Chapter 14: I've Been Set-Up

Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy.

DPOV

"Why do you have to treat her like that Sonya?" I growled pulling my sister aside after hearing her berate my wife again in front of her family this time. I was more than a little pissed that she was being so rude to Rose while I was trying so hard to wear her down so she'd realize she was still in love with me. My sister treating her like trash wasn't going to help my efforts.

"Dimka wake up and smell the coffee. She doesn't want you. She's playing nice so you'll sign the papers is all. Just sign them so when she leaves it will be good riddance," she pleaded.

"I'm not signing them. There's still something between us. I know she feels it," I insisted.

"Even so, why would you want her after what she did? Besides she's leaving soon. I heard her say she's getting on a plane Tuesday. How much can things change in two days?"

I sighed knowing she would ream me out for what I was about to tell her.

"I'm going to New York with her," I stated waiting for her to explode.

"What?" she screeched so loudly I had to pull her into the hallway. "Why the hell would you subject yourself to that kind of torture?"

"It won't be. I'll be fine."

"Oh you'll be fine watching her live with that other guy, kiss that other guy, sleep with that other guy, plan her New York wedding to that other guy?" she asked crossing her arms firmly over her chest.

"It won't get that far. I'm sure of it. Her walls are already crumbling."

"Oh yea, has she slept with you yet?" she asked.

"No, but we've been close," I admitted running my hand through my hair in frustration. I was more than a little disheartened that I hadn't been able to break her yet, but I knew I was close. We had actually made civil conversation the last few days. She seemed at ease last night while her family was over and I woke up to her baking her little heart out this morning which was shocking, but a really good sign.

I'd watched her scramble around the kitchen for about twenty minutes before making myself known. She had a Christmas record on, her old apron over my flannel shirt and was singing along with a smile on her face. The woman I'd observed this morning was a far cry from the one who had pounded on my door only a week ago. Her heart was beginning to thaw and I wasn't going to give up, not now when I was so close to getting her back.

"Well that's not the same. Do you think she'll refrain from being with him while you're there?" she asked indignantly.

My heart dropped as I realized she was right. I had to find a way to keep her from being intimate with him. If they were alone and reconnecting like that then I didn't stand a chance and all the progress I'd made this week would be for nothing. I also didn't want to chance him planting his seed in my wife and losing her forever. I needed to get to her first. I needed her to make love with me just once and I knew that if we were together like that she'd be mine forever, but how?

"Dimka, I've been looking all over for you," Tasha crooned latching onto my arm. I groaned internally not telling her that she'd been looking for me all night because I had been purposely avoiding her. She was a nice girl, but she was clingy and it was kind of annoying.

"Tasha, it's good to see you too," I said squeezing her shoulder as I looked for an opportunity to get out of talking to her. Unfortunately there was no one around as I had dragged my sister into the secluded hallway and she had since disappeared leaving me alone with Tasha.

"Have you met the new girl?" she asked taking another sip of her wine.

"New girl?" I asked confused.

"Sure, I didn't catch her name, but she's a friend of your sister Viktoria. Dark hair, thin, pretty," she went on. I had a feeling she was talking about Rose. If only she knew that the quote unquote new girl was my wife.

"You mean Rose?" I asked pointing her out as I tried to inch Tasha closer to civilization.

"Yes, she's real nice. I met her at the store. She was real helpful. She told me everything," she said placing her hand on my shoulder giving me a strange look.

"Everything?" I asked wondering what she meant by everything. She couldn't know that Rose and I are married because she woudn't like her so much if she did.

"Dimka, I know you've been fighting your feelings for me, but it's okay if you're shy. I can wait as long as you need," she said inching closer.

"What exactly did she tell you?" I asked.

"Just that you can't stop talking about me," she nearly squealed.

