Chapter 21: Cats out of the Bag

Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy

Okay I know it's been over a week, but I did promise before the New Year and I'm totally meeting that deadline. I apologize for my tardiness and give the excuse that my mother in law had a stroke on Christmas Eve and we've been at the hospital and helping my father in law out a lot. I hope you all have a fabulous new years and leave me your last review for 2012.

SPOV

"Did you do what I told you?" I asked pressing an envelope into his hands.

"I did, he's reading the file right now."

"All of it?"

"All of it minus the part you asked me to change," he replied swiftly counting the cash.

"It's all there," I assured him.

"Can I ask why you're doing this? I mean what's in it for you?"

"I have my reasons," I told him.

"He's going to be pissed at her regardless of the missing information you know," he warned.

"I know."

"Then what was the point of the switch?" he asked.

I shrugged. "I'm just buying him a few more days."

"How do you know she won't blow it and confess the truth?"

"I have a hunch that she's going to want to keep that part of it a secret," I said walking away from him, pulling out my phone.

"Did you make the switch?"

"Yes, but it wasn't easy and it wasn't cheap. You owe me," I said.

"Come and meet me, it's been a long time."

"Yes it has," I said snapping my phone shut and heading towards the Plaza.

RPOV

I took a deep breath as I stood in front of our door.

"Here goes nothing," I muttered pushing the door open. I set my keys down and walked into the kitchen. I was startled to see Adrian sitting at the dining room table. He was dressed in the same suit he'd been wearing yesterday only his tie hung loosely around his neck, his sleeves were rolled up and his shirt was rumpled. There was a bottle of vodka sitting on the table with an empty glass sitting next to it. He was so engaged in the file he was going through that he didn't even look up as I entered.

"Adrian?" I questioned approaching him with caution. "Are you okay?"

He raised his head and I could see dark circles under his bloodshot eyes. He didn't say anything, but the look on his face told me something was not right with him.

"Babe, did you sleep in your clothes?" I asked coming up behind him squeezing his shoulders gently.

"I didn't sleep," he responded in a monotone shaking my hands off of him. This was not good. Usually when he was working on a client file and it wasn't going well, he would blow it off for a bit and joke around with me. This was different. He was different.

"What's the matter?" I asked perturbed at his odd behavior.

"Why don't you tell me Rose or should I say Rosemarie Mazur," he deadpanned.

"What?" I choked out. How could he have possibly figured that out? I eyed the file on the table wondering if it was about me.

"I had my private investigator look into your past after you lied to me about Russia and he dug up some pretty interesting stuff," he said gruffly pushing the file folder towards me. I guess that answered my question.

"You had me investigated?" I asked dumbfounded. I knew he was acting too casual about the whole Russia thing. I should have known he had a PI at his beck and call. Everyone with money did. That's the way they weeded out the gold diggers.

"I did and with good reason," he snorted gesturing towards the file.

"Adrian, I don't," I started.

"I don't want to hear it," he said getting up, grabbing the bottle of vodka and taking a slug right from the bottle. I'd never seen him like this before. He rarely got angry and never with me.

"Adrian please," I pleaded. "Let me explain."

"Why should I? All you do is lie."

"I came here to tell you the truth today," I said softly.

"Why should I believe that? You've been lying to me for years, why start telling the truth now?"

"Please just let me explain," I pleaded. "It isn't what you think," I said. In reality it was so much worse than he could ever imagine.

"Fine, but if I hear one thing that doesn't agree with what's in that folder then I'm out of here," he said sitting back down.

I sighed pacing as I thought of where to start.

"What do you need more time to think of a good lie?" he sneered, ready to vacate his seat again.

"No, it's just a hard story for me to tell," I responded.

"You have five minutes," he said glancing at his watch.

"When I told you that I left because my father and I had different ideas about how I should live my life, well it was the truth. I let my high school boyfriend get me pregnant and my father threatened him until he agreed to marry me," I blurted out careful not to use the word Dimitri or I'm still married. His face softened a bit and I could tell he was willing to listen at least for the time being.

"If you knew my father, you'd know that no one says no to Abe Mazur, so I married him and six months later Alexandr was born," I continued.

"Did you love him?" he asked.

"He was my son, of course I loved him," I cried.

"Not him, Mikhail," he said.

"Mikhail?" I questioned. Who in the hell was Mikhail?

