5. Mia
MIA
“I have a safehouse about an hour driving distance from here. It’s about a half hour drive after hitting the state line.
If we start now, we can get to the car you left.
I need to know the story behind that. Where did you get a car?
Considering my son doesn’t seem like the type to help you get away,” Alek seethes the last sentence as if he is spitting every word onto the ground.
“Nikolai should already have men searching for us, too. He’ll know to check the safehouse.
We just have to get there.” Alek winces, rubbing his shoulder to ease the pain.
There’s no way he can carry me, but he’s right, it hurts to take a deep breath in still. I can’t walk. Especially bare foot.
“He gave me an allowance every week and I saved enough to go to a junkyard and buy a car. It’s a junker. The engine starts and that’s all I care about. It isn’t luxury so if that’s what you’re expecting, you’re going to be disappointed,” I tease.
But Alek doesn’t smile. His dark green eyes become hard and narrow. He sets his elbows on his knees, anger setting his square jaw. “He gave you an allowance? A fucking allowance?” His voice is calm. It isn’t loud. It doesn’t echo, but it’s filled with the quiet rage ready to be set free.
“He didn’t allow access to the bank accounts,” I explain.
He reaches for my hand, an electrical current pulsating between us as our palms tough. His thumb grazes the tops of my knuckles as he blows out a slow breath.
“We have plenty of money, Mia. There’s no reason for you to ever be on an allowance.
He should have given you a card so you can spend how much as you want.
You could shop all day, every day, and not make a dent in the family funds.
You shouldn’t have to struggle like that.
The entire point of this marriage was to secure the Roswells with funds. You’re part of that.”
I shrug a shoulder and stare out into the beauty of the woods.
I know at night it’ll be terrifying. Everything always is at night.
The sun peeks through the trees, the rays splitting between the branches.
Squirrels scurry up the long trunks, the slight scratches of their movement paired with the singing of birds has me relax.
It’s the sound of the chains falling from my wrists. I’m free and if it means I live in the damn forest, then that’s what it means. I’d rather be here than go back to that prison.
“I knew my purpose, Alek. From a very young age I knew I was meant to be Ivan’s wife. I knew what my future held.”
Pain slashes across his face and he tightens the hold on my hand.
“This isn’t the future I saw for you or Ivan when your father and I agreed for you two to be married.
I know I wasn’t around a lot when you and Ivan were growing up.
I was busy traveling, connecting, and growing my business.
But when I was around, I saw how you and Ivan were.
You were friends and I had no doubts that you would fall in love and be happy.
I wanted that. For both of you. I didn’t want you in a heartless marriage.
I just never thought it would be my own son who was heartless. ”
“And now, it’s for nothing.” He slams his fist on the ground.
“Your father is broke. Did you know that? He hasn’t spoken to me recently and he didn’t show up to the wedding, by the way.
Your entire family has gone dark and the few connections I have on the East Coast tell me he’s fucked a lot of people over.
I was, you were, his last option to save himself. ”
I shrug a shoulder again. I don’t care how bad my family is doing. After everything I’ve endured with Ivan, their behavior doesn’t surprise me. I knew the situation was bad, but I didn’t think my father would fuck over Aleksandr Bykov. You’d have to be a fool to do that.
Alek, while very kind to me, doesn’t give everyone else the same courtesy. Actually, I think I might be the only one he saves his kindness for.
I’ve seen him hold a gun to a man’s head and I know if my father were in front of him, he might just pull the trigger.
“It’s sad, but I really don’t care. The only person who I could ever count on is myself.”
Alek looks away, ashamed. “I apologize for being part of the problem.” His thick Russian accent sounds harsher than it really is. Others might think he isn’t being sincere, but I’ve known him long enough to know better.
“It’s okay, Alek. I’m not mad. This is how life has been, but I refuse to accept it any longer. And if you’re going to get in my way of that, that’s the only time you’ll be a problem.”
He chuckles, lifting his hands to show his innocence. “It was never part of the plan to get in your way, Mia.”
I smirk, holding in a laugh. “Good. Keep it that way.”
We both laugh, the sounds weak and quiet to show how tired we are.
“We better keep going if we want to make it to the state line before it gets too dark. We make it to the car, we can make it to my safehouse. It hasn’t been used in a while. No one will be there… hopefully.”