"Oh she did? Did she?" I asked as she continued to rub up against me. I was about to push her away when I saw Rose walk over to the bar. I decided that even thought it wasn't a nice thing to do, I was desperate so I allowed Tasha to make her move and as she kissed me I pulled her in closer wrapping my arms around her in a passionate display. It was hard to make it look real because I felt disgusted as my lips moved over hers, but it was worth the suffering if Rose was watching.

I let it go on for about a minute before we heard shattering glass. We pulled apart abruptly to see what happened. I didn't see any broken glass at first. All I could see was Rose staring at us with a pained look on her face. It wasn't until Lissa screamed that my eyes were drawn to Rose's hand. She must have broken a glass. There was still some in her hand and blood was trickling steadily down her arm as she stood frozen.

I jumped into action immediately taking her upstairs to clean her wound. It pleased me that she had been jealous, but that pleasure soon turned to dismay as I remembered what she had told Tasha. I couldn't believe that she wanted the things she said. She'd all but given me a license to cheat on her. I stormed out of the room fully intent on giving her what she wanted.

"Hey Tash, how about we get out of here and go somewhere," I whispered suggestively in her ear as I corralled her towards the coat rack.

"Sure, wherever did you have in mind?" she agreed easily as I helped her into her coat.

I could feel Rose's eyes burning a hole through us as I escorted Tasha out to the truck. I also knew my mother and sisters were displeased with me by the looks on their faces. The only exception to that was Sonya. She had a smug look of satisfaction on her face as she looked between me and Tasha and then to Rose who was still standing at the top of the staircase.

I was seething at the fact that she had set this up. All of the progress I thought we'd made had been in my head. We'll see just how much she regrets what she said when I'm through, I thought driving towards our house ready to make good on my threat. If she could be with Ivashkov then I could be with Tasha.

"Would you like another drink?" I asked as Tasha made herself comfortable on the couch.

"Sure, I'd love some more wine."

I pulled out a bottle of white wine and poured two glasses before joining her on the couch.

"Wow, I think this is the first time I've been to your place," she said looking around. "It's very nice. Did you decorate it yourself?"

"I had a little help from my mother and sisters, but yes most of it," I said hoping she didn't notice the photos of Rose and I on the mantle.

"Well you have good taste," she said setting down her wine glass licking her lips as she moved forward. I closed my eyes and kissed her, softly at first, but becoming more fervent as she responded eagerly. She moaned opening her mouth, allowing me entrance and I took the opportunity to plunge my tongue into her mouth giving into the pleasure. I was in a haze as I continued to grope her leaning her back against the cushions as my hands fumbled with the clasp on her dress. It was a matter of seconds before I had her out of the dress and straddling my lap in nothing but her lacy undergarments. My hands roamed the length of her body and I allowed her to unbutton my shirt tossing it to the floor beside her dress. My head reeled at the electricity that flowed through my body. Although she wasn't Rose, I found myself pleasantly aroused by her soft skin upon mine, after all I was a man in his prime and I had been quite sexually frustrated these past seven years. Tasha was a beautiful, sexy woman and she wanted me so I allowed myself to forget my troubles and give in to the heat of the moment. I hadn't realized until just now how good it felt to feel wanted and to know that someone cared for me like that even if I couldn't return her feelings. More clothing came off and until we were both entirely bare.

"Oh Dimka, you don't know how long I've been waiting for this," she moaned pressing herself even tighter up against me so I could feel the heat of her core right up against my throbbing erection. I leaned my head back against the couch allowing her to explore my chest with her lips. Why had I waited all this time to be with her? Damn she was hot, I thought grasping her hips squeezing her fine little ass tightly as I ground her against myself desperately trying to hold out long enough to make this last. I flipped her over so she was lying flat on the couch and was just about to make us one when I caught sight of the apron Rose had been wearing this morning draped over a kitchen chair. I stopped what I was doing abruptly, jumping to my feet as I quickly shimmied back into my boxers.

"What's the matter?" she asked, her chest heaving as she pulled herself into a sitting position.