"Yes, your ex-husband," he said in exasperation. "The guy who knocked you up!"

I raised my eyebrow taking a good look at the marriage certificate in the file. It indeed said that I'd been married to a Mikhail Tanner. His name was also on Alexandr's birth certificate.

"Did you?" he repeated.

I nodded. "I did," I told him. Again it was a lie, but what was I supposed to say? I couldn't tell him that the marriage certificate had been altered somehow and that I was really still in love with Dimitri whom I was technically still married to. "It was a long time ago. That isn't who I am anymore."

"So if you have a son, then where is he?" I knew it was a logical question, but it was one I was never fully prepared to answer. My lip began to quiver and tears sprung to my eyes as I looked down at the floor.

"When he was seven months old, he had a seizure in his sleep and he…," I trailed off, not being able to say the words. His eyes widened and he looked ashamed.

"Come here," he said opening his arms for me.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, I can't even imagine what that must have been like for you. I'm so sorry I was angry. I hate that you lied to me, but I can see why you did," he said holding me close, stroking my hair softly as I sobbed into his shirt.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I just hate talking about my past. It's too painful," I sniffled. "It was the worst thing that I ever lived through and no one understands," I sobbed.

"I'm sorry for jumping down your throat. I should have trusted that there was a good reason you didn't tell me. I just hate that there's so much that I don't know about you and I feel like ever since you got home, you've been distant. In fact, I felt it the night we got engaged. Are you having second thoughts? What happened while you were in Russia?"

I swallowed nervously. In truth I was having second thoughts, but I knew that it was better if I married him and stayed here in New York. If I let Dimitri seduce me back to Baia, my life would be over. As much as my heart ached for him, I couldn't give up everything I'd made for myself here and there was no way I was having another baby for him, so I wasn't even sure why he was still pursuing me. Surely he couldn't possibly want me if I refused him a family.

"Going back to Baia stirred up a lot of old memories—ones that I had tried so hard to forget. I left there seven years ago hoping to never have to deal with my past, but as it turns out the past has a way of catching up with you."

"If you wanted to leave it behind, then why did you bring home an entourage?" he asked.

I shook my head. "Lissa has been my best friend forever and by leaving, I missed a lot in her life. There are many parts of my old life that I want to leave behind, but she isn't one of them."

"What about the rest?"

"They're just part of the Lissa package," I said hoping he would buy it.

He let out a breath of air. "So you're not having second thoughts?" he asked pulling back so he could get a read on my emotions.
I shook my head. "Of course not, I love you," I said kissing him softly. It was a statement of fact. I did love him. What he didn't know is that although I loved him, I was in love with Dimitri.

"I know you're mad, but please try to understand," I begged.

"I'm not angry that you were married or that you had a child or are divorced and that you're from Russia. What I'm upset about is the fact that you lied to me about it. Rose, I love you and that wouldn't have changed just because you had a past. Who doesn't? There are things I'm not exactly happy about in my past, but that's why it's called the past. If we're going to do this, really do this, then you're going to have to be open and honest with me. Can you do that?" he asked.

I swallowed nervously nodding in agreement even though I was still keeping things from him. I knew it made me a liar and a really bad person, but I just couldn't bring myself to admit that someone had switched the names in that file. I had no idea who had done it, but I was determined to find out.

"Well I for one cannot wait to get out of here and have you all to myself in Paris, but until then what do you say you and I get reacquainted," he said leading me towards the bedroom. There was absolutely no way I was getting out of this one or he would definitely break off our engagement.

"Babe, where are you going?" he asked as I hopped out of bed grabbing my robe.

"We have the benefit tonight and you know it takes me six hours to get ready," I pointed out.

"I'm looking forward to seeing the dress you picked out," he said wiggling his eyebrows at me flirtatiously.

I went into the bathroom, closing the door behind me. "What did I do?" I whispered taking in my appearance in the mirror. I hung my head in shame wondering how making love to my fiancé felt so wrong. Oh yea stupid, it feels wrong because you're technically cheating on your husband, I thought splashing some cool water on my face.

It would kill Dimitri if he found out, but who was going to tell him? Adrian wasn't the type to brag in public and I certainly wasn't going to tell him. I took a shower doing my best to get dressed and ready for the evening ahead. I didn't have time to think about the consequences of my actions right now.

