Beneath You're Beautiful

***Piotr***

“Gde ona, chert voz'mi?” (Where the hell is she?) I become more nervous every second that passed. This can’t be happening.

We were looking everywhere for her but all we find is big nothing. No sign of her. Like she disappeared from Pittsburgh. We even called mom if she knew but all we got was yelling by her for what we did (what I did to be more specific) and that she didn’t brought us up like this and that we should learn our manners. We should know better that never called our mother again.

“Nebudet ona s Crosbym? Ili s etim panom, Malkinom? Oni vyglyadeli dovoľno zakrytymi dlya yeye obratno na fotosessii.” (Wouldn’t she be with Crosby? Or with that other guy, Malkin? They looked pretty closed to her back at photo shoot.) Dmitry asked and to say the truth that idea came to my mind not for the first time but I always declined it. Nadia wouldn’t do something that stupid. But then again she was angry at us and maybe she wanted her revenge.

Suddenly I feel sick. The image of my little sister and those bastards of man in one room totally alone come to my mind. I don’t want any man to look at her, not to even touch her. All of them have to have my trust first but how can I trust them when all of them want just to bed her? Maybe I am wrong but I would rather be wrong and have Nadia under my wings then be right and have her crying on my shoulder.

Everything what happened earlier today replays in my head all over again. Crosby was staring at her the whole time, but I let it be because I didn’t want to make a scene. But then he came to her and I saw red. I tried to ignore that. I really tried. Even count to ten but I was at number eight and still was furious. All we do for more than 10 years is protecting her from men who were trying to take advance of her. This is our duty and I can’t let that happened that one hockey player would use my little innocent sister and then throw her away like rubbish. While I am alive I don’t let anybody hurt her.

I just can’t let that happen.

“Ty prav, my dolzhny poyti na yego mesto.” (You are right we should go to his place.) I finally agreed to Dmitry’s idea to go search Nadia firstly in Crosby’s house and then Malkin’s. All we had to do was called our friend and he told us Sidney’s and Evgeni’s addresses. The drive doesn’t last long although Sidney doesn’t live close. Dmitry just enjoys driving fast so within 10 minutes we are there.

“Pomnit, ne trogať yego! Nadia ubyet nas, yesli ona uzna” (Remember, do not touch him! Nadia will kill us if she find out.) my brother told me but I heard in his voice that it’s hard for him to tell me something like that while even he isn’t sure of his words.

Dmitry goes first and rings the bell. He always was cooler than me, but still hot temperate. From the other side of door is heard a lot of voices so we assume he isn’t alone what I considered weird because he is living with owner of the club. But he’s lucky he’s not alone I thought.

That’s good.

Good for him.

The voices don’t stop so first I think they didn’t hear us but then I heard somebody right behind the door. Somebody opens the door but it isn’t Crosby. I think he may be Dupuis, I’m not sure but right now it’s irrelevant. I just want my little sister back in my arms far away from anybody besides her family. And I will make sure of that.

“Where is Mr. Crosby? We have a few questions for him.” Pascal doesn’t look sure of our visit but I walk in without his permission.

I don’t need it. Dmitry is hot in my heels I think he wants the same thing and doesn’t want to wait any minute longer than is necessary. When it comes to Nadia we don’t have any manners. I go by the voices which were heard outside to find Sidney sitting on the couch and drinking beer. Malkin is right next to him.

“Where is she?” I shout at him because of my anger.

All guys turn their head towards me and Dmitry and looking pretty shocked to see us there but I have to get it to them I don’t feel good to be here too. All I want is my little sister back so nobody would hurt her and then leave as soon as I can.

First to come back from the shock was actually Crosby. Or maybe because we are in his house after all. He stands up from the couch and goes in front of me. Both, I and Dmitry are taller than him so he has to look up. And then his mouth opens.

“She’s not here.” He says calmly and moves back to sit on the couch to his friends who remain still since my brother and I came inside.

I glance at him blindly. I try, and I really hard, to count to ten but I am at eight and anger still in my head and hard breathing. This is happening sooner than I thought it would. Twice in one day.

Suddenly I notice the hard squeeze fist of my brother and I realize that he has the same problem or even worse. Dmitry is calmer than me but when he is angry it goes from wrong to worse. And know when I see him in this state I know something bad will happen and I won’t stop it.

That isn’t good. Nadia will probably kill us but well it’s her mistake. She disappeared after all.

Dmitry comes to Sidney and lifts him up by collar on his shirt.

“Where is my sister, Crosby?” I don’t bother to stop him. Why should I? I literally want to beat the shit out of him. If it wasn’t him, Nadia would be by our side right now and not want to date someone who we don’t know and don’t agree at all.

