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"Now who's pimping out who?"

- Aleksandr
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Chapter 15 - Fake A Smile

▪️S E R G E Y▪️

A few nights later, I found myself taking a deep breath while looking up at the night sky.

Things between Natasha and I had gone back to normal. And by normal, I meant that I had been doing my best to keep my distance whenever I saw her, which was pretty much every day since she was busy helping Litizia sort things for the upcoming wedding.

Speaking of impending nuptials, I refocused my attention to the mansion in front of me.

I was leaned up against a sleek black SUV parked behind the large black limo that was out front waiting for Aleksandr and Litizia. Tonight, they would be having their first date and I was proud to say that in the end, I had some input in making things happen.

Seeing the couple walk out together made me smile. Aleksandr was holding his fiancée's clutch and coat in one hand while she held on to his other hand. They looked good together and I could not help but take in their attire.

My gaze roamed over Aleksandr first. 

He wore black loafers with fitted dark blue jeans and even from this distance, I could see the outline of his manhood. When my eyes trailed over his crisp white shirt, I chuckled softly at the fact that he had purposefully left the two top buttons open, allowing for a bit of his tattooed chest to peek through.

"Always a damn tease..." I muttered.

When I turned to look at what Litizia was wearing, I found myself nodding my head in appreciation.

The red dress was fitted and stopped just above her knees. The thick straps came around her neck, leaving her shoulders exposed. Upon lowering my eyes to her cleavage, I respectfully cleared my throat. A questionably thin piece of fabric came just under her breasts, leaving much of her bosom and a bit of her upper stomach exposed.

"Fuck, she's gonna kill Aleksandr tonight. No wonder he's got a hard on already..." I said softly.

The sleek material hugged her body, showing off every single curve she had. There was no denying it, that dress was the type of outfit that was made to bring a man to his knees.

Having come to know Litizia well enough over the last few days, I knew that she was much too shy to wear something as bold as this. It was then that I remembered the two culprits behind this specific purchase, although at the time, I had only seen the dress when it was still on the hanger.

"But of course!" I chuckled under my breath.

I recalled listening to Jade and Natasha earlier today, trying to convince Litizia to buy the dress. Aleksandr's fiancée had been nervous about wearing it and as provocative as the outfit may be, I was glad to see that Litizia had decided to be brave and try something new.

From the look on my best friend's face, coupled with his lower body's glaring reaction, I could tell that Aleksandr was definitely happy with it.

Recalling Litizia's uneasiness about the dress caused a frown to form on my face as I suddenly remembered something in particular while still back at the store.

Hearing Natasha talk bad about herself had not sat well with me.

To be honest, I had not realised that she was so self-conscious about her body, in particular where her breasts were concerned. She seemed almost obsessed about their size and I had wanted nothing more than to insert myself into their conversation to tell Natasha that she was wrong.

I wanted to tell her that she had no idea what she was talking about, that she could wear a dress like that and would look absolutely stunning in it. But of course, I held my tongue.

While watching Natasha stand next to Litizia with a look of slight awe on her face taking in the woman's curves, I found myself picturing Natasha in something similar. Only her dress would be black with mesh highlights. At the thought, my body had instantly reacted and I found myself getting aroused right there and then in the middle of thestore, much to my disdain.

Shaking the thought away, I huffed and got into the SUV once Aleksandr and Litizia were secured inside of the limo. I allowed Viktor to drive while I sat in the passenger seat trying my best not to think about a certain blonde.

About five minutes after we had left the compound, my black phone vibrated.

Taking the device out of my pocket, I was surprised to see that I had a message from Natasha. I was anxious to see her name appear on my screen, concerned that something was wrong because her words were somewhat worrisome.

Natasha:
"Don't be mad,
but I need a favour..."

Sergey:
"What's wrong?
I can't come right now but I can
send one of the men over?"

I was ready to call one of the enforcers to go assist Natasha with whatever she needed help with until I could be there. But upon reading her reply, I scoffed, my worry immediately deflating.

Natasha:
"Can you tell me if Zia is alright?
She was really nervous and we had
to cut our video call short because she
needed to go downstairs and meet Aleksandr."

