed me but agreed. I didn’t need Christian embarrassing me with my crush; it was bad enough that he knew why Dimitri was here.
I beelined for the bar set up by the pool, ordering a glass of champagne and drinking half of it. Dimitri’s eyebrows furrowed, looking around us.
“What?” I asked, irritated that he was judging me.
“If you want to keep drinking like that, you need to eat something,” he replied. His hand slipped into mine and tugged me behind him. We stopped in front of the long buffet table with a selection of finger foods to pick from. Dimitri grabbed a plate and helped himself, pointing at something and then added it to the plate if I agreed. Once satisfied with the amount he had, Dimitri took my hand again and led me to an empty table.
It was big enough for the plate and my drink; my parents went for more of a cocktail party than one with proper seating. Dimitri dipped his head at the food, encouraging me to eat. I dug in. I hadn’t eaten before coming to the party because of the nerves; it felt like my stomach was tied into knots.
We passed an hour of the party by getting pulled into too many conversations. People would approach and ask me who I was with, all with knowing looks because everyone here loved their gossip. We were both selling it; standing close, sometimes his hand on my waist, mine on his arm, or clasped together between us.
What was surprising was the number of women hitting on Dimitri despite me standing right there. It made him uncomfortable, and he would step closer to me, really trying to push the lie that we were together.
Was I pissed that people were hitting on my fake boyfriend? Yes. Did I enjoy Dimitri giving me more attention and seeing the look of jealousy in their eyes? Definitely.
I was on my third champagne and getting close to feeling brave enough to start telling these women off when my father joined us.
"Ahh, my daughter and her boyfriend, you are the talk of the party. Don't you think they'll make wonderful soulmates?" he asked the woman making eyes at Dimitri. She flushed and quickly excused herself, making Abe smirk.
"These people know no shame," I commented dryly, taking another sip from my drink.
"How are you liking the party?" Abe directed at Dimitri, a glint in his eyes that made me uneasy. It was like he knew something I didn't.
Dimitri gave my father a polite smile, showing no signs of irritation from the constant questions he was getting. "It's very impressive, Mr Mazur."
"No, no. Call me Abe, please. I mean after today, you may be part of the family."
I scoffed.
Abe raised an eyebrow but continued his conversation, "So, you two met at the University?"
"We share a class on behavioural science," Dimitri recited our script.
"Do you have any family in the city?"
Dimitri's eyes shifted to mine before responding, "My mother and three sisters."
An expression crossed Abe's face. "And what was your last name? Rose never mentioned it."
I did not like where this was going. I placed my glass on the table and took Dimitri’s arm, cutting off his reply. "Dance with me?"
I had been eyeing the dance floor for a while, and the idea of Dimitri spinning me around it while held by his strong arms appealed to me. It made it even more tempting to escape whatever interrogation my father was attempting.
Dimitri was hesitant, looking at the dance floor and then back at me. “I can’t promise I’ll be any good at it.”
I waved him off, taking his hand and dragging him away from Abe. Once we reached the dance floor, I spun to face him. Grabbing his wrist, I placed it on my waist and slipped my hand into his other. We joined in with the other couples dancing, slowly moving together to the music. At first, I led, but Dimitri took over.
I grinned. The longer we danced, the better I felt. I don't think I had had so much fun at one of these in a while.
"Why do you dislike the idea of soulmates?"
The question caught me off guard, almost fumbled my footing, but Dimitri held me steady. I shot him a look, "Random question."
He shrugged, "You mentioned yesterday that you weren't looking for one, and then every time someone mentions the ceremony, you laugh or pull a face. I'm just curious as to why."
“Because I think it’s stupid,” I admitted. “I’m not going to base who I have a relationship with on just a candle flame. I would rather have an actual relationship and stay with the person because I like them.”
Dimitri hummed, still moving us around the dance floor, “So you don’t believe in it?”
“In soulmates?” He nodded. I caught my lip between my teeth, considering my response. “I don’t know. I do know that I hate parties like this that are just about hoping for a good match to make more money or gain the social status of having the daughter of a rich family as your soulmate.”
That was the only reason Nathan went out of his way to date me. I was his key to a higher social standing. He fooled most into believing he was an upstanding guy, but I knew better.
I was pulled from thoughts suddenly when Dimitri dipped me. My fingers dug into his bicep from the surprise, blinking up at him, “What are you doing?”
“I’m meant to be taken with you, so this is what I would do,” Dimitri explained with a smouldering look, the corner of his lip quirked up in a half smile. My breath caught in my throat, laughter bubbling out when he pulled me back up and then proceeded to spin me in place.
