Chapter 15Phoebe
15
Phoebe
I sit in the first-class lounge at Edinburgh Airport, drumming my fingers in a nervous rhythm on the arm of the plush leather chair. The taste of my third espresso lingers on my tongue, bitter and unsatisfying. My mind races, replaying the events of the past few days like a film reel stuck on repeat.
Nastya settles into the seat beside me, scanning the nearly empty lounge. “Are you ready for this, Phoebe?”
I force a smile, but it feels brittle on my face. “As ready as I’ll ever be, I suppose.”
The truth is, I’m not ready at all. My stomach churns with anticipation and dread. Mikhail’s sudden call, demanding I return home immediately, only confirmed the suspicions that had been growing in my mind throughout this trip.
“I’m sure Mikhail’s hiding something from me. Those men who were following us... I mean, who sends bodyguards without telling their girlfriend?”
Nastya’s expression softens. “Perhaps he was just concerned for your safety?”
I shake my head, frustration bubbling up inside me. “But why not tell me? And it’s not just that. There are phone calls he won’t take around me and meetings that come up at odd hours. Sometimes, I catch this look in his eyes... like he’s carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.”
“Men can be strange creatures,” she says with a small laugh. “Especially successful businessmen like Mikhail. I’m sure he has his reasons.”
Her words are meant to be comforting, but they do little to ease the knot in my stomach. I open my mouth to press further, but an announcement cuts through the air, calling for first-class passengers to board.
We gather our things and make our way to the gate. As we settle into our seats on the plane, the reality of what I’m about to do hits me full force. I’m flying back to confront the man I love about the secrets he’s keeping from me. “What if I’m wrong?” I whisper to Nastya as the plane begins to taxi. “What if I’m just being paranoid and ruining everything?”
Nastya reaches over and squeezes my hand. “Then you’ll apologize, and if Mikhail is the man you believe him to be, he’ll understand, but Phoebe, trust your instincts. They’re usually right.”
I nod, trying to draw strength from her words. As the plane lifts off, leaving the misty Scottish landscape behind, I close my eyelids and take a deep breath. Whatever awaits me in Miami, I’m determined to face it head-on.
Hours pass, and I end up pouring out my heart to Nastya as my fears and worries build. I describe the whirlwind romance, the lavish dates, and the quiet moments that made me fall in love. “But lately,” I say, my voice catching, “It’s like there’s this wall between us. I catch glimpses of something...darker behind his eyes.”
Nastya listens attentively, her expression sympathetic. “Have you tried talking to him about it?”
I nod. “I’ve tried, but he always deflects. Says it’s just work stress or changes the subject entirely. I want to believe him, but...”
“But your gut is telling you otherwise,” she finishes for me.
“Exactly.” I sigh, looking out the window at the endless expanse of clouds below. “I love him, Nastya. I really do, but I worry there’s a whole other side to Mikhail that I don’t know about.”
She’s quiet for a moment, her brow furrowed in thought. “Relationships are built on trust, Phoebe. If you’re having doubts, you need to address them head-on.”
I turn back to her. “You’re right. No more dancing around the issue. When we land, I’m going to confront Mikhail and demand the truth.”
As if on cue, the captain’s voice crackles over the intercom, announcing our descent into Miami. My heart rate picks up, a mixture of nerves and determination coursing through me.
Nastya gives my hand one final squeeze as we prepare for landing. “You can do this.”
The plane touches down with a gentle bump, and as we taxi to the gate, I steel myself for what’s to come. The warm Miami air hits me as we step off the plane, a shock compared to the cool Scottish climate we left behind.
As we make our way through the airport, my phone buzzes with a text from Mikhail.
“Can’t wait to see you, solnyshko . Car waiting outside.”
I show the message to Nastya, my hands shaking slightly. “This is it.”
She nods, her expression serious. “You’ve got this, Phoebe. Just be honest and stand your ground.”
We collect our luggage and head toward the exit. With each step, the prospect of the impending confrontation makes my feet feel heavier, but beneath the anxiety, there’s a spark of fortitude. Whatever Mikhail’s hiding, whatever secrets he’s been keeping, I’m ready to face the truth.
The glass doors of “Miami International Airport” slide open, and a wave of humid air washes over me. I’m suddenly queasy and pause to take a deep breath while squinting against the bright Florida sun, searching for Mikhail’s familiar face. Nastya stands close by my side, scanning the crowd with an intensity that seems out of place for a casual travel companion.
