At the same time, I didn’t have the immediate resources at my disposal to drag him to a warehouse and cut his balls off slowly. That would entail involving Andrei and I had no fucking energy for his low risk-tolerance right now.
Just as I was one car away from Knox, my phone rang. Apprehensive that it was Gianna coming back with another round of crocodile tears, I thought to ignore it, but I heard the name on the caller ID—Maksim, head of my security.Jade’ssecurity.
“It’s not much of a problem, more like a safety issue,” he began speaking before I could even utter a greeting. “She’s on the roof. She’s refusing to climb down.”
Xavier’s car made a right turn, and the light was about to turn red so I sped up, going over Maksim’s words in my head.
“What? Who’s on the roof? What’re you talking about?”
“Jade. She’s been up there for two hours. Smoking weed. She won’t climb down.”
Of course,that sounded very much like Jade. I heard my own pulse in my helmet, knowing that I shouldn’t go over there. I absolutely should stay away. I stayed away for a whole week and I could certainly continue exercising my willpower.
“So just take care of it. What do you need me for?”
Maksim sighed loudly, the resignation in his voice sprouting hope inside me.Tell me. Tell me I’m the only one who can solve it.
“I’ve tried. I’ve tried many times. She’s refusing. She’s high, and it’s dark, and there’s a risk she’ll tumble down and break a leg or something.”
Xavier’s car was inching further and further away from me, and then it turned left, leaving me behind at another red light.
I revved the engine loudly and made my choice.
8
Freedom Is An Illusion
Alex
Iflipped the kill switch on my bike and pulled my helmet off just as Maksim opened his mouth. “It’s been like three hours and it’s dark as shit. What if she fell asleep?” he asked, amused.
“How did she get up there?” I eyed the house, but it was too dark to make anything out on the roof.
“I havenoidea!” Maksim sounded flustered, walking beside me to the back of the house. “We only figured out she was up there when the guys smelled it,” he was whispering for some reason. “And then she told us to leave her alone and, well…now she’s stopped responding.”
I turned to him, both irritation and excitement mixing inside me. “You’re responsible for her safety,” I reminded him, my tone colder than ever. “How are you doing your job if she’s literally escaped? She’s on the roof, you have no idea how it happened,andshe’s smoking weed. Where the hell did she get it?” I questioned, none of it adding up.
Maksim had nothing to say. He splayed his arms and shook his head. “You don’t know that either,” I concluded. “God damn,Maks, what the fuck? What else happened that you don’t know about?”
I inspected the sitting area in the back of the house, illuminated with the bright lights of the living room. There were seashellsallover. And were those flowerpots? Surely, we didn’t outfit the house with flowerpots.
Somehow, Jade made it all look homey.
“Did…did you get those? For flowers?” I pointed to the corner by the door, noticing a cactus and some other plant blooming in terracotta pots.
“Yeah, she put it on her shopping list.”
Hershopping list?!I twisted to Maksim, the question written all over my face. “She hasn’t asked for a lot.” He defended her at once. “It was on her grocery list. She asked if there were flowerpots in the store. There were. She also asked for a few books and magazines.”
I was well aware Jade was within earshot. “What else did the princess ask for?” I spoke a little louder, and from somewhere above, I heard the soft click of a lighter. Of course she was listening and fucking loving this.
Maks stood in front of me, thinking it over. “Bubble bath. A puzzle. Some nail polish, a yoga mat. Snorkel mask. Only organic blueberries. Whipped cream. She specified the kind of honey she wants—”
“Oh yeah? What kind?” I interrupted him, absolutely floored at the way he’d remembered all her grocery wants and needs in the span of a week.
“She likes the organic lavender honey.”
“Jesus Christ.” I shook my head, noticing the way Maks was more annoying than ever. “Did she ask for goat milk too?”
