But she’s Alessia, and I can’t stop caring.
“Go with her,” I bark at Mika.
He glares up at me, his accusation plain.
I shove a wad of money in his hand. “Keep her safe.”
He gives me one last damning look before he obeys, running off after her.
Blyat.
I knew something bad was coming. I thought it would be from Victor. I never dreamed Sabina would continue to cause me this much trouble.
I wave the limo off and walk back to our hotel, my anger fueling my long strides. By the time I get back, I have to know the truth.
I sit down at my computer and hack into public records. If Sabina had a live birth, it will be recorded. And if she gave that child up for adoption, I’ll be able to find that, too.
Getting to the bottom of this is the first step to dealing with that woman’s treachery.
Alessia
“Go back, Mika.”
I walk for at least forty-five minutes—taking rests when I get winded—when I realize that Vlad may not have followed, but Mika did. He’s trailing five feet behind me, head ducked like a bad spy.
But he doesn’t belong with me, he belongs with Vlad. I have a phone—I can call my brothers. They’ll figure out how to get me home safely. But Mika can’t come with me. I mean, he could, but I don’t think it’s the best option for him. And Vlad needs him.
I stop and turn to face him. “Mika, you should go back. Vlad will be worried about you.”
He holds out a roll of cash. “He sent me to keep you safe.”
I sigh and take the money. If I weren’t so pissed, I might find it almost sweet.
Almost.
I sort through the bills. “Is there enough for us to get a hotel room?”
He glances at the rubles and nods.
“Then come on, let’s go find a place to stay.”
My feet are already tired and we walk around forever because Mika doesn’t know where any hotels are, and I don’t speak Russian. Eventually, I tell him to hail a cab and tell them to take us to the nicest hotel. I can’t tell you how happy I am when they pull up in front of the Moscow Marriott Grand Hotel.
Feels like I’m back in America already.
And what do you know? They even speak English at the front desk.
They don’t like my lack of identification and credit card, though. I have to turn on my most convincing rich girl attitude to explain that my wallet was stolen and I lost everything. That I plan to go to the embassy tomorrow, but right now my feet are killing me and I just need a room to put them up.
It works.
In our room, I throw myself on the bed. I’m exhausted and so, so heavy. I’m too numb to even cry.
Mika paces around the room “Should you check your blood sugar?”
“I’ll do it in a little bit. Why don’t you order us some food?” I suggest.
The phone Sabina gave me burns a hole in my purse, but I don’t pull it out. Don’t call my brothers. Not yet.
It’s not because I’m afraid of what Vlad said, although it is a concern.
It’s more the sense that I’m not finished here.
I sort of don’t believe it’s over between me and Vlad.
And I don’t want to leave like this—hating Vlad.
I don’t want to leave thinking the worst of him.
Even after the things he said to me.
He’s also the same man who handled Mika’s tears last night. The man who promised to find me a kidney.
The guy who makes my sexual satisfaction his entire purpose in the bedroom.
Is he perfect?
Hell, no.
Not even close.
But he made me happy.
Happier than I thought possible, especially considering the circumstances. I felt special and beautiful and safe with him.
Cared for. Alive.
Cherished.
And I don’t want to get on a plane and never see him again after the way we left things.
But I’m also too angry at the moment to want to work things out.
I have a hot Italian temper and it needs time to cool.
If I’m super honest with myself, I’ll admit I wanted him to follow me, to sweep me up and fix it, the way he does. And I wanted to still be mad and resist that fixing until he really proved everything was all right.
But he didn’t. He didn’t follow, he didn’t apologize. He hasn’t tried to fix.
At least he sent Mika to keep me safe. I suppose this is a signal. He’s really letting me go.
I close my eyes, too tired to even try to think through this shit swamp any more.
Vlad
I call Mika a dozen times but he doesn’t answer. Little prick. I guess he’s taken Alessia’s side. In the time they’ve been gone, I hacked the public records.
Sabina has a daughter in an orphanage. And she named me as the father on the birth certificate.