“He did not know who you were. He called you Elle.”
“I know. That’s the name I had given him.”
“So you can imagine what he must have gone through when he finally found out.”
“That’s a strange way to describe blackmail.”
Her lips curved faintly. “You have spirit.”
“That’s not going to help me.”
“It might.” I looked around the penthouse, the gleaming surfaces, and the quiet luxury of it all.
“Does he think my family won’t notice?”
“I am sure they already have,” she said quietly.
Ice slid down my spine as I realized she was right. News travels fast in our world, and someone at the house must have noticed I hadn’t returned home last night. If not yet, they will surely notice in a couple of hours, and panic will ensue, which only means they will come looking for me. They have to. They will never tolerate my disappearance and kidnapping, and will certainly never tolerate a forced marriage with a Romanov.
“I am sure Fyodor believes he can handle what comes,” I scoffed, knowing him already.
“He is reckless and arrogant, a little overconfident,” Anya laughed, and I realized she didn’t look worried.
“He’s selfish,” I corrected her, and she paused at that.
“Yes,” she admitted softly, and her honesty disarmed me again. “But he is not cruel. Not in the way you fear.”
“I don’t need him to be kind,” I said. “I need him to respect me, and last night he showed me that he doesn’t do that.”
Anya studied me for a long moment. “Then demand it from him.
I almost smiled, but before I could respond, I felt his presence, and I turned around to find Fyodor standing at the edge of the hallway, barefoot, hair slightly disheveled, eyes sharp despite the sleep he must have had. He took in the scene in one glance.
“Anya.”
“Fyodor,” she replied calmly.
His gaze shifted to me, but remained unreadable.
“You should have rested,” he said.
“I wasn’t aware this was a vacation.”
His jaw tightened faintly, and Anya cleared her throat.
“I am already done with cleaning and breakfast, so I will head out,” she said softly.
I could see she wanted to leave the two of us alone, and I didn’t blame her, not with the tension brewing between the two of us. She moved around us quietly, the only warmth in a roomthat felt charged, and I didn’t wait. The moment she disappeared down the hall, I turned fully to him.
“What exactly do you think happens next?” I demanded, but he didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, he walked into the kitchen and poured himself coffee instead, taking another mug to pour some for me as well. The calmness of it nearly sent me over the edge, but I let him place a steaming mug before me.
“I asked you something.”
“And I heard you.”
“Then answer.”
