I Fell in Love With my Best Friend

Jackson POV 7

I was so screwed. I hadn't intended to sleep with her yet, but I couldn't deny that it had felt amazing. The only problem is that I had made love to her without any sort of protection, and I had let her convince me to finish inside of her! We had had a long conversation about it when we had finished. I wasn't too worried about pregnancy. After all, I knew I had the means to support her if she did fall pregnant. My concern was what was going to happen if they found out she was pregnant? Her brother alone would kill me if he found out we had slept together. I had no idea what I was going to do and I think my anxiety was showing big time come Monday when I was in school.

Lilah was waiting at my locker come time for lunch and she said, "What gives? You've been avoiding me since Saturday."

I groaned in frustration and ran my hand through my hair. "Lilah, I told you on Saturday that there were still some things you didn't know. You don't know them cause they could put you in danger. I've told you this once before. The thing is, if certain people found out what happened, you would be in danger without a doubt."

She said, "So...what? Does that mean that we're not in some sort of relationship?"

I smiled and kissed her gently. "Of course that's not what it means! Just, for right now, don't tell anyone the extent of our relationship? Please?"

I could tell she wasn't happy. Keeping our relationship a secret? Talk about toxic and red flags. She deserved to know the truth, but the truth would put her in even graver danger especially if she ever found out my involvement. She said, "What can I tell people?"

"You can tell them that we're together if you like. Just, please don't tell them the extent of how strongly I feel. I promise it will only put you in danger."

She huffed, but nodded. I kissed her forehead and excused myself as I saw Wolfe heading my way motioning for me to come talk to him. She looked hurt but she smiled and watched me walk away. Wolfe said in a hushed tone, "We have orders."

I nodded. "When?"

"Tonight."

I looked back at Lilah and said, "You know I hate this, right?"

He looked at me weird. "Do you mean the relationship thing or the Bratva thing?"

I glared at him. "I mean, I hate that Alexei took the stand and they decided to come after us. I hate that you and I had to take our brothers' places so they wouldn't go after Bell and Sophe. I hate that I have to lie to Kitten about not only our dirty business with this s**t, but about Alexei and how he's not really dead! I understand how she has no clue about our business, but how am I supposed to continue lying to her now?"

"What do you mean, Jack? What's changed?"

I murmured to where only he could hear, "I made love to her. And I was stupid about it."

He blinked. Once. Twice. Then he punched me in the arm and said, "Okay. So here's what you're going to do: you're going to continue to act like you're not involved in anything shady. Then, in two or three weeks, you're going to have her take a pregnancy test and we'll go from there on that one. As for Alexei? That's not our secret to tell. We wait for him to reveal himself or tell us to. We do whatever we can to keep her and her entire family safe. They don't need to ever know anything about her. Got it? If they find out, they'll target her next just to keep you in line. We're almost free, Jacky."

I nodded. "I just feel bad. I know it would be best if she didn't tell anyone about our relationship, but I can't bring myself to be the toxic asshole who keeps a relationship a secret and I can't ask her to do that either."

"Just make the most of the time you have with her. You know they have eyes everywhere. Better enjoy it now in case you can't later." He glanced around. "We have to be extra careful tonight though. It's Sergei."

I groaned. "He didn't pay again?" He nodded. "We'll have to do extra work this time then. He never keeps his mouth shut."

~that night~

i hated my job with the Bratva. If I was unable to collect the debt, they would send someone else in to kill them and it was gruesome. They were often made examples of and that was typically a bloody mess. Tonight we had to collect from Sergei, the sweet old man that came into the bookstore all the time. He was a repeat guest we had to visit. He was constantly late on his payment, however he typically paid us extra which is what keeps him alive. Thankfully we wouldn't have to get rough tonight, hopefully.

I shook my head and ring the doorbell, waiting for Sergei to answer. He opened the door and said in heavy Russian, "Come in, come in. Let me get the money."

I followed him inside and said, "Sergei. We need to stop meeting like this. They're going to want me to start making an example of you."

"Da. I know. I'm trying, Jackson."

I sighed. "I hate to do this to you Sergei, but Wolfe needs to come in and take something from you. Prepare yourself."

He nodded and I walked out as Wolfe came in. I was waiting outside when the scream came. I winced as Wolfe said, "Got it. Let's go."

My phone chirped and I whimpered. Kitten: Hey can you talk?

Wolfe said, "Do you need to call her?"

I laughed dryly. "How did you know it was her?"

"Your face lit up when she texted, my cousin. You're way too obvious and it's going to get you or her killed."

