Chapter 9: Dark Obsession: Chapter 9

“No hard feelings, right, guys?”

I grin halfheartedly at the two guards who are standing in front of the boutique when Alexei and I pull up. Neither of them says a word. Their eyes are glued to the road, their expressions stoic. I can feel Alexei’s smirk before I even turn to look.

“There’s no point in that,” Alexei says. “They were in on it.”

He leans back, looking entirely too pleased with himself. “They were ordered to message me the minute you were out of their sight. We were all expecting you to pull a stunt like this.”

I sigh, slumping into my seat. “Of course you were.” I should’ve seen it coming. My brothers know me too well, and Alexei… well, he’s just as crafty.

I glance at him out of the corner of my eye, trying to keep my frustration in check. ‘I guess I should’ve known better.’

“Yeah,” he says, his smirk growing wider. “You should’ve. Lucky for you, the bartender knows our family and gave me a heads-up.”

“Figures.”

“What were you really hoping to gain, Elena?” Alexei asks, his sharp grey-blue eyes studying me.

I pause for a second, weighing my options. It’s a good thing Alexei and the rest of my brothers don’t know the finer details of what’s going on with Grigori. If they did, they’d lose their minds. I need to tread carefully here.

“I already told you,” I say, with a casual shrug. “I was just trying to get some info on someone.”

He raises an eyebrow, not buying it. “Why?” Then he grins, teasing me. “Let’s be real here. You’re not much of a dater, so that ghosting story was pretty rich.”

I roll my eyes, leaning back in my seat. “I wasn’t doing it for myself, I was doing it for Sasha. This guy did her dirty and she’s a little too nice to handle it herself, unlike me.” I add a smirk for good measure.

Alexei chuckles though it’s hard to tell if he actually believes me. “Sasha, huh? Sure.” His tone drips with skepticism, but he doesn’t press further. Still, I can see that glint of suspicion in his eyes. He’s always been good at reading people.

“Well,” he says after a moment, “I hope you get your story straight when you tell Luk, Lev, and Yuri. They all want to talk to you.”

Great. Just what I need—a family interrogation.

“Can’t wait,” I mutter, leaning my head against the window. The rain beats softly against the glass.

We pull up to the mansion just as the last bit of daylight fades, making the sky a deep, moody gray. I sigh, knowing exactly what’s waiting for me inside. Alexei and I hop out of the car and make our way through the front doors.

Sure enough, Luk, Lev, and Yuri are gathered in the den like they’re about to hold court. There’s a fire roaring in the fireplace. Alexei cracks a grin as he strolls in. “Found her,” he announces with enough bravado to make me want to punch him.

I roll my eyes and plop down into a high-backed chair as the three of them stare at me. Lev wastes no time. “What the hell were you thinking, Elena? Running off like that? Putting yourself in danger?”

“I’m not a little girl anymore, Lev. I can handle myself.”

Yuri shakes his head, looking more disappointed than angry. “There are rumors about a cartel moving into town, and you’re rattling cages, drawing attention to yourself. Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?”

Before I can fire back, Alexei pipes up, all innocent and amused. “Turns out, she was just doing a favor for a friend who got ghosted.”

The rest of my brothers exchange glances, and then, to my annoyance, they burst out laughing. Luk smirks, leaning back. “Ghosted?”

“I did it for Sasha. I was helping her out.”

They keep laughing, the disbelief clear on their faces, and all I can do is sit there, fuming.

Yuri leans in, his tone softer but serious. “Elena, the point of this conversation isn’t to scold you.”

“You could’ve fooled me. I feel like a kid who got caught with her hand in the cookie jar.”

Luk crosses his arms, eyes narrowing. “Listen. We know something’s going on between you and Grigori. We want to know what it is.”

I arch an eyebrow, feigning confusion and try to look as clueless as possible. “What are you talking about?” I ask, though my heart is already racing. I need to find out how much they know without giving too much away.

Lev jumps in, his voice level but pointed. “The shootout at the club. Grigori was there.”

“Yeah, and?”

Luk leans forward, his eyes sharp. “He’s been off our radar since it happened. No check-ins, no updates. That’s not like him. We need to know why.”