I couldn’t contain the smile on my face, leaning into Dimitri when he caught me. The music picked up in tempo, and Dimitri grinned. Still holding my hand, he pushed my waist and made me spin away from him and then tugged me back.
"So much for being bad at dancing," I laughed.
A smile pulled at his lips, more genuine than any he gave the other guests. "I had to learn for my friend's wedding. It's where this suit is from as well." He twirled me again, switching the direction. Each time I came back to him, we were pressed a little bit closer, our chest brushing.
I had to tilt my head up to see his face properly, amusement shining in his eyes. He guided me out again, only this time, someone else grabbed my extended hand and pulled me against them.
They took quick steps, moving us further into the group of couples dancing. I was disoriented and had to hold onto them so I didn’t stumble in my heels. When I looked up at the person I was dancing with I immediately tried to pull away.
“You look ravishing, Rose.” Nathan gazed down at me with hungry eyes, a grin on his face that I was sure others would see as flirtatious. It just made me cringe. His grip on my waist and hand tightened when I pulled away again.
“What do you want?” I bit out, frowning when I felt his hand slip further down my back.
He chuckled, “I just want to dance. Why are you always so hostile?” His hand inched down further.
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Move that hand any lower and I’ll show you hostile,” I warned in a low voice. I didn’t care if it caused a commotion.
“Still playing hard to get, I see,” his eyes gleamed, head dipping down towards mine. I curled my fist, ready to strike, but a large hand landed on Nathan’s shoulder and yanked him away from me.
“I’m going to have to ask you to step away from Rose,” Dimitri asked politely, a firm undertone to his voice that made it sound more like an order. He stepped closer to me, standing between Nathan and me.
Nathan was flustered, eyes flicking between us. “And who are you?”
I took Dimitri’s hand, lifting my chin, “He’s my boyfriend.” I felt joy as Nathan’s expression shifted from bewildered to irritated. There was no way he hadn’t heard everyone else gossiping about it. Now he knew it was true.
Dimitri was taller than Nathan and easily outweighed him with muscle; of the two of them, Dimitri was definitely the more attractive one. And I wasn’t the only one that realised that.
“You’re boyfriend? Haven’t seen him around before,” Nathan remarked, head tilting to the side. “Are you choosing guys from the cheap side now? At least you know she isn’t dating you for your money,” he laughed.
“Go away, Nathan,” I chilled, trying to keep myself in check. Already, we had eyes watching our exchange.
Dimitri released my hand and put his arm around my shoulder. “Come on, Rose.” His jaw was clenched, eyes hard as he guided me off the dance floor and back towards the house.
“I’m sorry about him, he’s–”
His eyes flicked down to me, “I’m guessing he’s the asshole.”
I scowled. “Yeah. I fucking hate him.”
Dimitri hummed, pulling me inside the house, out of sight of the people outside and from Nathan’s view. I hoped he took the hint and left me alone for the rest of the party. There was at least another hour left before the ceremony, and I was counting down the minutes.
“Rose, are you okay?” I glanced back at the doors as Lissa walked in, heels clicking as she rushed to my side, Christian trailing in after her. I breathed out, exasperated, and nodded my head.
“He was just being his usual charming self,” I replied with a wry smile. Dimitri’s arm squeezed my shoulders, pressing me against his chest. It was nice. I was grateful he was there; the smell of pine was a nice distraction.
I welcomed the peace of being inside, taking a seat on one of the couches to give my feet a rest. Dimitri took the seat beside me, his arm resting on the back of the couch. It felt protective. The living room was arranged more for entertaining, all of the furniture chosen for appearance more than comfort.
I never spent much time in here, preferring the small bedroom my father converted into a recreation room just for me. I had spent many sleepovers in that room, with a large television and a big comfy couch piled with blankets. If it wouldn’t get me in trouble, I would hide away in there for the rest of the afternoon.
Dimitri was staring off in the distance, lost in thought. I laid a hand on his thigh, startling him. “Regret agreeing to come with me yet?”
He gave me a slight smile. “No, it’s more entertaining than how I would have spent my afternoon.”
“Just wait until after the ceremony,” Christian chortled, lowering himself into one of the sofas, Lissa perching on the armrest. “That’s when the negotiations begin and the alcohol flows.”
“While everyone is panicking, we can drink to our lack of flame,” I joked, squeezing Dimitri’s knee. Lissa’s eyes moved to mine, eyebrows raising when she looked pointedly at my hand. I drew it back, canting my head at her in question.