“On govori pravd. Ona net zdes'.” (He is talking the truth. She isn’t here.) Malkin says in Russian to us but I don’t care, and so Dmitry. After all, he would say anything to protect Crosby, wouldn’t he? That he speak Russian doesn’t change a thing.

“Mal'chiki uspokoytes'. Oni uz skazali, chto ona net zdes'.” (Boys calm down. They’ve already said she isn’t here).

I freeze in the place and Dmitry too. He let Crosby out of his grip and slowly turns around while I am still standing motionlessly.

‘What is he doing here?’ I asked myself in my head but couldn’t find the answer.by the gasp my twin brother did I am now sure that it’s him. I can’t believe it. I won’t believe it until I see him. Last long breath and I slowly turned around to see those green eyes. Those green eyes I don’t want to see. Those green eyes I’m familiar with because I’ve with them my whole life and right now are glaring at me. Those eyes I’m so afraid of right now. Our father’s eyes.

Dad is standing next to Pascal who looks totally confused. But who wouldn’t, right? One second we are threatening Sidney’s life and in second both Dmitry and I are looking scared at only person in the world we don’t expect to show. We must look terrified because of smirk that appears on father’s face. He knows exactly how much power he has and he’s enjoying it.

Our father is symbol like head of family should look like. He listens to his father and respects ideas of his mother. Taking care of his wife so she gets anything she wants. Taught his sons that woman is not a thing to belong to someone but she is a tender person who carries a new life. “A man who raises his hand on woman is not a man.” I remembered him telling his sons this every time he argued with mom. All my brothers and I have a big respect for him and for his lessons we can at least do what he asked for. And father knows this too well.

“Please apologize to Mr. Crosby, Dmitry, and you too, Piotr.” Dad scolded us the same way he used to do when he wanted to teach us our lesson when we did something wrong. I hate it. I hate it when he talks to us like we are still 5 years old and needed to be scolded. But again he is our dad and I respect him so I do how I am told and apologized. After this awkward situation I want to leave but dad stops me. I look questionably at him but he isn’t looking at me anymore. No, he is looking at someone behind me.

“I just want to tell you that you can stop worry about Nadia. She is back at the hotel and safe. Well and she gave me this letter to deliver you, Mr. Crosby.” Dad smiles at him and gives him enveloped in which I assumed is the letter ma father is talking about.

What the hell is he thinking?

***Sid***

What the hell happened right now?

I had invited guys to come over so I wouldn’t think of Nadia anymore, but I find it hard. But at least they took my mind of her a little so I wasn’t freaking out where Nadia was or if she was finally find. My focus was on her beautiful eyes which were filled with tears. That image appears in front of my eyes every time I try to think of her. The last time I heard about her was when I saw her yesterday. From Evgeni I know that her brothers are worrying sick and trying to find her but after all it was their fault.
Kris is telling jokes to light up the atmosphere in the room and I finally manage to listen to him and I even laugh but then suddenly they two appear from nowhere. Shouting is the only thing you could hear in this house. Not a word, not a gasps, not even dammit breath filled the room. That shocked we were when we saw them.

It takes me so much of courage to stand up and face them and I didn’t know from where I took it. They are bigger than me and are pretty much scaring. Now I understand why Nadia never had boyfriend. Even I was a little scared and I wasn’t scared since I was like six.

“She’s not here.”

It is all I could say. I didn’t find more words but it’s true. So what else should I said? The clear true although I wish it wasn’t. I’d love to have her here with me, in my arms and spoiling her to death. My thoughts were quickly interrupted. In a moment later I am lifted by one of twin. He is telling me something I don’t really hear because I am too shocked by this situation. His mouth is moving but I don’t hear a single sound.

From background I can hear Geno voice but don’t pay any attention to him. All of sudden his grip wasn’t so strong anymore and that because of some unknown voice. The face of the man who still held me changes from murderous to clear confusion and reveals fear. Well that’s something to see fear in those eyes.

It shows that it was Mr. Lamosov, Nadia’s father. It seems that here comes Lamosov family meeting. Mr. Lamosov told something to his sons which I bet had to be amusing because Geno is holding his breath so he wouldn’t laugh but is failing miserably. I wanted to ask him what is this all about but Nadia’s brother did something unspeakable. Something I never expected them to do.

They apologized. Malkin looks like he will in any minute burst but tried his hardest no to do so and other guys surprised like me.
Both of Russian men look uncomfortable and decided to get out of my house but his father stops them. What else does he want?

This is starting to be ridiculous. Mr. Lamosov turns from his son to me and forces smile. I know nothing about this man but I’m more then sure that he wants to be less than his sons.

“I just want to tell you that you can stop worry about Nadia. She is back at the hotel and safe. Well and she gave me this letter to deliver you, Mr. Crosby.” He said and put the letter on the table which was closest to him. Without any good bye he turns on his heels and leaves with his sons hot in his heels as they continue throwing me death glares. I continue glared at my doors from where he left as I heard the door closed but in my head are so many thoughts I can’t rely on one.

