Chapter 17 #2
He arches an eyebrow and gives a puzzled look to Megan.
“We were just going to talk to Vivienne,” Megan says.
“She’s working, and you’re staying put.” He hands me a cell phone. “This one is clean.”
“Is my new number in there?” Megan asks as I scroll through the contact screen. All of my contacts have already been put on the phone. Same with my social media aps.
“Yes.”
“How’d you get all this moved over without my phone?” I look up at him.
“Lev handled it.” He shrugs, like he doesn’t bother himself with the details of such trivial matters.
“Does Rurik have this number?”
“He does.” Alexander nods. “His number is programmed in already.”
Before I can ask any other questions, the door opens again, and a cart is wheeled in with lunch.
“Rurik said you’re to eat your whole plate.” Alexander says to me then heads to a large round table where the other men have already taken their seats. Apparently, they’re having a lunch meeting.
I roll my eyes. “He’s such a worry wort.”
“Well, you did lose a little weight while you were gone,” Megan says softy.
“Yeah.” I touch my stomach. “I was trying to save every penny, so I might have skipped a few meals.”
“A few a day?” She presses .
“I’m home now, and he won’t stop shoving food at me, so whatever I lost will find me real quick.” I laugh as two plates are wheeled to us on a makeshift table.
“Okay, so I told you all of the things that happened while you were gone. Now, it’s your turn. Spill. What actually has been going on with you and Rurik since he picked you up?”
“Picked me up? He kidnapped me, Megan. You sent a Russian mafia enforcer to kidnap me.” I try to sound stern, but I’m laughing by the end of it.
And by the time I’ve replayed the events of the last week, we’re both half laughing and half ready to cry.
Several hours later, we’ve eaten lunch and dinner as we waiting for Rurik. The men file in and out of the office. At some point after dinner, music filters into the room each time the door opens. It’s low, but I can hear it. Megan assures me we don’t want to go downstairs.
Nothing but trouble, she says.
“Mira,” Alexander says after finishing a phone call. Lev flanks his side as they make their way to us.
My stomach knots with the serious expression they’re both holding.
“Lev is going to take you home.” Alexander gestures to the large man dressed in what I think is an Armani suit.
“Where’s Rurik?” I push up from the couch.
“He’s going to be late; he’ll meet you at home.” Lev gives a non-answer.
Another skill I think they’ve all gone to some special school for.
“Is he all right?” I press. “Why hasn’t he called me? ”
My new cellphone has been sitting on the coffee table, and not one message or call has come through.
“He’s been dealing with something.” Alexander looks to Megan. “The car is being pulled up; get your things.”
“Why can’t we drive her home?” Megan asks, yawning.
“Because Rurik lives the opposite direction, and Lev is going that way. He’ll take her.”
Megan looks to me with a roll of her eyes.
“Fine. But she’ll come over tomorrow.”
“We’ll see.” Alexander walks away, effectively ending the conversation.
“I don’t think your husband likes me.” I frown.
She smirks. “He always looks like that. It’s not you.”
“It’s me.” I look to Lev. “I don’t have anything, so we can go if you’re ready, I guess.”
He gives a nod. “My car is ready.”
After giving Megan a hug goodbye, I follow the dark and silent man down the same corridor Rurik had taken when we arrived. I give a quick glance at the skull as we pass it, still getting a weird vibe from it.
“Where’s Rurik? If he was all right, he’d call me. So, tell me where he is,” I insist when the silence in the car tears my nerves in two.
Lev side-eyes me as he continues driving toward Rurik’s building. We’re only a few minutes away.
“Is he hurt?” I ask when he still says nothing.
“Max is one of Rurik’s men, he’s waiting for you in front of the building. He’ll take you up to the penthouse and stay with you. ”
Looking out the window, I see a man standing at the curb in front of Rurik’s building. His hands are folded in front of himself, looking every bit like a secret service member, only twice the size of any officer I’ve ever seen on TV.
“I can trust Max?” Maybe I should have insisted on staying with Megan.
I don’t know these men. They work with Rurik, sure, but that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t betray him if the price was right.
After all, they’re just men.
“Yes.” Lev pulls up to the man, who immediately reaches for my door.
“And I can trust you?”
“Alexander wouldn’t put you in danger. It would hurt his wife too much to see you harmed. You’re safe with the Volkov family.”
“You’re not a member of the Volkov family, though,” I point out.
A touch of a smile pulls on his lips. “Close enough. It’s late, and I have somewhere to be. Max will take you up.”
“And Rurik? You didn’t tell me where he was.”
His jaw clenches. Good. He’s finally realizing I’m not moving until I know what the hell is going on.
“Rurik had some trouble. But he can handle himself.”
“Is he okay?”
“Go inside, Mira.” He jerks his chin.
I climb out of the car. “You didn’t answer me. Is he okay?”
Max shuts the door, and Lev drives off .
“Are you going to tell me? Seriously, you guys are driving me crazy!” I poke Max’s arm.
He looks at the spot as though I stabbed him with a knife instead of my finger.
The elevator-ride up to the penthouse in Rurik’s private elevator is filled with the thick air of tension. Max won’t answer me, and I’m beginning to think they’re doing this on purpose.
If Rurik’s dead, there’s no reason for me to be here. They don’t need to protect me. But then, wouldn’t Alexander keep me with Megan?
Or maybe Alexander believes this is all my fault. Maybe he knows how much of this is my fault and he wants to extract revenge for what happened to Megan because of me.
Maybe this elevator is taking me to my execution and not the dreamy pillow top bed I slept in last night.
Maybe when the doors open, I’ll find a gun pointed at my head.
And I’ll deserve it. But knowing that doesn’t stop my heart from jackhammering against my ribs.
This isn’t me. I’m not going to just take an execution lying down. I’ll fight them, whoever it is. I will claw their eyes out before I let them hurt me.
The ding signaling we’ve arrived echoes in my ears. I ready myself for a fight, putting my weight on my back foot and lifting my hands up to block my torso.
If Max considers my stance weird, he doesn’t say. He doesn’t do anything other than step out of the elevator when the doors open .
Rurik stands in front of me, his eyebrows shooting up as soon as he sees how I’m standing. Like I’m ready to launch myself at my attacker.
“What are you doing?” he questions, fighting back a laugh.
I take one look at him, and my stomach twists.
“Rurik. You’ve been shot!”