“Rose, could I get your help with something?” Lissa asked in a sweet voice, her smile a little too tight to be real.
I furrowed my brow. “With what?”
“It’ll only take a second.”
There was definitely something on her mind. I felt bad to leave Dimitri alone, glancing at Christian who shrugged, “We’ll wait here and you two go do whatever it is girls do.”
I looked at Dimitri, receiving a nod before I stood and followed Lissa. She walked through the house into the kitchen, greeting the catering team. I didn’t know where she was leading me until I was pushed into the pantry.
I squinted at the bright light after she closed the door and flicked the light switch. “Liss, why are we in the pantry?”
“You like him.”
Now I was lost. “What are you talking about?”
Lissa gripped my shoulders. “Dimitri! You really like him. You keep touching him, and he is looking at you. He likes you too!”
I scoffed, knocking off her hands, “We’re pretending to be a couple. It’s called acting.”
“Rose,” she started, shaking her head, “What I’m seeing, that’s way more than acting.” She gasped, “What if you are soulmates?”
I threw my head back and laughed. “There is no way we are soulmates! We are completely different–”
“Because he isn’t rich?”
“I don’t care about that,” I snapped. “Dimitri could be the richest guy here and I still wouldn’t be his soulmate!” I bit my lip, realising how loud I was being. I looked down at my hands, continuing in a softer voice, “He’s smart and dedicated, and could get any girl he wanted. He probably thinks I’m just some rich airhead kid.”
“I don’t think so,” Lissa argued, a gentle look in her eyes, “I think he likes you.”
“And I think we should get out of the pantry,” I replied dryly. It was all an act, and Lissa was seeing something that wasn’t there. Sure, I had a crush on him, but that was it.
Those feelings definitely weren’t returned.
Lissa looked ready to keep arguing, so I stepped around her, opened the door and escaped. I had made it halfway back to where I left Dimitri, only he wasn’t there. It was just Christian sitting by himself drumming his fingers on the armrest.
I marched up to him, “Where is Dimitri?”
Christian lolled his head back and shrugged, “He went to find you. Wanted to ask if you needed a drink.”
Fuck. “Which way did he go?” I asked, frowning when Christian pointed back the way I came. There was no way that I missed Dimitri; he was taller than almost everyone here, it wasn’t like he could hide easily. I spun in a circle before venturing outside to search.
I doubted anything would happen, but I didn’t want to just throw him to the wolves, especially with Nathan wandering around. I walked around, searching the faces around me, but had zero luck.
When a hand gripped my elbow, I turned around hoping that it was him but instead found Eddie with a frantic expression. “What’s wrong?” I asked.
“You need to come. Now.” He didn’t give any explanation, just dragging me to the side of the house. As the music from the party faded, I could hear voices, and then scuffling. My jaw dropped once we rounded the corner.
Mason stood to the side, looking unsure of what to do, a few others stood around as well. But they were all watching Dimitri and Nathan fight.
I jumped when Nathan’s fist impacted Dimitri’s stomach, but the shock was short-lived when Dimitri punched Nathan in the jaw and sent him tumbling to the ground.
“What the fuck is going on!” I yelled, drawing everyone’s attention, including Dimitri’s. Our eyes met, emotions flicked across his face, and his lips parted.
Whatever he was going to say was cut off by Nathan jumping to his feet and tackling Dimitri, both tumbling to the ground and grappling to get the upper hand. I rushed forward, glaring at Mason, “Do something!”
He laughed, wide eyes watching the fight. “Nathan had this coming.”
I rolled my eyes, reaching out and grabbing Nathan’s jacket, “Stop it!” He threw his arm back, knocking me off-balance; Eddie stopped me from landing on the ground. Once again, I cursed my heels.
Dimitri’s eye’s hardened, managing to aim another punch at Nathan’s face, rolling them over so he was on top, hand wrapped around Nathan’s collar and fist poised to strike again.
“Everybody, stop!”
The thundering tone of my father’s voice made us all freeze. Dimitri was hauled to his feet and away from Nathan by Pavel, my father’s main guard. I rushed to Dimitri’s side, checking him over.
“What the hell happened?” I asked, fingers ghosting over the cut to his lip. Dimitri winced, regret flashing in his eyes before he aimed a glare at Nathan.
“That’s what I would like to know.” Abe stepped in front of us when Nathan climbed to his feet and stalked closer. It wasn’t often I saw my father mad, but right now, he was pissed, a dark look in his eyes that gave me chills. “Someone better start talking.”