Sergey:
"Seriously?
You want me to spy for you?"

Natasha:
"Well, when you put it like that
it sounds bad 😳"

Sergey:
"Uh huh...
Knowing how you and Jade can be.
I'm surprised that she's not
following us tonight."

Natasha:
"I guess something came up?

At this, I chuckled softly, knowing that Aleksandr's earlier call to Dominic would have resulted in Jade being too busy to do much of anything else tonight.

Sergey:
"Yes well, I can imagine that
she's rather tied up at the moment."

Natasha:
"Oh... 😳
Erm I see...
So does that mean you won't be
able to tell me what's going on?"

Sergey:
"You are aware that snitches
end up in ditches, right?"

Natasha:
"I just want to know if she's okay?
Pretty please?
I'll beg if I have to..."

Fuck, just thinking about her begging me had me hardening in my pants.

Sergey:
"Ugh... Litizia is fine.
I'm sure that you're aware that
she wore the dress since you two
were video calling after all."

Natasha:
"I know, I'm so proud of her!
She looks fucking amazing!"

I did not know why I wrote what followed, but my fingers were flying across the screen and I had pressed send before I could change my mind.

Sergey:
"I wouldn't mind seeing you
in such a dress.
In black though, with mesh details..."

When there was no immediate reply from Natasha, I immediately regretted being so open. 

I was about to stuff my mobile phone back into my pocket when she replied about a minute later, her words making me frown.

Natasha:
"Really? I'm not sure that such a
dress would look good on me 😳"

Sergey:
"Let me be the judge of that...
Anyway, we're headed
to New York now.
So stop worrying, the date
 will go just fine."

Natasha:
"Okay, can I message you
throughout the night?"

Sergey:
"Sure, doesn't mean
I'll answer 😉"

Natasha:
"😲😲😲
Seriously?"

Sergey:
"I'm busy now,
stop texting me 😋"

I chuckled at my childish response; this entire exchange was new to me. The only person with whom I had ever texted like this was Aleksandr and the sudden realisation of this had me tensing in my seat.

Natasha:
"You're so mean!
I swear 😫"

Looking down at her latest response, I bit the inside of my cheek while my fingers hovered over the screen. I wanted to reply and tease her some more but I decided against it, not liking how effortless our interaction had been even though I had been ignoring her for the past few days.

Shaking my head, I quickly closed the app and put my mobile phone away before turning to stare out the window.

"Everything alright?" Viktor asked after a few moments.

"Just focus on the road..." I replied curtly, my frown deepening while I got lost in my thoughts.

In no time we had arrived at the secluded airfield.

Aleksandr escorted Litizia aboard the G550 while Victor, three other men, and myself accompanied them.

We sat more to the front of the jet, while Aleksandr and Litizia sat more towards the back. There was a partition separating us, but that did not stop me from snooping as I tried to listen in on their conversation.

Of course, I felt no shame, knowing that Aleksandr would have been doing the exact same thing if the roles were reversed.

It was interesting to listen to Litizia ramble on about how beautiful the interior of the craft was. In between champagne and bits of fruit, Litizia told Aleksandr that she had never been on a private jet before but that she had been in a helicopter a few times and was looking forward to the one we would board once we landed.

"You're not planning to kidnap me, are you?" Litizia joked and I could not help but roll my eyes and shake my head.

Aleksandr's voice was low, but I heard him say, "Now why would I do something like that?"

"Oh you know, typical mafia behaviour..." Litizia replied.

I snorted under my breath and Viktor shot me a curious look to which I simply arched a brow at him to silently remind him to mind his business.

When we arrived at our destination, Litizia squealed in excitement.

She was clearly exited at being in New York City. Not that I could blame her. After all, bringing an artist to The Metropolitan Museum of Art was basically like having a wet dream come to life.

The three men stayed behind near the helicopter while Viktor and myself followed them into the building.

We kept our distance, and while Viktor busied himself on his mobile phone, I of course kept a close eye on the couple while they enjoyed a romantic dinner.

