Chapter 12
Chapter
Twelve
Sage
Two weeks pass like a blur in the mansion.
Two weeks with Victor chasing my attention.
He is charming most of the time, but the novelty of using him to piss off Nic gets old fast. A routine has formed.
Victor flirts with me. Nicholas never lets me out of his sights.
Alexei and I trade silent barbs at breakfast, lunch, dinner and any other time I have the misfortune of being in his presence.
I still haven't gotten the chance to sneak out. This mansion and my bodyguard have me locked down tighter than a nun's fucking cunt.
I need to get out of here. The pent up energy from my imminent need to escape burns at me, straddling me on a knifes edge. Nic's on edge too. Because I'm going to try to run again, and he knows it.
I'm thrust out of my thoughts when Anton appears near the front door, ready to address us all.
I sit on the stairs amid the staff, fiddling with the hem of my dress.
Anton's gathered the whole household here for some kind of announcement.
The cooks and cleaners and gardeners, all the men, Victor and his entourage.
We're all here. Apparently, this concerns everyone.
Anton clears his throat, which gains him the attention of the room. His chin is held high and he appears ever like the forceful leader he's meant to be, but I see the tick in his jaw. The way sweat beads at his brow.
"I'll make this short and sweet," he says.
Nic's eyes find me from where he stands stoic next to Anton. He gives a curt nod, like he's checking that I'm accounted for. It would be an excellent time to make a run for it. I can't pretend I haven't considered it.
"As of right now, we're going into a full house lockdown," Anton says. "Only essential movement in and out, and that will all go through me."
My brows shoot to my forehead as I cease fiddling with my dress. I chance a look around at the staff, but no one seems inclined to argue. DeMarco men accept the order without a word while the Rushkoff clan looks to Victor.
Mine is the first jaw that drops, watching all these pussies stay silent. Nobody is going to say anything? Nobody is going to protest? Sure, I've been locked up here and watched my whole life, but the others have always had autonomy. This should be a big deal.
The protest comes from the most likely of places and I sigh.
"What the fuck, Anton?" Alexei says, stepping out of the shadows to make himself seen. Every head turns in his direction to watch the threatening fury radiate from him. It's only the subtle tick of his jaw that gives him away, but I swear I can hear his teeth grinding.
"For everyone's safety, we're securing the mansion. Nobody goes in or out without permission. That means you too, Rushkoff."
That snaps the short chain on Alexei's control.
"That's bullshit! You think we'll agree to that?!" he roars, charging at Anton. Victor rushes to catch him, patting his brother's chest to make him stand down. But the wild Rushkoff isn't having any of that.
"Fuck that, brother! Locking us in here with our enemies? It's a trap!"
"This isn't about you," Anton assures them, but Freddie and Nic have already shifted their hands in prep for a fight.
Victor notices this too, eyeing the hands that edge for their guns. With a rough grip on his brother's shoulder, Victor forces Alexei to sit, pushing him down on the stair next to me.
I glare sidelong at Alexei, finding him cursing to himself under his breath. I muffle a snort at how ridiculous he looks doing that. He hears it, though. Alexei's eyes snap to mine, gray and full of fury and storms. I smile, and his lip curls.
"Anton, you should have cleared this with me first," Victor says.
Freddie and Nic don't move their hands away from their weapons, and Anton doesn't answer.
Victor gives him a disapproving look and then nods towards the stairs. "A word?"
With that, the rest of the staff and the men are dismissed. In the shuffle of bodies, I make an escape, losing sight of Nic. I make it to Anton's office just as he and Victor shut themselves inside. Shit. I press my ear against the wood, groaning when I hear nothing.
A scoff next to me has me stiffening. I tilt my head to check the darkened shadows of the hall. My eyes widen when I find Alexei hidden there. Clearly having the same eavesdrop idea that I did. "Spy!" I gasp. "You-"
I open my mouth to yell but Alexei's arm shoots out, hand covering my lips as he pulls me into the shadows with him.
Not a second later, my suspicious uncle opens the door and steps out. He looks down the hall, but misses where Alexei and I are pressed up against the wall in the tight space darkened by shadow.
When my uncle is gone I relax, turning to Alexei. "Spy," I whisper again.
"Coming from you." He shakes his head, pressing a device against the wall. His eavesdrop method is far more sophisticated than mine and even comes with earbuds. They're both in his ears, but I snatch the right one and place it at my ear.