No one spoke.
Abe glanced around, brows drawn together. He pushed his hands into his pockets, appearing relaxed when he was far from it. "I better get some answers."
"Nathan was antagonising Dimitri, sir," Mason explained. He always had a fear of my father. "He was saying stuff, and then the fight started."
Abe tilted his head, "And who threw the first punch?"
"Dad, this isn't Dimitri’s fault," I pleaded, hoping to convince him to let it go.
"Were you here to see that?"
I faltered. My eyes dropped to my feet.
He cleared his throat. "One last time. Who threw the first punch?"
"I did, sir."
I slowly turned to look up at Dimitri; his jaw clenched as he held my father's eyes. Abe took a step toward us. "You started a fight at my home?"
Dimitri gave a curt nod. "I apologise for the disturbance I caused."
I tried to catch Dimitri's eyes, wondering what Nathan had said that would make him start a fight. I never thought Dimitri would live up to the gossip that went around the campus about him starting fights.
"Pavel, take Dimitri to my office and find someone to clean up Nathan before his mother sees him. Otherwise, we would never hear the end of it," My father ordered, waving his hand as if it were trivial.
I clutched Dimitri's arm, looking at my father in alarm, "It's not his fault," I defended again.
Abe's eyebrows raised, "He admitted he started the fight, that sounds like it is."
"Dad–"
"It's okay, Rose," Dimitri soothed me, hand covering mine, gently prying my fingers off his sleeve. "I'm sorry for ruining the party." He gave me an apologetic smile, walking away when Pavel inclined his head back towards the house.
It wasn't fair. I turned on my father, "You're letting Nathan off and putting all the blame on Dimitri?"
"I'm going to talk to him and decide what to do from there," Abe placated. He rested a hand on my shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly.
I watched with mouth agape as my father walked off. This could not be happening. I didn't know if my father would call the police or ask Dimitri to leave. My stomach twisted into knots at the notion that I had caused trouble for Dimitri by inviting him here.
A deep chuckle and footsteps made me spin back to find Nathan walking towards me, a pleased grin on his face. "That would teach him for thinking he could aim above his standing," he claimed, laughing again. "You don't need to outsource cheap foreign labour to find a man to please you, Rose."
With a snarl, I balled my fist and struck Nathan in the nose, watching him fall to his back with satisfaction. "Stay the fuck away from me, Nathan!" I pointed at Mason and Eddie, "You two come with me. You're going to tell me what happened."
"He was saying stuff about you, and Dimitri got pissed," Mason explained with a shrug.
I waited a moment, waving my hand when he didn't say more. "What did he say?"
He pulled back, "I'm not repeating it."
"I'm going to beat your ass, Ashford," I warned. We were waiting outside my father's office, the doors closed. I paced, praying that I wasn't about to see police come marching down the hall; granted, Abe would prefer to meet them at the gate so there was no commotion.
It had already been almost ten minutes, and I was about to start banging on the door when it opened to reveal Dimitri. He was startled, face a bit pale; when our eyes met, he gave me a hesitant smile. "Rose," he breathed, "What are you doing?"
"What am I doing?" I demanded, "What are you doing? Is he kicking you out?" I marched past him and into the study, slamming my hands on my father's desk and staring him down. "You are not kicking out my date, old man!"
Abe leaned back in his leather chair, tenting his fingers over his lap, "I'm not doing anything, kiz."
My eyes narrowed. "Bullshit."
"Really, Rose, it's okay," Dimitri promised. "We just talked."
"Take Dimitri and clean him up. Pavel will be up with a new suit. I expect to see you both cleaned up and ready for the ceremony in twenty minutes," Abe told me as he stood from his desk, buttoning his suit jacket and patting down his scarf. "Remember what I said," he directed at Dimitri.
I itched to ask but was also worried that Abe might change his mind, so I took Dimitri’s hand and dragged him out of the office. I didn't pay attention to who we passed, unashamed as I led him to my room again.
Peering back at him, I noticed the small bruise under his bloody lip, dirt and grass marks covered his suit, and the seam on his right shoulder ripped. I took him into my bathroom and told him to sit on the lip of the bathtub.
"I have disinfectant in the cupboard," I told him and turned to search for it and a cotton bud. I had a habit of getting into fights in high school or injuring myself when hanging out with Mason and Eddie, so I always kept a stock of first aid in my room to hide it from my mother.
I exclaimed when I found it, pulling the bottle out and grabbing a washcloth to clean his face first. Dimitri sat still as I worked, wincing occasionally.