The skyline behind them provided an excellent backdrop while Litizia and Aleksandr sat opposite each other idly chatting about various things. It was a nice night out; the summer breeze was refreshing and I was thankful that it was not too humid.

From the way Aleksandr's eyes roamed over Litizia, I could tell that he was admiring the way the lights from the lanterns cast a beautiful glow against her tanned skin. She had completely captivated him and he hung on to every word that was coming out of her mouth.

Once dinner was completed, they went down to the exhibition area to look at some paintings.

The pieces on display were those of the French painter Eugène Delacroix (1798–1863) who was considered to be one of the greatest creative figures of the nineteenth century. Delacroix produced an extraordinarily vibrant body of work, setting into motion a cascade of innovations that changed the course of art.

Litizia squealed and took Aleksandr's hand in hers while she excitedly pulled him around the area, gushing about the various use of colour and techniques. Even though he did not understand half of what she was saying, she had his undivided attention.

After stopping in front of a particular painting, their conversation turned more sexual in nature and it was in that moment I told Viktor to go check on our men and ensure that everything was alright.

With Viktor gone, I could still keep my distance but I was free to openly observe the couple in front of me.

It was hard to make out everything they were saying, especially when their voices dropped to the level of a whisper. But even though I may not have been able to hear properly, I could more than see that something was definitely building between the two of them.

From where I stood, I could see Litizia's flushed face and parted lips. It was obvious from the way she was longingly looking up at Aleksandr that she was aroused and that she wanted him to kiss her.

And fuck me did he ever!

The way Aleksandr kissed Litizia had my own lips parting as I watched his mouth seductively devour hers. In the silence of the room, the sounds of their ragged breathing and soft moans seemed to echo and I felt a warmth spread across my face.

When they slowly ended their kiss, I heard Litizia ask a question while trying to catch her breath.

"I-is it always like that?"

Aleksandr learned down and brushed his mouth against hers before replying, "It has never been like this..."

Damn!

I just knew right there and then that I was witnessing the beginning of something truly special between the two of them. Even though I felt a crippling jealousy threatening to choke me, I could not help but think about how beautiful the sight before me was.

As much as it pained me, I faked a smile even though no one was around to see it.

Truth be told, I never thought that the day would come when my best friend would have truly fallen in love with a woman, much less get married. As greedy as I had the capacity to be, I was prepared to let Aleksandr go just as he would do the same for me and I wanted nothing more than for him to be happy.

Taking a deep breath, I stuffed my hands in my pockets and turned away to give the couple some privacy.

A few minutes later, when Litizia headed towards the bathroom, I heard Aleksandr walking up behind me and I squared my shoulders in preparation of what he was going to say.

"You're upset."

"Is that a statement or a question?" I asked, my eyes remaining on the painting in front of me.

Interestingly enough, it was titled "Jacob Wrestling With The Angel" and the scene depicted was one illustrated in bold and vibrant colours. To me, it looked as though the two men were embracing rather than grappling.

There was something almost intimate about the painting, or perhaps I was just imposing my current feelings. Before I could give the notion any more thought, I shook my head and turned to face Aleksandr.

My eyes stared into his and I almost felt like I was drowning within their deep blue depths.

Aleksandr was not just the only man I had ever been intimate with. To this day, he was the only person I had ever loved in a romantic sense, and until recently it had been the same for him.

The brief infatuation he had with Jade years ago did not count. Especially since I had seen the way in which he looked at his fiancée with my own two eyes; he had never been this way before.

With Litizia now in the picture, I knew that things between us were going to change and I had been mentally preparing myself for the shift.

Aleksandr and I had shared so many intimate moments over the last twenty-five years!

Just thinking about the different paths our lives were about to take had me feeling slightly confused. But regardless of where we both ended up, we would always love and support each other. It was a sacred vow we had made decades ago.

As if he could read my mind, Aleksandr said softly, "You know that me being with Litizia doesn't mean things need to change between us."

"Is that right?"

"Yes, I will tell Litizia about us."

I almost choked at his admission and I promptly asked, "Do you think that's a good idea?"