I let out a breath. "I can't do this," I muttered taking a seat in the chair, putting my head in my hands. I absolutely couldn't do this, not here on the couch where Rose was supposed to be sleeping tonight. Not on the same couch that Rose and I had been in this exact same position not three nights ago. Being with Tasha was wrong. It felt wrong. Being here like this with Roza had felt right. I hated myself for the hold she had over me, but I knew that this was a trap. This was her plan, to get me together with Tasha so she could claim infidelity and get me to sign the papers out of guilt. Well that was not going to happen. I was going to New York with her whether she liked it or not. I'd waited seven long years for my second chance with her and there was no way in hell I was going to fuck it up by taking Tasha to bed tonight. I was horny as hell, but this wasn't worth it. The only woman I wanted beneath me was her and I was determined to make that happen.

"What do you mean? Do you have some sort of problem, you know down there?" she asked probably having noticed my now very flaccid condition. "If you do that's okay. I'm a very patient woman and I don't mind a challenge," she said trying to climb back on top of me.

"No, Tasha that's not it. I haven't been very nice to you. In fact, I've been horrible to you. Please put your clothes back on."

"Geez, I don't know what is the matter with you sometimes. You're so hot and cold. One minute you're kissing me and taking off my clothes and the next you're pushing me away. What is it that holds you back and I deserve to know the truth," she demanded pulling her dress back on.

"You do deserve the truth and I'm sorry for treating you so poorly. You're a very nice young woman and any man would be lucky to have you, but I'm not the guy for you Tasha."

"Why not. What's wrong with me?" she cried tears pricking her eyes. I felt like a heel. I wasn't that guy. I hated myself for the way I'd treated her.

"There isn't anything wrong with you," I told her pulling a very worn photo out of my wallet.

"I haven't been honest with you. It's difficult for me to talk about my past, but I think I owe you an explanation."

"I'd say you do," she said crossing her arms over her chest.

I sighed taking a deep breath before beginning. "When I was young, I fell in love with a girl I'd known my whole life. I asked her to marry me and we had a son together," I told her.

"You have a son?" she asked seemingly surprised.

"I did. His name was Alexandr."

"Was?" she gulped nervously.

I nodded forcing myself to continue. "He had a rare brain condition that we didn't know about until one night when he was seven months old. He had a seizure and he didn't make it," I said getting a little choked up. I'd never actually told anyone what had happened. Most people had heard and no one ever brought it up.

"Dimka, I'm so sorry. I had no idea," she said rubbing my arm soothingly.

"What happened to your wife?" she asked.

"The stress was too much for her and she and I spent the last seven years apart."

"What does that have to do with us though? You said you've been divorced seven years," she asked quietly.

I shook my head. "I said we've been apart, but we aren't divorced."

"Oh," she said sitting back. "You're married?"

I nodded. "I am," I said handing her the photo I'd pulled from my wallet. It was of Rose and Alexandr. It was taken the day he was born. She was in her hospital gown holding him in her arms. She had been so exhausted, but once she'd see him, she'd fallen in love and couldn't stop smiling. I looked at that picture on average three times a day for the past seven years. It was what kept me sane.

Tasha's eyes widened as she took a good look at the photograph.

"Rose is your wife?" she gasped.

I nodded. "She is and I'm sorry, but I'm still in love with her and I thought I could make her jealous by bringing you home with me tonight. It was a really shitty thing to do and I'm so sorry. I should have been straight with you from the first day we met.

"Yes, you should have," she said rising to her feet.

"I will take you home if you want," I offered.
"Thank you. I think that would be best."

After dropping her off and making sure she got inside, I drove around for about an hour to clear my head. I ended up deciding to drive back to my mother's house. Rose deserved to spend the night thinking I'd slept with Tasha, but my desire to win her back outweighed my desire for revenge.

It was late and the majority of the guests had dissipated. The only people standing around in the living room were Christian, Mason and Ivan. My mother and sisters had already begun cleaning up in the kitchen.