I grin, playing it off with sarcasm. “Maybe he’s taking a spa day to unwind, Luk. Everyone deserves a little me time, right?”

“Damn it, Elena,” Yuri snaps, his frustration bubbling to the surface. “This isn’t a joke. We need to know what’s going on.”

I bite the inside of my cheek, hating that I have to lie to them, but I do it anyway for Grigori’s sake.

“I don’t know, okay? He seemed tense that night, but I just figured he was pissed at himself for almost letting me get killed.”

It’s not the full truth but it’s close enough to get them off my back—for now.

Lev looks at me, his expression softening. “We just want you to be safe, Elena. If you really want to help, do it from in front of a computer. You’re brilliant at that. Invaluable. Shaking down thugs, on the other hand, is our job.”

I glance away, trying to mask the irritation building inside me. “Fine.”

Luk turns to Alexei, who’s still lounging against the wall like this is all a big joke. “Alexei, can you escort Elena to her room?”

Before I can protest, Yuri jumps in. “You’re not a prisoner, Elena, but it would make our lives easier if you stayed in the mansion for now.”

“Fine,” I say again, the word sharp on my tongue. “Are we done here?”

Without waiting for a response, I stand up, giving my brothers one last glare before heading toward the stairs. Alexei follows, and I hear him snicker like he knows something I don’t.

As we reach the top of the stairs, I glance at him out of the corner of my eye, noting the expression on his face. “What’s with the smug look?”

He just shrugs, his smirk deepening. “Oh, nothing. Just enjoying the show.”

A few guards fall in line behind us as we near my room, and I can’t help but scoff. “I thought you guys said I wasn’t a prisoner, Alexei.”

He shrugs, that smirk never leaving his face. “It’s just a precaution. One night of peace of mind, that’s all. Relax, it’s a nice room. Take a bath or something, unwind. Call if you need anything.”

We stop in front of my door, and I can tell from the way his eyes flicker that he’s got something else on his mind. He’s holding back.

“Spit it out,” I say as I grab his arm, pulling him into the room with me. I slam the door behind us and cross my arms. “What’s going on in that devious head of yours?”

He leans against the wall, hands in his pockets, and raises an eyebrow, that knowing smirk widening. “You really want me to tell you?”

“Yes, Alexei,” I snap, growing more frustrated. “Now.”

He pushes off the wall, stepping closer. “You’ve got feelings for Grigori,” he says, his tone low and casual, like he’s discussing the weather. “And I already know Grigori is head over heels for you. It’s obvious.”

I freeze, my heart skipping a beat. Of all the things I expected him to say, that definitely wasn’t it. “What are you talking about?”

He chuckles, shaking his head. “Don’t play dumb, Elena. I see things the others don’t. Luk, Lev, Yuri—they’re blind when it comes to this kind of stuff. But I pay attention. And I’m right, aren’t I?”

I’m stunned, completely caught off guard.

As I stand there processing what Alexei just said, I realize I shouldn’t be surprised he’s keyed in on all of this. Over the past year, Alexei and I have grown closer—something I never would’ve expected. Despite being raised without our biological father, Alexei is more like him than all of my brothers combined.

He’s sharp, always reading between the lines, always observing more than anyone else.

“I see things they don’t,” he says again. “You can lose the guards anytime you want, Elena. I know that. But I’m asking you to trust me now. I want to help you. Help you and Grigori.”

Touched by his devotion, I reach out and hug him, something I rarely do.

“Don’t let anyone see this,” he says, his voice teasing. “People might think I’m a loving and compassionate human being. It’ll ruin my reputation.”

I laugh, pulling back and shaking my head. “Your secret’s safe with me.”

He smirks, giving me a mock salute before turning toward the door. “Good night, Elena. Try not to get into any more trouble tonight.”

“Night, Alexei,” I call as he leaves the room, shutting the door behind him.

When I’m alone again, the weight of it all comes crashing down on me. How the hell am I supposed to help Grigori now? And more importantly, where is he? I can’t shake the worry gnawing at my insides.

I just hope wherever he is, he’s safe.