"Hey," he whisper-shouts, wrestling me to stop me.
"What? They didn't want to let you into the big kids meeting? Kicked out of the clubhouse, other Rushkoff?" I swat at him.
"Fucking hell you're an infuriating little heathen. I'm not sure how you've got all these assholes fooled." He manages to wrestle the device away from me and push me back a step.
I straighten my spine. "Give me an earbud." I hold out my hand.
"No." He scowls at me.
I open my mouth to scream but he covers it with his hand again and then places the earbud in for me.
The voices inside the room become immediately clear.
"What's the meaning of this, Anton? My brother's methods may be wrong but you have to admit, it's not a good look for you." Victor's voice.
"I apologize for the way things have come across. But the lockdown is a necessity."
"And are you going to explain what that necessity is?"
Alexei's fists clench and I watch him closely as he listens to the conversation like he very much wants to butt in. We're shoulder to shoulder, close as can be, and I try to ignore the burn that sizzles at all the points we connect.
"Security. Safety," Anton says. "You know the drill."
A beat passes, and Alexei and I exchange a glance before we both scowl at each other again and turn away.
"If you're under attack, Anton, just say that."
Another beat passes.
"Christ. How bad?"
Again, no answer.
"You're going to have to be straight with me here."
Anton sighs. "Come, let's take a walk. These walls have ears."
Alexei's face goes hard. I shake my head at him and whisper. "My uncle is just paranoid. He doesn't know we're here." I'm right, because when he and Victor leave the office and head for the stairs, they don't even notice us.
As if we can't take the contact for even one prolonged moment, Alexei and I burst out of the tight space with a bustle. Earbuds tear and pull at us, still connected as we try to rip away from one another.
"Get off me." I push Alexei away.
"Off you?!- Why- you... you're just-"
"What was that?" I hold a hand to my ear in a cupping motion like I can't hear him.
Alexei looks like he's two seconds away from exploding, but before he can he seems to collect himself. He closes his eyes, takes a breath, and then shakes his head at me.
"Stay out of my way and don't follow me," he says, pointing an accusing finger at me before he stomps up the hallway. Likely heading in the direction that his brother and my uncle went.
It's comical to watch him, really. I can almost see the red smoke and exclamation points with every bang of his foot onto the carpet. Pissing him off is quickly becoming one of my favorite things to do. I love how easy he is to bait.
I look back to my father's office, sighing at the space and trying to remember what it looked like when it was my father who sat in that chair. I head inside and sit, breathing in deep, like if I try hard enough, I'll still be able to smell him in here.
I miss him.
Terribly.
I swivel in the chair and look out the window, seeing Alexei storming around the pool in chase of Victor and Anton.
I, at least, don't need to follow them to know what they're going to say.
We're under attack.
Have been for a while.
And it started well before my father's death.
Tonight, I plan an escape.
I've let enough time pass that now leaving this place is a desperate need. No longer negotiable. I also know the chances of making it outside the gates are slim. Sneaking out of here used to be so easy.
I miss the good ol' days.
My hair is styled mostly down, but with the top half pulled into a ponytail so it's out of my way. I wear shorts and a cardigan, pairing it with running shoes because I can't let sparkly dresses or high heels hold me back. The jig is up anyway. They know I'm not sneaking out to party.
Forgoing the window, since I'm sure Nic's figured out that's my usual point of exit, I sneak from my bedroom, all the way across the house to the library.
The heavy doors click closed with a thud and I wince.
Hope no one heard that. I cross the space.
This window is heavier, but I've used it before.
It's one that's a lot easier to get into for when I'm sneaking back in, rather than out.
I block the sensor and climb down the side of the house, dropping into the garden bed.
Then, I run.
Fast.
I don't try to be quiet. I don't try to be sneaky. I bolt for my life across the lawns. My arms pump furiously, breath laboring and my legs burning as I clear the pool, rose garden and make it onto the lawns.
I'm halfway to the gates, convinced I've made my escape undetected and without even seeing Nicholas. When I slam into a hard chest, my excitement is halted, punishing me for celebrating too early.
I curse as I slam into Nic and stumble back with the rebound. "Fuck!"
He merely chuckles.
"God dammit," I hiss.
"I knew you wouldn't listen," he says, shaking his head.