Hey, Kitten. I'm kind of at work now. is it important?

No. Not really. I just missed our phone calls.

How about I call you when I get done here?

Yeah, I'd like that.

I smiled. Talking to her made me feel so much more relaxed even during this terrible act. But it was time to sober up. No more acting like a love drunk fool. It was time to go meet the Big Boss. Wolfe passed me the mirror and helped me scruff up my hair to the appropriate mess level the Boss were expecting. They expected that messy bad boy 'im sexy but I don't really care' kind of look from me and the whole cool calm 'goody two shoes' look from Wolfe. It was completely dumb but we had our own parts to play and neither of us wanted our families put at risk. We both put on our 'masks' and walked into the Big Boss' den. Corsvky, the big Boss, was waiting. He was a big man. Muscles everywhere and he just looked like the stereotypical Russian bad guy. All he needed was the bald head and the cat. He directed his questions at me and I answered them like usual, with feigned bad boy nonchalance. Until my phone rang.

I groaned internally as Corsvky demanded, "Your phone. Give to me." I hesitated. "Ehhhhh. If it be the pretty little thing you've been seeing, you have no worries. We already know allllllll about her."

That's when Alexei came bursting into the room, shouting, "Father!" He stared wide eyed at Wolfe and I. We never told him we had taken over for our brothers' positions. He glared at me and hissed, "What have you done, Jackson?"

Corsvky spoke, "He's taken his brother's place."

He glared at me, "I placed her care In your hands! I trusted you to protect her! How is this protecting her!"

My phone rang again and Corsvky answered, "Da? Ah! miss Lilah!"

Alexei shouted, "Lilah! Hang up! Now!"

We all could hear her confused voice shouting, "Alex?" I imagined her shaking her head. "May I just speak to Jackson please?"

Corsvky looked in general surprise at the phone and then handed it to me. Sending silent prayers of thanks for her having any sort of manners, I put the phone on speaker at Corsvky's instruction and said, "Hey, Lilah. I'm here."

She said, "Is everything alright? I could've sworn I just heard Alex."

I shook my head. "No, you must've been mistaken. Hey, I thought we had agreed I would call you when I got home?"

I heard the fear and hesitation in her voice as she said, "Something happened."

I looked at Wolfe, afraid how much to reveal. He shook his head but I could tell from her voice that she needed me right now. The real me. Not this persona I put on for the Big Boss.

I switched my demeanor instantly and gently said, "Kitten, what's happened?"

Corsvky motioned for me to hurry up and Alex mouthed 'Emily' right as she said, "It's my sister."

"Kitten, I'm so sorry. I hate to do this, but I need you to speed up what you're saying a bit. You caught me at a really bad time. What's happened to Lilly?"

She hesitated. "It's not Lilly. It's our youngest sister, Emily." I heard Alexei muffle his sob. "She's gotten sick again and they don't think they can fix her this time." She paused again. "Jacks, we have to leave."

I scrubbed at my face and said in a deceptively calm voice that didn't betray any of my inner turmoil, I hoped, "When are you leaving?"

"First thing in the morning. My mom already bought the plane tickets. We're leaving at 6 a.m."

I sat down and groaned. "Alright, Kitten. I'll stop by on my way home. I won't be long. I promise."

Wolfe reached over and hung up the phone while whispering in my ear, "You're screwed now."

He's wrong. I was screwed from the start. Corsvky now knew I felt strongly for her. Hopefully he didn't know just how much. Alexei said, "You have to tell her the truth. Tonight!"

I glared at him. "Tell her what? Hey, Kitten. I came to tell you that I've been lying to you the entire time I've known you and Alexei is alive and my cousin and he's been lying to you the whole time as well. Oh and good luck on your trip?"

He replied, "Yes! Maybe not those words exactly but that's exactly what you have to tell her!"

I shouted at him, "Oh! You mean the thing you should've never lied about? The thing you should be telling her?" I stalked over and got in his face as well as lowered my tone of voice to what he always said was scarily calm. "You, Alexei, are the reason she is the way she is. You are the reason she's here in the first place. You are the reason I met her. And so help me, Alexei, if ANY harm comes to her, I will hold you personally responsible and end you. You know why I can do that? Because you, Alexei, are the one who turned me into this monster and I'm not afraid to hurt you."

Wolfe grabbed my arm and pulled me back, keeping me from breaking my hand or worse beating Alex up. Neither Corsvky nor Lilah would've been happy about that. With Corsvky's blessing, we left and he dropped me off at Lilah's house.