"What's the matter?" Adrian asked stepping into the bathroom after hearing my call of distress.

"I can't get the zipper closed," I told him, my fingers fumbling as I failed again miserably as I tried to pull it up.

"Let me see that," he said. "Hold your breath," he commanded.

I sucked in my stomach and held my breath and finally I heard it zip closed.

"Is it supposed to be that tight?" he asked scratching his head?"

I shook my head. "No," I said. "Damn you Dimitri," I muttered. He'd all but cooked every one of my favorite breakfast foods this morning including chocolate chip pancakes.

"I think I gained a few pounds," I said looking at my unflattering reflection in the mirror.

"Well in my opinon, you'd look just as beautiful with a little meat on your bones," he said kissing my cheek. "I'll call Tatiana and have her sent over Ambrose right away," he said grabbing his cell from the charger. I'd nearly forgotten that Tatiana was his distant cousin and that is how I'd met her in the first place. An hour later Ambrose had let out my dress and we were on our way to the gala.

"You look unbelievable in that dress," Dimitri said cornering me after pleasantries were made. Adrian was talking to some investors and had left me alone at the bar.

"You know I love you in red," he growled pulling me into a dark corner, shoving me up against the wall as he found the slit in my dress running his hand up my bare thigh.

"Dimitri don't," I hissed trying to pull away from him, but it was futile. He had me pinned up against the wall and damn was it arousing.

"I can't help myself Roza, you're irresistible," he said placing his lips on my neck sucking gently right on the place he knew drove me wild.

"Please stop," I moaned guilt creeping into my soul. I was glad I had the foresight to wash the smell of Adrian's cologne off me before we came here.

"Only because dinner is being served and I need to make sure you eat," he said pulling away stealing one quick kiss on the lips before leading me over to our table leaving me flustered as usual. We sat down again with me sandwiched between the men who were warring over my heart only one of them didn't know it was a contest and at the moment, a contest he was losing. I couldn't deny the lack of fire between us earlier as we made what I could only call brotherly love. The spark and passion that flowed through me whenever Dimitri touched me was undeniable. Just minutes ago I would have fled back to Baia with him in a heartbeat if he would have asked, but now that I had my head on straight, I was as confused as I'd ever been.

"What are you doing?" Adrian hissed in my ear.

"What?" I asked wiping my mouth with my napkin.

"You do realize that you're eating meat," he said staring at me like I'd grown another head.

"Oh," I said stopping my fork in midair halfway to my mouth.

"Yea, well you know I decided that the whole vegan thing is really just not working out," I said laughing nervously.

"Good, you're too skinny," he said placing his hand over mine. "I was beginning to worry you'd wither away." Beside me Dimitri grunted and I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. I managed to eat majority of what was on my plate and was absolutely delighted to dig into my chocolate mousse when dessert arrived.

"Would you like to have mine as well?" Dimitri offered. I pondered the consequences a moment before sticking my spoon in his glass and eating that one as well.

"Thanks," I said licking the last of the mousse off my spoon.

"What's yours in mine Milaya," he told me in Russian. I was so glad that Adrian did not understand Russian.

"So what did you guys do with my father and brother?" I asked. Adrian had gone off to the bar to grab some drinks and I wanted to know where they were.

"They're at the hotel," Lissa said.

"Come to think of it. Where is Ivan?" I asked not having noticed his absence until now.

"He elected to stay back, there was something he had to do," Christian snickered.

"Am I missing something?" I asked. No one said anything as a man announced that the silent auction was beginning shortly.

"What's a silent auction?" Lissa asked as we walked around browsing the items up for bid.

"Each item has a net worth and it is listed on the sheet. People can bid that price or higher to secure the item only they do it in writing," I said penciling my name in for an antique grandfather clock I'd been eying all evening.

"Hey babe, what are you bidding on?" Adrian asked snaking his arms around my waist. I gestured towards the clock.

"Ah, the elusive grandfather clock. Rose has been obsessed with that clock and it's never been for sale before now. I've offered to buy her many different ones over the years, yet this is the one she prefers. Any insight?" he asked looking at my course none of them would know why I wanted that clock. None except for Dimitri, who remained silent.

Flashback

"Why are you always looking in that window?" Dimitri asked as I stopped again in front of Yuri's. We were on our way home from school of course now that Dimitri was older, he went to the school across town, but he got out earlier than I did and always came to walk me home. Yuri's was an antique shop that had been here as long as I could remember and I often stopped to gaze in the window.