I twirl my finger in the mossy earth, swirling the dirt. “When we get to the car I could drop you off somewhere close to your house and I can leave until I run out of gas. You don’t have to come with me.”
His eyes harden. “I’m not letting you go anywhere until I know you’re safe. I could use a break anyway.” Alek pushes himself to his feet, stretching his arm over his head, hissing from the pain. “Come on. Let’s go. If we wait any longer, I’m too nervous we’ll get lost.”
I stand, the pine needles digging into the bottoms of my feet. I flinch when an end of a twig digs into my big toe and Alek is there, swinging me into his arms as if he doesn’t have a bad shoulder.
“You ripping off some of the that tulle made carrying you so much easier. Whose idea was that? I have a feeling it wasn’t yours. This doesn’t seem like the kind of dress you’d choose.”
I peer up at him, his strong jaw clean shaven, showing just how sharp his features are. Alek is a gorgeous man. His hair is a darker shade of silver like it has only recently change from a dark brown.
His hulking frame somehow manages to slink through the woods with ease. As if being stealthy is a habit not a choice.
“No. Not mine.”
“I’m listening.”
“That’s really all there is to it. Do you really need details?”
He stops walking, the sound of a rushing river in the distance. He peers down at me with not one teasing glint in sparkling in his eyes. “I want every detail. No matter how small.”
“Why? It only paints Ivan in a bad light. He’s your son.”
He growls, charging forward again to get us to the state line.
“He is no son of mine. Not after I’ve learned in the truth.
I have a few rules, Mia. That’s it. For all my men.
The most important rule is that we don’t hurt women.
We don’t do what he’s done. Blood or not, he’s dead to me.
He isn’t painted in a bad light. He put himself there.
Don’t give him your kindness anymore. Even when speaking of him. He doesn’t deserve it.”
“He had requirements for the dress. No lace. No beading. A ballgown. Strapless. No train. No veil. A fluffy skirt. Corset back. That’s it.” I rest my cheek against his broad chest, hoping this is the start of a new and better life.
Away from Ivan. Away from my family.
Even away from Alek, no matter how much I hate the truth of that fact.
I’m not sure how long we walk in silence. Alek is slowing down and the sound the of the river is getting closer. He pauses at the edge of a cliff, the water roaring from down below.
“We’re going the right away. We aren’t that far now. We might need to take a break, Da?” He gently sets me on my feet, taking a seat on a fallen tree.
He rubs his shoulder, stretching it above his head. “What’s your dream dress?”
I think back to a dress I tried on in secret. One I knew I would never be able to wear. I can’t help but smile at the memory. I loved how I looked in that dress. It was the dream dress.
Just not the dream guy.
“I can’t wait to hear about it if it makes you that happy. Tell me about it.” He pats the space next to him. “There’s plenty of room on this log for the both of us.”
I giggle, the hem of tulle dragging against the floor. So much debris is caught in my skirt. I can’t wait until I can take this off and burn it.
And I will burn it.
I’ll dance around the flames in celebration.
“It was dramatic. Off the shoulder with a sweetheart neckline. It had bell sleeves that nearly reached for the floor. The entire dress was this beautiful vintage lace with light beading. Enough to catch the light, you know? It formed my body. It fit like a glove. I cried when I tried it on. That was my dress, but I knew if I came home with it, Ivan would destroy it. It deserved better than that.”
Bark rips off the log from how hard Alek is digging his fingers into the fallen tree.
“I’m so sorry, Mia. I don’t know what’s gotten into him.
I know I keep saying that. Maybe my world, what I do, is what made him like this.
He thinks he can do anything without consequence.
He thinks he has power that he doesn’t have.
Any power he has, belongs to me, and it has gotten to his head.
” He clenches his fists, clearly still enraged about what his son did to me, but I’m not angry.
Not anymore. I used to be angry. Now, I’m tired and I’m ready to move on with my life.
“It’s okay. I didn’t marry him. That’s all that matters, Alek.”
“And you won’t. Even if he ever finds you and demands your hand in marriage, I’ll be there. I’ll make sure you’re safe.” His eyes dart all over my face and I can tell there’s something else he wants to say.
“What is it?” I ask, placing my hand on top of his.
He continues to stare at me, his full lips parting as he intakes some air. Alek looks way, closing his mouth and swallowing any words he wanted to tell me.