CHAPTER 17
Petal
No foggy confusion fuzzes my brain when I wake up.
A mattress this comfortable, a sleep this divine, could never exist in the reality I’ve existed in for months.
I’m not even shocked to roll over and see the mug, which had been filled with warm milk, has been replaced by a bottle of water.
Condensation still beads on the plastic, making me suspect the man himself is still close by.
What does shock me is scanning the room to find I’m alone.
Like, alone alone. Considering he barely gave me enough space to use the bathroom in privacy last night, I think I can be excused for being a little put out to wake in a new place without him here.
Am I being unreasonable to be upset he’s finally, belatedly, given me what I asked for? Probably.
Does that stop me from stomping around the room looking for something to wear so I can get out of here and get to work?
Not at all. Although, do I still have a job to go to after last night?
That thought brings me up short. As far as I’m aware, there’s no protocol for working the shift after watching Russian mobsters execute a robber right in the middle of the dining room.
Giving up on finding clothes, I return to the bathroom to take care of my morning necessities.
Warmth on the toilet seat nearly has me making a mess in shock until I realize there’s a seat warmer just as there are warming tiles under my feet and a towel warmer.
Seriously, this place feels like a fantasy home built on the power of my frozen storage-unit dreams.
A knock startles me as I’m mid-crouch wiping, and all I can do is thank thirty-seconds-ago me for having the forethought to lock the bathroom door. I quickly flush the toilet and wrap myself in the fluffiest robe ever created before crossing to the sink to wash my hands.
“Petal? Are you okay in there? The door is locked again. Should I remind you that I don’t need a key to remove obstacles keeping me from you?
” Zinovy sounds agitated, and that plucks the strings of my already cranky mood.
First, he leaves me to wake up alone after proclaiming all that nonsense about not ever being apart from me again, and now, he wants to catch attitude because I peed in private? Oh, absolutely not.
I open my mouth to sass at him, and an unexpected blast of terror chokes the words in my throat.
Zinovy has shown me nothing but kindness, but last night, I saw firsthand how merciless he can be.
I’ve made the mistake of trusting a man who seemed like a nice guy, only to learn the fist-flying way how badly my instincts can fail me.
What if Zinovy is like Jordan? Only pretending to be protective and possessive of me, when really he’ll snap and turn violent if he doesn’t get his way.
He’s obviously a lot wealthier than Jordan ever dreamed of being. And he’s mobbed up, or would that be bratva’d up, or did I just make up a word?
My stream of conscious thinking isn’t doing me any favors here.
It all boils down to this, Zinovy’s more dangerous than Jordan and in a much better position to hurt me if he wants to.
I mean, he barely spoke to my boss last night, and George couldn’t jump fast enough to agree to Zinovy’s command.
That tells me Zinovy has reach and power, two things I’m eternally thankful Jordan lacked.
“I’m fine. I’ll be out in a minute. Please, may I have privacy to finish using the restroom?” Fear puts a quiver in my request that even I can’t ignore.
What can I do if he refuses? If he insists on coming in here, even though I asked him not to? Nothing. That’s what. I’m completely at his mercy, and after the hard lessons I’ve learned, it’s a terrifying place to be.
“Of course, you can have privacy, my Petal. I just wanted to check on you and let you know I have prepared a breakfast for you to enjoy in bed. Whenever you are ready, but try not to take too long. Cold eggs are very nasty,” he says, reasonably.
The calm response, giving me what I ask for, soothes me, but I’m not ready to relax and trust him fully. Not yet.
Am I attracted to Zinovy Bayev, this mysterious stalker slash hero who saved me last night?
I’d have to be dead not to be. That doesn’t mean I’ll roll over and become his possession.
I’ve just gotta be smart about this. If I need to run, at least I’ve got the tips Hollis taught me about being off the grid and safe, and it’s not like Dino-Mite is the only storage place in the universe.
The safest thing to do will be to lean into the chemistry between us while I figure out what my next move should be. It’s not a foolproof plan, but it’s the best I’ve got.
Resolve strengthening my spine, I tie the belt of the robe into the best knot I can and march out of the bathroom with my head high and my bravery cloaked around me.
Zinovy Bayev may think possession is nine tenths of the law, but he’s got another think coming if he thinks I’ll submit and give him anything and everything he wants from me.