"No reason," I said pulling myself away from the window embarrassed of being caught staring in yet again.

"Don't lie to me Roza," he said grasping my arm forcing me to face him. I sighed heavily knowing he wasn't going to let it go until I gave him an answer.

"I just like to look in there okay," I said shaking his hand off me and adjusting my backpack as I stormed away. Damn him for being nosy, I thought swiping a tear off my face.

"Roza, wait," he called chasing after me.

"What? Why do I have to have a reason for everything? Can't you just ever leave well enough alone?" I cried.

"You're upset, you're my best friend. I want to help you," he said.

"I was looking at the clock in the window. My mother had one just like it. Baba got rid of it when we moved. It reminds me of her is all," I said. "I know it's stupid and it costs a million dollars I'll never be able to have one like it so just stop."

"It isn't stupid Roza," he said pulling me into a giant hug. I leaned into him snuggling my face in the crook of his neck drying my tears on his shirt. Dimitri was my safe place and no matter how bad I felt, he always knew how to comfort me.

End Flashback

"I just like this one okay," I snapped not feeling like drudging up the past.

"What did you bid on?" I asked trying to change the subject.

"Well since we'll be off to Paris for the New Year, I thought I'd bid on a time share at a little chateau in the Loire Valley," he said kissing my cheek.

"You're going to Paris for New Years?" Lissa asked, her eyes wide.

"I, uh," I stammered not knowing what to say.

"Yes, we are heading out on the twenty-ninth," Adrian said much to my disgrace.

I chanced a look at Dimitri. His lips were set in a hard line and his fists were clenched at his sides.

"I think I need some air, please excuse me," he said pushing past us.

"Adrian can you tell me more about that chateau. I've been dying to go to France," Lissa said steering him away leaving me free to go after Dimitri.

"Dimitri wait," I called. "Where are you going?" I asked finally catching up with him which was hard to do with his long legs and my high heels.

"Where am I going?" he cried yelling at me in Russian. He usually only did that when he was really pissed and too angry to remember his English.

"I'm going back to the hotel, packing my things and going back to Baia."

My heart nearly stopped beating as he threatened to leave.

"Paris Rose!" he cried. "Were you even going to tell me or were you just going to leave like you planned to all those years ago?"

I stood there in the middle of the street hanging my head in shame.

"I don't know," I cried biting my lip. "I'm confused."

"I've tried to be understanding, but this I don't understand. Either you love him or you love me. You can't have it both ways. I can't possibly imagine loving another woman because I am so in love with you!" he cried grabbing my arms pulling me close to him so he could look in my eyes.

"Tell me you love him and then I will go."

"I do love him," I said forcing myself to look in his eyes.

"Did you sleep with him?" he asked his eyes narrowing.

"What? Why would you ask me that?" I cried.

"It's a yes or no question Rose."

I shook my head. "Why does it matter?"

"I'll take that as a yes," he responded dropping his hands.

"I hope you get everything you want in life and have a beautiful wedding," he said bending down to kiss my cheek softly.

"Goodbye Roza." With those last words, he left walking swiftly towards the subway station.

"He's tired of you dicking him around you know," Christian's voice startled me as I continued to watch Dimitri's retreating back in the distance as he hurried down the stairs.

"I'm not trying to," I said.

"I know you're not at least not intentionally, but the man has put himself out there time and time again and you continuously throw it all away. What the hell is wrong with you? Do you really think that what you have in there is better? I've seen you with him and I know you don't love him. Why are you doing this? Is this all worth it?" he asked gesturing to the lights of the city behind us.

"I don't know. I'm so confused," I said telling the truth. I started to shiver as snow began to fall.

"Do you really think he's serious about leaving?" I asked as he handed me his coat.

He shook his head. "I don't know, but if he is, you have a very short window of opportunity to stop him. What you choose to do with that opportunity will define the rest of your life. I'd think really hard about what you really want in life and I'd think fast," he said heading back inside.

DPOV

"What happened D?" Ivan came in just as I was throwing everything I owned into my suitcase.

"I'm leaving tonight," I said pulling off my bow tie, tossing it to the floor followed by my cufflinks, cummerbund and tuxedo jacket.

"Woah, woah, tell me what happened?"

