Chapter 31
Chapter
Thirty-One
Sage
Halfway toward town Alexei finally pulls off the gas and slows our speed, conceding that we aren't being followed anywhere Nic could find us.
The interior of Alexei's car is exactly as I expected.
Luxury, leather and everything in midnight black.
Just like his hair and the ink in his colorless tattoos.
"Want to tell me what that was about?" Alexei asks.
"Not really," I quietly say, turning my head away from the back window to look at him.
"Isla has some clothes stashed under the seats. They should fit you," Alexei says, watching me in his rear-view mirror.
I wipe the tears from my eyes and reach under the seat where I find a gym bag.
Isla doesn't skimp on the goods. Inside there's a black crop top, leggings, black sneakers and a refreshment bag.
"Don't look," I say as I untie the sheet.
Alexei scoffs but his jaw hardens. "As if that's something that I'd want to see."
He shoves the rear-view mirror askew with a ridiculous level of aggression and keeps his eyes forward even as his hands clench on the wheel.
As I thumb through Isla's things, my heart cramps.
I can't believe Nic is FBI. I can't believe I trusted him. The feds have been after my father for years. And Nic was right under his nose. Was it Nic that I led right to him that night? He was supposed to be my father’s protector?
And yet, he wasn't there on the one night my father needed him the most.
It all makes so much sense now.
I sigh, changing into the clothes Isla has and then opening the refresher bag. There's a little mirror inside. Using the tissues, I clean up my face, putting gloss on my lips and mascara on my eyes. I brush my long dark hair back into a ponytail and secure it with the ties she has.
When I finish with her gym bag, I go to place it back under the seat, only to see a shining glint of metal. At the very bottom of the bag is a small knife. Makes sense she'd have a weapon. I look up, satisfied that Alexei isn't watching me, and pocket the knife. Just in case.
"I'm done," I say, feeling much better now that I'm refreshed.
Alexei adjusts the mirror again and looks at me but doesn't say anything. Though the storm in his gray eyes always seems to say it all.
I fold my arms and stare out the window. There are many things I could do now with the information about Nic's betrayal. Though like a song on repeat, my mind keeps tripping over the fact that he may have started a war with Victor to get me out of the marriage. Jeopardizing everyone I care about.
"Where are we going?" Alexei asks.
"To your brother."
"You were serious about that?" Alexei says, raising his brow. "Your family put on a hell of a show to get you out of that you know?"
I eye him in shock, scoffing as I contemplate that I'm clearly, once again, the last to know about matters that concern my own future. I don't bother replying, and he ignores me too, as I climb through the middle to plop into the passenger seat.
"Phone," I say, holding out my hand.
Alexei narrows his eyes on me, barely concentrating on the road. "What do you want my phone for?"
"Need to make a call."
He shakes his head but reaches into his pocket and hands it over. "Course you do."
I dial up the number by heart and press the phone to my ear. Anton's number rings out, and I curse him for not bothering to answer right now when I need him most.
I try again, frustration building as I get nothing but voicemail.
"Problem?" Alexei asks.
I shake my head, sighing as I type in a different number. I direct Alexei to stop at the local pharmacy for insulin supplies. I'll be needing all my strength when I proposition Victor after what my family has done.
I bring the phone to my ear and this number only takes one ring.
"Angie, it's Sage."
"Miss DeMarco, what a surprise."
"Yes, hi, hello, I need..." I say, hesitating when I remember whose company I'm in. "I need you to guard... the asset until I can get to... it. People might be coming for it."
"Hmph," she says, tone sounding very high and mighty. "Mistake in who you trusted?"
"Don't rub it in," I reply, side-eyeing Alexei who is trying very hard to pretend he's not interested in this conversation.
"We can guard the asset, but it's gonna cost you."
"Like I give a flying fuck what it costs."
She chuckles. "Okay, firework, calm down. We'll take care of it."
"Thank you," I say and hang up the phone.
"Wanna tell me what's going on?" Alexei asks as he pulls over in front of the pharmacy.
"Nope."
I leave him idling while I go inside and retrieve the few things I'll need. Insulin supplies and other important items I imagine will come in handy. It'll be a pain to manually check my levels and administer insulin but I suppose I lost my brain when I was bolting away from my house in a sheet.
