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“I know, but spare a little pity for yourselves because the cops are on your tail. Josh says he’s having a hard time keeping them from driving straight over to Arsen’s place right now.”
My jaw drops wide. I look at Arsen, and he catches my fear, coming closer to where I am. I reach out and he grabs my hand, squeezing it. It brings some comfort. “Are you serious?” I ask Audrey.
“He’s doing his best,” she says, “but the police are being extra aggressive. I mean, can you blame them?”
Recalling the quick visuals of the scene on the news, I shudder. “Arsen, Audrey says the cops are itching to arrest you. Josh is barely holding them back.”
“I appreciate his efforts, but it’s pointless. Nothing he says or does will stop them after this. We need to leave.” He pats my wrist, and when he starts to pull away, I cling on. He gets the hint and remains where he is.
“And go where?” I ask anxiously.
“There are several Bratva safe houses located far enough from here that we can hide out at, stay under the radar.”
I gesture around the empty room to indicate the entire household. “What about everyone else?”
He manages a small, indulgent smile. “They’ll be fine. This isn’t the first police raid this place has handled.”
“But—”
“Galina, trust me. Ulyana knows how to handle it.” His eyes darken like he’s been shrouded in shadows. “The cops are going to regret wasting their time.”
“Did you hear that, Audrey?” I ask. “We’re going to go to a safe house.”
She’s silent for a while, and for a moment, I’m afraid that the call has disconnected. But after a moment, she says, “Okay. Be safe, Galina.”
“We will.” I end the call and push myself off the couch. Arsen comes around, holding me like I might collapse any second. I smile to show I’m all right. “Well … I guess we should pack.”
The snow has turned the landscape into a blank canvas. The only color in front of us is the dark swatch of road that swerves like an undulating snake. We’ve been driving for an hour, and in that time, we’ve taken turns choosing the music. Arsen’s crunchy brass jazz is a severe contrast to the lilting flow of my instrumental orchestras. The songs are as different as us. In spite of that, I easily appreciate the refreshing life the jazz brings, and Arsen smiles fondly as I hum to “The Sea and Sinbad’s Ship.”
Arsen grips the steering wheel with one hand, reclining casually in the driver’s seat. You’d never guess we were fleeing from the police. He’s acting like this is a drive through the country. But when he doesn’t notice me looking, I catch the way he churns his jaw … the furrow that makes his brow heavy.
His free hand, placed on the middle console, flexes now and then. It’s not from the rhythm of the music. Gently, I place my hand over his. Arsen starts, giving me a curious side-eye. I just smile and keep humming.
“Oh!” I gasp, sitting forward as the car takes a curve, escaping the white hills and trees that filled my view this whole time. In front of us is a huge lake. The water mirrors the periwinkle sky with its puffy clouds. Winter hasn’t been able to freeze the lake into ice; a few geese scoot along the water as they search for food.
On the edge of the water is a small wooden dock. There are no boats, but one of the stumps is wrapped in an old, frayed rope as thick as my wrist. But what really holds my attention is the cabin. It’s a single level, but that doesn’t diminish the size. The polished, gold-tan wood helps it stand out from the field of white all around. Someone must have plowed the snow away because the road that leads to the driveway is cut in clean chunks that nature could never do overnight.
“This is where we’re staying?” I marvel.
“I take it you like it.”
“I love it,” I say honestly. “I always wanted to stay in a cabin by a lake.”
“It’s nothing fancy.”
“It’s perfect,” I state firmly.
Arsen hits the brakes a little harder than needed, as if I’ve surprised him. He smiles at me, cutting the engine then opening his door. “I’m relieved. I was worried that making you pack up and rush here would be a miserable experience.”
“The reason we have to is bad, yeah, but I’m not upset about the change of venue.”
He chuckles to himself before helping me from the car. The ground is clear of snow, but the wooden stairs into the cabin are slick. I appreciate being able to lean on him to make sure I don’t fall. I’ve become hyperaware of how easy it would be to hurt myself—and my baby—with a wrong step.
The interior of the cabin is even better than the outside. The ceilings have a steeple shape, the beams crisscrossing elegantly. There’s a chandelier crafted from deer antlers. Arsen flicks a switch by the front door, lighting it up. The main room is expansive, set up open-floor style so the kitchen is on one end, the stone fireplace and maroon couch, big enough to fit eight people, on the other. The wall in front of the couch is one massive window that overlooks the lake.
“Are we the only ones here?” I ask.
“For now. I’ll have some of my men come by so we can plan our next steps.” He catches my slight frown and hurries to add, “But I have cameras set up outside. No one will break in without me seeing them coming, so don’t worry about a lack of guards.”