"I'm done competing for something I'll never win," I said wiping the sweat from my brow. The look of guilt that flittered across her face when I asked her if she'd been with him was unmistakable. I couldn't believe she'd slept with him after I told her how much it meant to me that she didn't. How many more times was I going to let her rip my heart out of my chest and stomp it to death. Not divorcing her made me stupid, following her here made me a fool, but staying here another day would just make me plain pathetic.

"Dude, you don't look so good. Are you feeling okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, sure, the woman I love told me she loves someone else. I feel like a million bucks," I said sitting down in the chair. In truth, I didn't feel so hot. After dinner I'd begun feeling a little queasy and it had only gotten worse after.

"She slept with him," I said shaking my head. "She knew it would hurt me, but she did it anyway."

"Dude that's brutal. She actually threw it in your face that she was sleeping with him? I mean I know Rose can be a bitch, but that takes the cake.

"She didn't say it, I just knew by the way she was acting and she didn't deny it," I said shivering a little. For some reason I was beginning to feel really cold even though a second ago I was burning up.

"Seriously man you're sweating bullets. Maybe you should lie down," he suggested.

"I don't think that's a good idea," I said shooting out of my seat and rushing for the bathroom.

RPOV

"What's wrong?" Adrian asked as I reentered the gala.

"Dimitri wasn't feeling well and had to go back to the hotel," I lied.

"Oh, well I hope he feels better soon. Would you like to dance?" he asked.

"Rain check? I'm pretty tired. Can we go home now?"

"Actually I have some work to finish up. Would you like me to get the car for you?"

"Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Are you sure it can't wait?" I whined. I was in no mood to go home and sit by myself, especially after the altercation I'd just had with Dimitri. I needed to figure out once and for all where I belonged and I couldn't do that if Adrian was at work.

"Babe, my dad is breathing down my throat on this Yamamoto stuff and I just can't leave it sit over the holidays. I want to get as much as I can done tonight. Why don't you go back to the hotel with your friends? I'm going to be really late tonight," he suggested kissing my cheek as he walked me out to the car where my friends were already waiting.

"Okay," I said waving as we pulled away from the curb.

"Where's Dimitri?" Vika asked.

"He's angry with me. He said he's packing a bag and going back to Baia tonight," I sighed.

"What? What did you say to him?" she gasped.

"Nothing. Why does everyone always blame me for his moody behavior?" I cried in exasperation. "He wants me to leave Adrian and run away with him like usual and I didn't fall into his arms and confess my undying love and now he's pissed," I huffed in annoyance.

"Well I don't blame him Roza. When are you going to wake up? My brother is the best thing that ever happened to you and you treat him like dirt. You're my friend and my sister in law and I love you, but sometimes you're a real idiot!" she cried exiting the car.

"I agree with her," Christian said.

"No one asked for your opinion Sparky," I snapped.

"What is all this?" Lissa asked as we walked up to the front of the hotel. There were paramedics and an ambulance and they were wheeling someone out on a gurney.

"Dimka?" Vika cried as she saw Ivan and Mason following the gurney along with Jill and Sydney.

"Oh my God, what happened?" I cried as I realized Dimitri was the one being wheeled out.

"I don't know. He felt sick and he was sweating and then he started vomiting and then he just collapsed," Ivan said.

"I'm going with him," Viktoria cried. "I'm his sister," she told the paramedics.

"I'm his wife," I blurted out pushing past her.

"You can ride with us," they told me.

I kicked off my heels and hopped into the ambulance. They worked on him for a bit and hooked him up to an IV and began to monitor his heart.

"What's wrong with him? Is he going to be alright?" I asked freaking out at the thought of anything happening to him.

"We're not sure. What was he doing right before this happened?"

"Uh, we were at a charity gala. We had dinner and then we got into an argument," I admitted.

"Does your husband have a history of heart problems?" one of them asked.

"Uh, no, not that I know of," I stuttered. Not that I knew what his health had been like these past seven years, but I knew he worked out and he almost never got sick when we were kids.

"Come on Comrade, don't do this to me," I pleaded taking his cold clammy hand in mine. "I need you. You can't die. I love you," I confessed to him in Russian, kissing his cheek.

So Adrian knows, Dimitri is sick? And what the heck is up with Sydney? I know you're all mad that Rose slept with Adrian, but he used compulsion on me and I had to do it=)