Chapter 10 Alina
ALINA
“Ihave to go.”
“What?” I gasped. “Where?”
“Into town. I have something to take care of.”
My chest tightened at the thought of being in his apartment alone. It was a beautiful place, and I knew I would be safe there, but I didn’t like the idea of being there by myself. Not just yet. So, I took a chance and asked, “Is there any way I could go with you?”
“No. It’s too dangerous.”
His answer was immediate and sharp, and it took all I had to swallow the sting. I lowered my head just enough to hide my disappointment as I muttered, “Okay. I understand.”
He didn’t move. He just stood there in the doorway. I could feel his eyes on me, so I glanced up at him and was surprised by the anguish in his expression. Finally, he let out a curse, then said, “You can come, but you stay in the car. Understood?”
“Understood.”
I couldn’t believe it.
He was actually going to let me go.
Before he had a chance to change his mind, I slipped on my shoes and followed him out into the hall.
He stopped at one of his many closets and started rummaging through various containers.
After a moment, he pulled out an old toboggan and a pair of gloves.
He thrust them into my hands and ordered, “Put these on and keep your head down.”
I nodded, then slipped them both on as I followed him out into the hall. He didn’t speak as we made our way to the elevator and started down to the car garage. The cold air bit at my skin as we stepped outside and made our way to his car.
I heard the beep when he unlocked the doors, and I thought he was making his way over to the driver’s side. But just as I was about to reach for the door handle, he came up behind me and opened the door. He stood patiently as he waited for me to climb inside.
He’d done the same thing the night before, and he’d done it without thinking.
Alek, on the other hand, never held doors or even slowed down when we were walking in a crowd.
He never placed himself between me and a busy street.
These weren’t things that I’d really ever noted before. It was just the way things were.
But it was different with Sergei.
He wasn’t so self-absorbed that he didn’t take notice of others around him. He had character, and that was something that some men didn’t have. Alek certainly didn’t.
He got in next to me, and seconds later, the engine roared to life. In a blink, we were out of the garage and on our way. I didn’t bother asking where we were going. I found it doubtful that he would tell me, so I kept my eyes on the street ahead. Or I tried to.
Every now and then, I’d turn and take a quick glimpse at him, and it was clear from his intense scowl that something was bothering him. I should’ve left it alone, but the tension radiating off of him was getting to me. “Is everything okay?”
“No, actually, it’s not.”
“Anything I can do?”
“Afraid not.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Not your fault.”
He kept his eyes trained on the road ahead, making it clear that he wasn’t in the mood for idle conversation. But that didn’t stop me from saying, “In case you didn’t know, you’ve changed a lot since we were kids.”
I was hoping that he might respond, and we could strike up a conversation. But no such luck. I gave it a moment, then asked, “Do you remember that summer when Viktor picked a fight with those older boys at the park?”
His eyes flickered over to me, but he didn’t respond.
But I kept going. “They were twice his size, but he just wouldn’t let up. He kept taunting them until they all started laying into him. He held his own for about two seconds, and then, they had him on the ground. I was screaming and begging them to stop, but they just kept wailing away.”
There was still little to no reaction from Sergei.
He just kept driving, and I kept talking.
“And then, out of nowhere, you plowed into the group, and they all scattered before you threw the first punch. Viktor tried to act like he had them where he wanted them, but his black eye said otherwise.”
“I should’ve let them beat the hell out of him,” Sergei grumbled. “Might’ve knocked some sense into him.”
“Maybe, but I think the whole thing made a real impression on him.” I shrugged. “You weren’t just his big brother anymore. You were more than that... You were Sergei.”
He didn’t say anything more.
I wasn’t sure if the memory had fazed him at all. His face showed no emotion, and he only seemed interested in the road ahead. We drove for miles. Neither of us said a word.
And then, out of nowhere, his voice broke the silence, “Do you remember that winter break when I got food poisoning?”
“Food poisoning?”
I thought for a minute, but I had no idea what he was talking about. I shook my head as I told him, “No. I don’t guess I remember that.”
“Oh, I was bad off. I couldn’t keep anything down for days.
” There was a hint of sadness in his voice as he told me, “It was late. I thought everyone was gone for the night, and then, you slipped into my room and put some crackers and Sprite on my bedside table. You fixed my blankets and put a cold rag on my head before you slipped back out.”
“Sounds like something I would do,” I giggled under my breath.
“My mother was the only one who ever did anything like that for me.”
His words got to me, but it was the solemn look in his eyes that made my heart ache. I wanted to say something. I wanted to tell him that I might’ve been Viktor’s friend, but I cared about him, too. I cared about all of them.
He and his brothers and mother were like family to me, but before I could find the words, his car turned off the main road and through an elaborate, gated entry.
It was growing dark, but even in the shadows, I could see that the house was beautiful.
The grounds were surrounded by rows of pristine white fencing, and just beyond them was the silhouette of an enormous barn.
Sergei slowed and parked near the barn entrance, then cut the engine and turned to me.
His eyes were hard once again, and his voice was firm as he ordered, “Stay put.”
Without another word, he got out and closed the door. I watched him walk through the gate and toward the stables. The doors swung shut behind him, and then, there was nothing.
I sat there in the dark, staring at the side entrance, and my breath fogged the window as I waited for some sign of Sergei.
It felt like I’d sat there for hours. My stomach started growling, and I desperately needed to go to the bathroom.
I crossed and uncrossed my legs, hoping the feeling would pass.
It didn’t.
If anything, it only grew worse.
I’d promised to stay in the car, and I didn’t want to break my word.
But after what felt like an eternity, I had no choice.
He hadn’t come back, and I couldn’t just sit there in agony.
I tugged the toboggan low over my head, hiding my hair and most of my face, then quietly opened my door and slipped out.
I crept toward the stables, and as soon as I stepped inside, I was greeted by a loud neigh from one of the horses.
I didn’t bother trying to quiet him down.
I knew nothing about horses and would’ve just made matters worse.
Besides, I was just looking for a bathroom, and then, I would be back in the car.
I pulled the toboggan down even further and continued forward. That’s when I heard Sergei’s voice. It sounded different. It wasn’t cold or fierce, but soft and gentle. Curiosity pulled me forward, and when I reached one of the last stalls, I noticed some movement and stopped to peer inside.
That’s when I saw Sergei crouched low in the straw next to a beautiful chestnut horse. She was lying on her side, and Sergei was stroking her as he whispered, “It’s okay. I’m right here.”
His mother was in the corner, and she looked just as upset as Sergei over the state of the poor animal.
Her chest rose and fell in a way that felt labored and weak, but she hadn’t given up yet.
She was still fighting, and Sergei was doing everything he could to comfort her.
“You’ve always been such a fighter. You don’t have to fight anymore. You can let go.”
The man who’d never shown a moment of weakness was down in the dirt, stroking a sick, pitiful horse like she was the most precious thing in the world.
And in that moment, I realized I really didn’t know Sergei at all.
I wasn’t sure anyone did. Not really. But I hoped one day I would, because clearly, he was a man worth knowing.