"Where's Rose?" I asked as I entered through the front door.

"She's upstairs lying down. She isn't feeling well," Mason said his jaw clenched in anger. "No thanks to you."

I shook my head and put my hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry. Nothing happened. You know me. I wouldn't do that to her. I was angry with her and I made a split second decision and it was a poor one. I drove Tasha home." I headed for the stairs, but Mason stood in front of me blocking my path.

"You know I believe you, but I think you should just leave her be tonight dude, she's really drunk and I don't want to see her get hurt."

"Yea, she's in a real bad way," Christian piped in. "She ate like three brownies and a whole plate of your mom's gingerbread cookies. I even saw her pound down some of those bacon wrapped appetizers."

I let out a breath of air, but didn't make a move to go upstairs again.

"She'll be alright. Lissa and Vika are going to stay with her tonight. Why don't you go home and get some sleep and come back for her in the morning. I'm sure things will look better after a good night's sleep."

I nodded taking Mason's advice. I'd wanted her to be jealous, but I didn't want to hurt her which is what I ended up doing. I said goodnight to my mother who ripped me a new one for poor behavior and told me it would be a good lesson to me if Rose never spoke to me again. I hoped that wasn't the case.

I was too wound up to sleep so I stayed up packing my suitcase for our trip on Tuesday. I only hoped there was a relationship left to salvage in the morning.

RPOV

"Are you feeling any better?" Lissa asked after I finished retching up the last of the cookies I'd stuffed down. She'd been the dutiful best friend and held my hair back.

I nodded hugging the side of the toilet as if it were my lifeline.

"You really shouldn't have had so many shots," she scolded. She and Vika helped me over to the bed, Dimitri's old bed. It was the one we frequently fell asleep in as children and the one we secretly made love in when we were teenagers while Olena was at work.

"I know," I moaned as my head pounded. I wanted to admit that it wasn't just the liquor and two plates of cookies I'd eaten that were making me ill. It was the thought of what Dimitri and Tasha were doing in the bed we used to share that was making my stomach tied in knots. I knew I had no right to care what he was doing and that it was for the best, but damn it I was jealous. So jealous it hurt. For the first time since I came here I realized that I still had feelings for Dimitri. I thought I was over him, but after the events of tonight I realized I'd been sadly mistaken. I couldn't deny it anymore. I'd always known that was still physically drawn to him and who wouldn't be with a body like his, but it was more than that. It had been a long time since I'd thought about how I felt the first time I knew I was in love with him and those feelings were slowly clawing their way to the surface. I took a deep breath and a sip of the water Lissa was holding out for me willing myself to squelch down those feelings. I was engaged to Adrian. I loved my life in New York and I wasn't about to give all of that up because I was jealous that my soon to be ex husband was sleeping with a trampy hoe.

In the morning when I saw him, I would be strong. The only reason I was even remotely jealous was because being back here was stirring up old feelings, feelings that would fade the longer I stayed away from here and from him. Surely he wouldn't insist on still accompanying us to New York now after tonight and even if he did, he would see how in love I was with Adrian and run crying back to Russia with his tail between his legs. I knew him and he wasn't going to like the way I lived and that would be that. He wasn't cut out for the New York lifestyle. He would sign the papers and we'd forget the past and we'd both be free to move on. Right, like life is ever that simple, I thought as I drifted into a fitful sleep.

Well that didn't go as planned=( I know we all hate Rose right now and that she's being a total Bitch, but she's changing, slowly but surely. Do you think Adrian is going to notice the change in her when they get back to New York? How will Dimitri keep her from sleeping with her fiancé? Do you think she's right about him not being able to handle her life in New York? Can you think of any issues that might arise while they are there? Will Adrian find out her secret? Check out my new poll on my home page. Thanks for reading. All reviewers get to join the mile high club with the Russian on their flight to New York=)