Alexei is patiently waiting in the car once I get back and I slide into the passenger seat beside him.
"To your brother," I say as I secure my seatbelt.
"You sure?" he says, letting genuine worry and indecision show in his features for once.
"I'm sure."
"Okay," he says and he starts the car. "My brother has gone home to our side of the city. It's a fair drive."
"He left. I know." I wipe at my face and lean back in the seat, resting my feet on the dash as I get comfortable. Then I remember that Nic said all the Rushkoffs had left. Yet Alexei was still there even though his brother was gone. I give him a look. "But you didn't leave."
He gulps, averting his eyes from mine to check his blind spot even as there is no need to. "There were some things I found I couldn't bear to leave behind."
I watch him for a moment, but when he gives me nothing further I decide to drop it. More important things and all.
I attach the insulin monitor and deliver the dose via needle to my stomach. Definitely a pain to do this manually. I wince as the needle disappears deep into my stomach, highlighting the scars that run across my abdomen.
The whole time, Alexei's eyes dart to the movement, nervousness crinkling his features.
"Got something to say?"
"No," he shakes his head. But he looks over at me again like he wants to say something. It's as if he's talking to himself in his head. With the way his eyes dart around, his head shaking and his teeth nibbling his lip. In the end he says nothing.
I let it go and we complete the rest of the drive in relative silence. Alexei looks over at me every now and again, but still doesn't ball up to whatever he wants to say.
When we make it into Rushkoff territory, I can't help but stare out the window.
Even pressing up against the glass in curiosity.
I've never been this far across the city before.
Their lake side is just as beautiful as our country side, if not more.
Sprawling woods envelop both sides of the road and the air smells crisp.
Eventually, some two hours later, we pull up to the infamous Rushkoff compound and Alexei smirks at me as I fail to hide the wonder in my eyes.
The compound presents similar to my own house with a big iron gate, but the front lawns are manicured with native vegetation and the driveway is paved all the way up to the wooden mansion.
The lake shines off to the west of the house, water glistening in its depth. It's rustic and majestic and wonderful.
I can't imagine why they would want to stay at our estate when their place is as beautiful as this.
Alexei enters a code at the gate and then begins to drive. I watch in fascination as the house and the lake come closer into view. I don't even notice that Alexei has exited the car until my door opens and he's standing in front of me with his rough tattooed hand held out.
A curl of indecision unfurls inside me, but I ignore it as I take Alexei's hand. He stares into my eyes and we stand frozen in the driveway with my hand in his. He licks his lips, his eyes warring with indecision.
"What?" I breathe.
He sighs, the look melting off his face. "Nothing," he says. But he doesn't let me go.
"You do have something to say."
"No. Fuck." He curses as he corrects himself. "Yes." He lets go of my hand and gestures down to my stomach as he folds his arms. "How did that happen? Were you born diabetic?"
"You... you want to know if I was born diabetic?" I raise my brow and gesture to the front door of his house. "Right now?"
He clenches his jaw and nods.
I'm ridiculously confused, but I answer anyway. "No, I wasn't born diabetic."
Alexei's eyes shutter but he keeps staring at me, and I can see why he's so good at interrogating because before I know what's come over me I'm speaking to fill the silence.
"Uhh, when I was nine, one of my father’s right-hand men attacked me. He mutilated my stomach. Sending strips of my skin back to my father and Anton to antagonize them. I'm surprised you haven't heard about it."
Alexei's eyes stay locked on mine, worry and indecision pouring out of them and again, I'm talking. To fill the silence or earn his approval, who knows.
"The mutilation took 4 inches off my colon and destroyed my pancreas. That's, um, that's why I'm diabetic."
Alexei's face drops, his breath leaving him all at once. He takes a faltered step back from me, hand running over his face. When he looks back at me, his eyes grow angry. He grunts in frustration, rushing forward and landing a punch against the car door as he shouts.
"Get back in the car. Don't go in there," he says, grabbing my elbow.
"What?" I rear back in alarm. "Why?!"
He points towards the car door, getting in my face and yelling. "Get back in the fucking-"
"Ah!" We both turn towards the steps to see Victor coming down to greet us. "Sage. Changed your mind so soon?"