"Not really... But you and I both know that we have a special and unbreakable bond and I don't wish to hide anything from Litizia. Besides, I get the feeling she might think it's hot and will want to see us kiss or something," he laughed nervously at the end.

Chuckling softly, I said, "So you're just pimping me out without even asking?"

"Wouldn't be the first time," he teased.

Rolling my eyes, I ignored him and went on to say, "Aren't you worried that she'll go tell Natasha or worse Jade. You know once that demon finds out it's game over, right? That woman will want a threesome or foursome if Dominic allows it. I've seen the way she looks at Litizia; if Jade weren't married, I fear she'd have made a pass at her."

"Shit, knowing Jade, she might very well still do so..." Aleksandr realised with widening eyes.

"Better watch your back," I grinned while keeping my eyes locked with his.

"You better watch yours as well."

"How so?" I asked.

Smirking at me, Aleksandr, bumped his shoulder into mine, "Come on, you've seen Jade making out with Natasha. I'm sure given the chance; she will want to make that foursome into an orgy..."

"Of which I will not be a part of!" I said rather quickly.

"No? But you are open to a foursome with Litizia and myself, yes?" Aleksandr probed; his eyes focused intently on me.

It had been something that we had talked about years ago while we were still in our twenties. We had joked around with the idea that if we were to ever get married, it would be interesting to have a foursome of some kind.

It was obvious that Aleksandr was pushing the idea of Natasha and I being a couple and that he was trying to gauge my reaction. However, I refused to get trapped into such a conversation tonight.

Clearing my throat, I replied, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves now... We need to get you married off first before we can even think about anything else."

"Now who's pimping out who?" Aleksandr smirked.

I simply grinned in response and when his smile faded, I could tell that he was going to say something important. The muscles of his shoulders tensed while he seemed to mentally prepare himself for what he was about to say. 

Not wanting Aleksandr to feel obligated to me in any way, I cut him off just as he started speaking.

"Seryozha–"

"Look, you don't need to worry about me, Sasha. I truly am happy for you, I swear! Besides, it's not as if we ever spoke about us riding off into the sunset together, I don't love you that much." I stated with a smile while sending him a wink at the end.

Not to mention my own confused feelings for Natasha, but I did not voice that last part.

At my words, Aleksandr visibly relaxed.

Sure, we may not be able to fuck around–literally–anymore but our friendship and bond would remain as strong as ever.

Raising both hands simultaneously, my open palms slapped him playfully on his shoulders and said, "Now go wait for your future wife, I'm sure she'll be out of the bathroom soon."

With a nod, Aleksandr walked back to where he previously was while I pulled out my mobile phone, which of course had been vibrating ever so often during the night. I knew that it was Natasha before I even opened up my messages, her latest string of texts had the corner of my lips twitching in a small smile.

Natasha:
"OMG a rooftop dinner?
That's so romantic! 😍😍😍"

Natasha:
Where exactly did he take her?"

Natasha:
"Sergey, you there?"

Natasha:
"Hello?

Natasha:
"Seriously?
You're just going to tease me
with a one liner and disappear!"

Natasha:
"You really can be a sadist sometimes!"

Natasha:
"Psst... *poke*
You can't ignore me all night..."

Natasha:
"Okay maybe you can, but come on
you know that you want to reply!"

Natasha:
"Psst... *pokes your man bun*"

Based on the time stamps in the chat box, I could tell that there had been no messages from her for about an hour until these last few came in.

Natasha:
"How are you feeling though?
You looked a little tired earlier today."

Natasha:
"I'm feeling hungry...
What time are you getting back?"

Natasha:
"Do you want to eat something together?"

Natasha:
"I mean you'll probably say no
but it doesn't hurt to ask..."

I had to commend her for her tenacity.

While she did not bombard to the point of being annoying, she had sent enough messages that every time I felt my phone vibrate, I was reminded of her presence.

Against my better judgement, my fingers quickly moved across the screen.

Sergey:
"I should be back in Aelbank City
in about two hours or so."

Before Natasha could answer, I found myself typing out another reply before I decided to change my mind.

Sergey:
"What would you like to eat?"

——————————

A/N: Ooooh... 🤭😏