Preston
It was stupid of me to think that applying some foundation would prevent Mom from spotting the bruises on my face. She clocked them the second she opened the front door. I told her I'd explain everything but could we eat first because I was starving?
So now Mom, Dad, and I are sitting in the den, both of them looking at me expectantly.
Mom looks worried, and Dad… It almost hurts to look at him.
He had maybe three bites of his meal, and that was it.
He's emaciated, wasting away before our eyes.
And here I am, about to dump even more shit onto their already full plates.
But it has to be done.
Over dinner, Dad point-blank asked me if Vadim had done it, which I of course shut down immediately.
He said he was sorry if he'd offended me but he had to ask.
It's only natural they're worried, and in the absence of knowing the truth, of course their minds are going to come up with all sorts of weird and twisted explanations.
I don't want to put them through all that. So…here I go, starting with the creep accosting me outside my job to him showing up a few days later as a client and attacking me.
"Oh my goodness, honey!" Mom cries. "Why didn't you tell us?"
"Because I didn't want to add more stress to your lives."
"Wait." Dad's eyes dart about. His body might be deteriorating, but his mind is still sharp. "Wasn't Ellie away at a conference?"
"He was. I stayed with Vadim. He looked after me."
Mom brightens a little at the mention of Vadim's name.
On the drive down, I debated whether I should tell them the truth about that whole situation, too, since I'm opening up to them about everything else.
But seeing the glint of happiness in her eyes right now, I can't shatter her heart about that on top of all of this.
Especially since the information I've yet to deliver is the biggest doozy of all.
"He's a keeper, Pres," she says resolutely. "I can tell he's a good person. With some people, you just feel it, and I feel it with him."
Dad nods.
"Yeah. He's a great guy," I agree, taking a large breath. "There's…something else I have to tell you."
Dad leans forward, coughs into his hand, and when he’s finished, asks, "What is it?"
Oh god, oh god, oh god.
"So, um…our house kind of got blown up."
Mom stares at me in disbelief. "Are you joking right now?"
"I'm not."
Dad can't believe it either. "Blown up?"
I huff out a breath. "Yeah. Vadim was dropping me back home. We were walking up the driveway and…boom! The entire place went up in a giant fireball."
"Ellie!" Mom's eyes are the size of golf balls. "What about Ellie?"
"He's fine, he's fine. He was out for a run, thankfully.
Vadim and I picked him up, and Vadim took us to his family's casino.
They've put us up in a fancy suite with a bodyguard and everything.
Oh, which reminds me. There's a car parked a few doors down.
I have my own protection now. Vadim insists. "
Mom and Dad look at each other for a long beat.
I get it. This is the wildest thing that's ever happened to me. I still can't believe it myself, and I've lived through it.
"Why is all of this happening?" Dad asks.
"Vadim suspects it's because we're…together.
Someone has a vendetta against him, or his family, and for some reason, they're targeting me.
He feels terrible. So does his brother, Marek.
They've both been wonderful. They're going to help us out with insurance and buying our stuff back as well as provide security until they get whoever did this. "
"You mean, until the police get whoever did this," Dad clarifies.
"Yeah, of course." I smile nervously. "I'm sure they're working with the authorities on this."
I'm not sure that's what's happening at all. If anything, I have a suspicion they're not.
But I have enough to deal with in my own life to think about that right now, and the last thing I want is for my parents to know Vadim's some sort of mafioso.
"On the positive side," I say, clapping my hands together. "It gives me some time to spend with you guys."
"That-that's great, honey." Mom is still in shock. "We love it when you visit."
"Of course, son." Dad shakes his head. "We might just need a minute to take it all in."
"Fair enough. I might go take a shower."
"Sure, honey. I put a towel on your bed, and don't forget the hot water's still slow, so don't jump straight in, or you'll freeze."
"I remember," I say as I head for my old bedroom.
I feel a bit lighter. Telling them has lifted a weight off my shoulders. It was the right thing to do.
They just need some time for it all to sink in, and I am smelly after the drive and need to take a shower.