Chapter 28 Serafina
SERAFINA
Despite overhearing my future last night, I shower and dress the next morning like nothing’s wrong, because that’s exactly what everyone’s expecting from me. If Zeno doesn’t want me to know yet, I’ll pretend exactly that to avoid making this worse.
Even if the thought of the Commission siding with my near-rapist makes me literally puke in my mouth.
There still isn’t a response from Amara, which is the first thing I checked when waking up. This time, I opted to not message again. Maybe it’s petty, but I have bigger things to concern myself with than her drama.
With the help of mouthwash and cold water, I head downstairs in jeans and a simple cardigan over a plain tee. An ideal outfit for learning yet another university campus.
In the kitchen, Vanessa’s pouring coffee into a travel mug. “Morning. I’m heading out. Coffee’s fresh; help yourself. Eat anything you find. I’ll be getting staff to restock soon. Good luck today.”
“Thanks.” My reply is only heard by the ghost of her presence, as she’s gone so quickly.
After a bit of poking around in the attached pantry, I’m seated at the island counter with oatmeal and coffee, the latest episode of one of my shows on my cell. I should have brought my laptop down.
A moment into the recap of the previous episode, a deep, “Fuck. Sorry,” rumbles from the doorway. When I look up, what I was eating—if I was eating—is forgotten for the sight I’m met with.
Lev lingers, dressed in only a pair of cotton black pyjama pants.
Shirtless, his muscles stand out in the morning sun.
He’s the perfect blend of soft and hard, a toned body that does things to my brain.
I’ve seen him shirtless a couple times, the first being when he was getting patched up, but concern for his well-being was more important.
In Rome, he always wore a shirt, minus that instance I woke before him.
His tattoos draw my attention, usually hidden by his clothing. They’re never so here, and my eyes try to make sense of the different images all patchworked together into something grander.
“It’s okay.” I finally find my tongue.
Lev crosses the room, seemingly unbothered by the fact that my brain is short-circuiting. He pours himself coffee before turning to lean against the counter, reminding me of the morning after sleeping in his bed. Long fingers wrap the mug, and his eyes shut with his first sip.
Like he’s trying to destroy me.
He notices cell propped up on the fruit bowl. “What are you watching?”
I comment the name of the show, adding, “It’s what I went looking for last night. I didn’t notice a TV when being given the tour of this place, but we were in and out of the rooms so quickly, I’d hoped I missed one.”
“You’ll be looking for a while. We’re not really TV-watching people around here. Ursin despised them, and the rest of us grew up doing anything else.”
Damn.
Abruptly, he shoves off the counter and walks out of the room. His steps are paced but lithe, and then he’s gone without a word.
“Leave in an hour?” I call after him, hoping he hears before getting too far.
“I’ll meet you out front.” Then, there’s silence, and I return to my show, wondering what exactly that was about.
An hour later, I head out the front door, disoriented by at the vast property. The late morning sun has grass shining with dew. The property is walled by thick woods, and to my right is a multi-car detached garage larger than my Ostia home with who knows how many vehicles inside.
Steps approach from my right, but they don’t belong to Lev. A guy nears, with buzzed hair and dark eyes that scan me up and down. He stops beside me, his hand lightly resting on a gun strapped to his belt. He reminds me a bit of the soldiers Zeno commands.
“Hi there. You must be the Volkovs’ guest?”
“Um. Yeah.” Vanessa mentioned keeping my identity quiet but also that she’d have people on the grounds. She never said how I was to respond to them.
“Welcome to Russia. I’m Andrei.” He juts a hand out for me to shake.
“Serafina. I’m—”
“Leaving.”
We both jump at Lev’s intrusion. His scowl is locked on Andrei as he paces down the front steps. The sun catches on his mismatched hair, highlighting a rainbow of shades.
Andrei side-steps me. “Ser. You asked to see me.”
“Da,” he drawls, placing himself between the soldier and me.
The protectiveness around his own staff seems a bit much, but, given his tenseness, now doesn’t seem like the best time to make that point.
His eyes rove over me before moving to Andrei.
“Walk with me to the garage. I have an errand for you. Serafina, stay.”
Like a dog?
The two walk away, but after a few minutes, Lev returns alone, driving a black car. He stops at the edge of the driveway for me to get in.
His silence continues for the trip to the university. Music blasts loud enough to avoid conversation, making for a slightly uncomfortable ride. I stare out the window, taking in the Moscow atmosphere as woods eventually shift to the city with unique architecture.
He’s still wordless during the textbook pick-up, hovering by the counter as I speak with staff. He takes my books before I can ask or attempt to lug them around myself.
“I want to look around and figure out where my classes are,” I tell him—practically asking—as I rush to catch up to his long strides. “Maybe find a coffee shop.”
Even that doesn’t get a reaction.
He follows like a shadow, glaring at everyone as we move through the buildings, using the map the admissions department emailed early this morning and the signs on the walls to find my lecture halls and science labs.
After an hour, we’re back in the vehicle. Lev is a person who prefers to say what’s on his mind, so there’s no point in not saying what’s on mine. “What’s wrong? You’ve been an ass since this morning.”
“It doesn’t matter.” His fingers tap the steering wheel. One, two, one…
“It does.”
“It doesn’t,” he repeats, his jaw a rigid line. “You’re here for a specific purpose. Talking to you was never part of the deal. We’re not friends.”
It’s a slap after everything I’ve admitted, after all his kindness, that sends my heart spiralling and water lining my eyes.
Shock numbs my tongue until there’s nothing to do but settle in the seat and stare out the window, using the sun to burn away my tears.
Tears he doesn’t deserve after that comment.
It reminds me that Zeno is correct. This world isn’t meant for me. Its rules are confusing.
And stupid.
At the mansion, Lev deposits my books in the doorway of my bedroom and disappears like fire nips at his heels. He leaves me completely alone, since Vanessa and Anastasia seem to still be out.
After lugging the books further inside the room, I phone Madre, updating her on everything since arriving and finding something positive about today—how pretty the new university is.
The call goes well but ends too soon. Lying in the middle of my bed, I can literally feel boredom creeping up. The one person I want to be around seems to not share the same feeling.
My phone vibrates, cutting off the desire to cry again as the ride home creeps into my memories, Lev’s voice echoing through the heart he hollowed. His behaviour was…strange. Stranger than typical. Whether or not he considers us friends, he’s always been kind.
Him. Amara. Everyone is so fucking weird lately. Maybe it’s something I’m doing.
Lev
Could you come to the basement?
Me
…Seriously? After the car
Lev
I didn’t mean it. I’m just… Never mind. Come down. Please.
Me
Fine. On my way.