“There he is,” I say, spotting Mikhail’s tall frame by a sleek black limousine.
My treacherous heart pounds at the sight of him, but something’s off. His jaw is clenched, and he’s looking around every few seconds as several men in dark suits surround him and the limousine. It’s not the warm welcome I’d expected after our time apart.
“Phoebe.” He waves to me when he sees me, and his voice is strained. “Hurry, we need to?—”
The rest of his words are drowned out by a deafening crack. For a split second, I think it’s thunder. Then I see the spark of gunfire, and reality crashes down on me.
“Get down,” shouts Nastya, her hand on my back, pushing me toward the ground.
I stumble, my knees hitting the pavement hard. Screams erupt around us as people scatter. Another shot rings out, closer this time. The rush of air as a bullet whizzes past my ear makes me whimper.
Suddenly, Nastya’s hauling me to my feet. “Run,” she commands, dragging me toward the limo.
My legs move on autopilot, adrenaline coursing through my veins. Mikhail’s there, yanking open the car door. I dive inside with Nastya right behind me. Mikhail follows, slamming the door shut as the driver floors it.
The limo peels away from the curb with a screech of tires. I’m thrown against the seat, my heart pounding so hard I think it might burst out of my chest. “What... what just happened?” I gasp, struggling to catch my breath.
Mikhail’s face is grim as he looks at me. “Phoebe, there’s something I need to tell you.”
“You think?” I snap, fear making my voice sharp. “We were just shot at. What’s going on, Mikhail?”
He takes a deep breath, exchanging a look with Nastya, and it’s clear he knows her. How? My stomach twists with a new surge of nausea.
“I’m not who you think I am. I’m the leader of the Russian bratva in Miami.”
The words hit me like a physical blow. I stare at him, waiting for the punchline, but his expression remains deadly serious. “The... the what?” I stammer.
“The Russian mafia,” says Nastya quietly.
I whip my head around to look at her. “And you? Let me guess, you’re not really my new friend from Scotland?”
She shakes her head, her eyes full of regret. “I work for Mikhail. I was assigned to protect you.”
The world spins around me. I close my eyes, trying to make sense of what I’m hearing. When I open them again, Mikhail and Nastya are watching me warily, as if I might explode. “So everything has been a lie?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Not everything,” Mikhail says quickly. “My feelings for you are real. I never meant for you to get caught up in this, but?—”
“But what?” I interrupt, anger rising to replace the shock. “But you thought you’d date a nice, normal girl and keep your criminal empire on the side? How did you think this was going to end, Mikhail?”
He runs a hand through his hair, frustration evident in every line of his body. “I didn’t think. I just...I fell for you, Phoebe, and by the time I realized how deep I was in, it was too late.”
“Too late for what?”
“Too late to keep you safe without bringing you into my world,” he says softly.
The limo turns sharply, and I grab onto the door handle to steady myself. Outside the tinted windows, Miami’s streets blur by, familiar landmarks made strange by the surreal turn my life has taken.
“The gunshots at the airport,” I say slowly, piecing things together. “They were trying to kill us?”
Mikhail nods. “A rival organization. They’ve been pushing into our territory for months. When they found out about you...”
He trails off, but I can fill in the blanks. I’ve become a target, a way to get to Mikhail.
“So what happens now?” I ask, hating how small my voice sounds.
“Now we keep you safe,” says Nastya firmly. “No matter what it takes.”
I look between them, these two people I thought I knew. Mikhail, the charming businessman I’d fallen for. Nastya, the friendly traveler I’d bonded with in Scotland. Both of them are dangerous criminals, apparently.
“And if I don’t want to be kept safe? If I want to go home and forget any of this ever happened?”
His expression hardens. “That’s not an option. They know about you now and have since that break-in at your apartment.”
I close my eyes, having mostly blocked out the sense of violation that accompanied that. I’d chalked it up to addicts looking for something to sell but finding nothing valuable. “Of course, that was you as well.”
“Them,” he says in a biting tone. “To hurt me. You’ll never be safe on your own.”
“So, I’m your prisoner now?”
He scowls. “If you want to look at it that way.” He speaks to the driver. “Take us to the marina, Vlad.”