"I'm sorry about all this. I never thought Nathan would take it this far," I apologised.
Dimitri shook his head, "It's not your fault."
Once I removed all the dirt and dried blood, I used a cotton bud to gently apply the disinfectant, whispering apologies as I went. I tossed the cotton bud away when I was finished, studying Dimitri as he examined his hands. "What did he say that made you feel the need to defend me?"
His eyes flicked to mine then back to his hands. "Does it matter?"
"It does to me," I replied and crossed my arms. "Is defending people with your fists something you do often?"
There was always an aura of power with Dimitri; something that told me he could hold his own. And watching him fight, I knew that was true. It was part of what scared people off.
"Is that why you beat up that guy at the party? Were you defending someone?"
Dimitri paused. Slowly, his eyes met mine, a fire in them. "I don't like people that treat others without respect." He thumbed at his lip, gingerly touching the cut, "I didn't like what he was saying about you, so I put him in his place."
A knock at the door stopped me from responding. I opened the door, relieved it was only Pavel. Without a word, he passed a hanger, a suit on it covered in a plastic bag. I had no idea where my father was keeping suits big enough to fit Dimitri and I wasn't going to question it. I walked back into the bathroom and hung it on the hook, smoothing it down as I thought.
"You don't have to hang around. You know that, right?" I peered over my shoulder to hold his eyes, "All the questions and the shit with Nathan, I would understand if you wanted to get out of here. I won't blame you."
An eyebrow arched. Dimitri climbed to his feet, taking a step closer, making me tilt my head. "I'm not going anywhere, Roza," he promised, low tone husky, just above a whisper. It made my stomach do flips and made my toes curl.
I swallowed, dropping my eyes. A nervous energy overtook my body, making me blush, ducking my head so my hair would cover it from view. "Okay. I'll let you get dressed," I excused myself, backing out of the bathroom and closing the door.
Lissa's words from earlier played in my head as I collapsed on my bed, catching my reflection in the mirror. My cheeks were still flushed, eyes wide with the realisation that she may have been right.
I really liked Dimitri.
I dragged my fingers through my hair, sighing dramatically as we stood to the side, waiting for our turn. The guy running the ceremony was taking his sweet time going about and tying each couple’s wrists. I caught myself before I started tapping my foot.
“Relax, Rose,” Dimitri whispered, hands in the pocket of the black suit pants he had borrowed. The jacket was too tight, so Dimitri was just in the white dress shirt, the sleeves rolled up on his forearms and the top buttons were undone to expose his neck. Every time I looked, I would lick my lips and think about kissing the skin.
I forced my eyes away, crossing my arms. “I just want to get this over with, and then I can drink a glass of wine and we can leave.” And then we go back to just talking to each other in passing. It was getting harder to tell myself that.
“You really don’t like this,” he chuckled.
“No,” I hissed, “it’s stupid and a waste of time. And all a lie. I don’t give a fuck about what a candle says.”
Dimitri shrugged, eyes on Lissa and Christian, their hands fastened with a blue candle held between them. “It could be nice having a soulmate.”
I watched Lissa take a deep breath, holding it as she waited for the candle to light. She and Christian met in the library, fighting over a book before he offered to let her read it on a date. It took a while to get her family on board with her dating him, but eventually, they came around.
After their first date, Lissa said she knew Christian was her soulmate, and they were about to find out.
I peered at Dimitri from the corner of my eye—I doubt he felt that about me.
There was a collective gasp when their candle lit—the flame strong. It was similar to Mason’s and Eddie’s—their souls clearly resonated. The look on Lissa’s face, her happiness and affection, made me jealous.
I looked away. “I don’t think so.”
It was our turn next. My palm was sweating when I extended it to Dimitri, feeling the roughness of his skin against mine when we clasped hands. The silk wrap was tied securely, and the blue candle was placed between our palms.
There was no reason to be nervous.
I knew it wasn’t going to light. And yet, I felt jittery.
Dimitri caught my eye, a sad smile on his face. “It’s okay, Rose.”
I couldn’t understand why he sounded so disappointed. I couldn’t ask. My body went rigid as a wave of energy went through me; every hair stood on end. My heart was in my throat and my stomach dropped to my feet.
Our eyes met; the colour in Dimitri’s eyes shined, amber highlights illuminated by the fire between us.
The candle wick was burning.
Our soulmate candle lit.
The flame was brighter than Lissa’s and Christian’s. Brighter than any candle I had seen. My jaw dropped in shock, and a similar look was on his face.
Dimitri was my soulmate.
Fuck.