Dimitri's Point of View
"How's my flower Belikov?"
I was watching from the window as Rose, Paul, Ivan and Christian were running around the backyard engaged in an all-out snowball fight while Lissa and Sophia were busy helping my 5 year old Niece Zoya build a very girly looking snowman, complete with a pearl necklace and pink scarf.
"Rose is well sir. She's setting in just fine."
These phone calls had become something of a daily thing since we'd arrived in Baia and I knew they irritated Rose to no end. I was currently hiding out in the house out of view while I talked to him. I didn't need a repeat of the argument we'd had last night.
*Flashback*
"Since when are you my father's bitch?" She asked angrily stomping around the room before bedtime.
Rose had overheard the tail end of my phone call with Abe and he was less than thrilled when I mentioned we were taking a trip to St. Basils the day after New Year's.
"Nobody is anybody's 'bitch' Rose."
I was trying not to scold her for her crass language. The girl had a mouth like a sailor.
"Well it sure sounded like it to me!"
"That's because you only heard half the conversation!"
"Don't you find it odd that the man is MIA for the better half of my life, and now all of a sudden he can't go one day without checking up on me like some sort of creepy stalker? In case it's escaped his notice, I've already got one of those!" she yelled, slamming her hair brush down on the dresser.
I pinched the bridge of my noise, calling on God to give me the patience not to strangle her.
"Which is exactly why he's calling." I tried to reason. "He's worried about you Rose, is it really so terrible that he cares?" But Rose snorted.
"Yeah well he picked a fine time to start caring. Leave it to him to wait until I'm actually an adult to start acting like a father." She muttered, stalking off to change in the bathroom.
*End Flashback*
"Are you still planning on taking that fools trip to St. Basils?" Abe asked, his voice laced with annoyance.
"It will be good for sir. Rose isn't the type to sit around twiddling her thumbs; you know that. She wants to feel like she's doing something useful. By taking her to the academy and letting her work with the students on their defensive magic, she'll feel like she has a purpose and it will help keep her mind off of everything." I tried to reassure him. I wholeheartedly meant it. Rose needed this and I knew she'd be better off there than sitting around her waiting for the other shoe to drop.
"Very well Belikov, I trust your judgment. Just know that if something happens to my little girl on your watch, it'll be your head." He told me coldly, before his voice returned to its usual carefree tone.
"Always a pleasure talking to you." He added before hanging up the phone.
I stared at the phone shaking my head before tucking it back safely into my pocket and heading outside to join in the fun.
Later that night I was busy shuffling around the bedroom, trying to repack the suitcases Rose haphazardly threw together.
"OCD much Comrade?" She teased from her lounging position on the bed.
She was wearing a small red nightgown and spread out in a rather provocative position. I knew what she was trying to do, and it was working.
"Roza Milaya, you're distracting me." I told her, trying not to focus on how long her toned legs looked covered in so little fabric.
"That's the idea." She purred sexily, sending me a wink. I let out an involuntary growl when she spread her legs slightly and that's when all my control snapped.
All thoughts of my previous task were abandoned as I quickly climbed on to of the bed to hover over her. She smiled a victorious smile when my lips claimed hers, giving me a scandalous smirk when we broke apart so she could pull my shirt over my head.
I made quick work of removing her nightgown, my eyes taking a moment to roam over her beautiful body before taking her.
An hour later she watched with an amused expression while I continued to repack her suitcase in preparation for tomorrow.
"Are you excited to see Victoria?" she asked, watching as I refolded her bunched up t shirts.
We'd been back in Baia for a week and Victoria was the only sibling I had yet to spend any time with. Normally she would have stayed home during the Christmas holiday, but she'd gotten into a bit of trouble last year and had been forced to stay behind and catch up over the holiday break.
"Very excited, but not as excited as I am for you to meet her."
Rose let out an infectious bubbly laugh.
"Yes well based on all the stories your family has told me about her, I just know were going to get along famously."
Little did we know just how similar they really are...
Rose's Point of View
I couldn't stop laughing.
I knew I should, judging by the murderous expression on Dimitri's face, but the irony of it all made it impossible.
"Would you stop laughing?" Dimitri shouted, loud enough to shake the walls. He was like a cartoon character and I could almost see the smoke pouring out of his ears.
"I'm sorry Comrade, but don't you find it even the least bit amusing, given our history?" I asked. I immediately wished I hadn't.
"I just walked in on my baby sister having sex with her teacher…there is absolutely nothing amusing about that!" he growled, stalking over to the door.
His face was so serious I couldn't help but start laughing again.
"Oh come on Dimitri, where are you going?" I asked as he swung open the door.
"Out!" he shouted before slamming the door behind him. It took a few seconds before I was sure it wouldn't rattle straight off the hinges. A few seconds later I heard a tentative knock and when I opened it I found a slightly indignant but mostly shame faced Victoria.
"How bad is it?" she asked glancing around the room warily. She looked so scared I couldn't help but want to hug her.
"He'll be alright." I reassured her. "Just give him a little time to cool off."
*Flashback*
"Maybe we should have called first…" Ivan after we'd been standing outside of Victoria's dorm room for 10 minutes.
"I told her we would be here after the New Year." Dimitri mused, his expression one of deep thought. "Perhaps she's down in the gym." He suggested, setting our luggage down in the hallway before taking my hand and leading us across the quad.
The campus of St. Basils really was beautiful, and nothing like the arctic wasteland of my imagination. Glancing around at all the scenery I couldn't wait to go exploring.
We reached the gym in no time and Dimitri smiled proudly when he heard groaning coming from the other side of the gym doors.
"I told you she was probably here." He announced, pushing his way through the door.
All previous traces of happiness drained from his face the instant he saw her.
She was lying on the sparring mats in a very compromising position, while the clearly older man on top of her was moving in her mid-thrust. The sound of the door slamming closed echoed throughout the gym catching both of their attention.
Oh Shit!
"Dimka!" she cried out in horror as the man on top of her quickly scrambled for cover.
Dimitri let out a menacing growl that sent shivers down my spine, while Ivan and Christian were snickering wildly at the scene before us. Lissa and Sophia seemed to share my stupefied expression and I made a mental to pick my jaw off of the ground.
After an unbearably long silence, the mystery man in the room finally spoke.
"This isn't what it looks like." He insisted, trying to pull back up his gym shorts.
I cringed, waiting for the wrath of the Russian God standing next to me.
And in 3, 2, 1…
*Sorry, felt like a little cliffhanger tonight* : )