Firstly I am happy that she is safe. Secondly she sends me a letter. And her father delivers it to me and smiled even if it was forced smile. But in truth I don’t care if it was forced or not. My eyes moved from door to the enveloped that was placed on the table. I take it from there and held it in my hand. As I stared at it I finally let out breath which I didn’t know I was holding in.

All I focus is this paper but my teammates interrupted it.

“Oh boy, open it!” Marc-André yells right into my ear so I’d listen to him. My head spin to where my friends are standing and waiting patiently for me to open it and read it. Slowly I look back at the envelope. They moved to stand right next to me as I open the enveloped so they’d see everything Nadia wrote in the letter. I take a long breath and exhaled a second later.

I take out the letter and unwrap it. The first thing I notice is that it’s written by hand. And let me say it’s a beautiful handwriting. I look briefly at it then back at guys. They all give me encouraging nods to go on and finally start to read aloud.

Dear Sidney,
My apology will never be good enough for you to forgive me and my brothers for what Piotr and Dmitry did.

I should know better than that and warm you and your friend. I thought my brothers will act the age they are and get over it.

Can’t get everybody what he wants. I just hope that you aren’t hurt beside your lip. Both Piotr and Dmitry can get aggressive as you know by now. But they are good guys. Back at photo shoot you asked me what I would do after that but you never get my answer as you know why. So… maybe it will be a little later but I would love to go out with you. If you still want of course. Just…

Call me if you want and we will make it work somehow. And again I am truly sorry for what happened.

Hope to see you soon,

Nadia

And please say hi to guys, especially Evgeni, he will know why him.

***Nadia***

I’m so tired. Tired of crying. It seems like crying is only activity I do since yesterday photo shoot. After I had run away from my brothers I just ran and ran till I collapsed somewhere and I’m there till now. I don’t know where I am. Not that I care.

This city I know for few years by now but this place is new for me. Outside is dark and cold. Wind starts to blow so it feels colder but I’d lie if I tell that I care. Sky is dark and in any minute can start raining. But it doesn’t matter and I never stop doing what I manage t do. Sitting in a dark street and not sensing a move around me or cry. I know that people are coming and going but nobody cares too much to stop by and assure that I am alive.

Exactly like me. I don’t care for now.

I don’t know how long I was sitting here but someone comes and sits next to me. That makes my head lift up and turns to the person who sits there. The person who care to stop. My eyes go wide when I find out who is he. I shouldn’t be surprised to see him. He is only person that would know where I was when nobody else did.

“Ty ne dolzhny byt' zdes', moye serdtse.” (You shouldn’t be here, my heart.) His soft voice comes to my ears and immediately calmed me down. All I manage to do is sob. I can’t believe he is here. He should be in LA for next week. I assume my brothers did call him to ask if he knew where I was. Better call father than mother. She would freak out.

Dad strips of his blazer and put it around my shoulders. He sits there with my head on his shoulder quiet for a while making me comfortable. After few minutes when my mind came back to reality I start to feel cold. I shivered and that was clue to my father that I am back to him.

“Vernuť sya v oteľ. Ty dolzhna byt' kholodnaye. Davay devochka.” (Come back to the hotel. You must be cold. Come on baby girl.) Dad is dad. I love him more than anybody else besides my mom. I look at his eyes and nod. Dad helps me to stand up and gets to
the car.

Drive back to the hotel is quiet but that’s because we don’t need to talk to be comfortable in each other company. I am looking outside and enjoying the atmosphere which dad always brings with him. The calmness and loving family. That’s why we love him so much. He always knows what to do, what to say. That’s pity that my brothers aren’t like that even if they tried.

When we finally reach our hotel and get to my hotel room I go straight to my bed. I have to be dirty and smell for mile but I have no energy left for a shower. I lay flat on my bed and even if I am cold I am too tired to move and cover myself with blanket.

My dad comes right behind me and sits on the bed. He must see how tired I am and he covers me. “OK moye Serdtse, YA dolzhen poyti I poluchit tvoyich bratya zdes' obratno, pered tem kaki m udalos´ raniť kogo-to. Ne dumayet ty?“(Ok my heart, I have to go and get your brothers back, before they managed to hurt someone. Don’t you think?)

“OK but before you go I have to give you something for Sidney.”

“How do you know I’ll go there?” I glare at him and he understands.

“Where else they would be?” I laugh with dad as I said that. I write the letter and give it to him. Dad put the letter in the enveloped and promises that he’d give it to him no matter how hard her brothers will try to do not. With that he kisses my forehead and leaves. I hope that he’d get there before Piotr or Dmitry insult or break someone’s neck.