Page 143 of Mile High Ruin

Nadia reaches us and looks down at her. “Go inside.”

Anya glances at me.

Nadia notices. “Now.”

Something in me tightens.

Anya gathers her pencils slowly.

“You don’t have to talk to her like she did something wrong,” I say.

Nadia’s gaze snaps to me. “I was speaking to my daughter.”

“I know.”

“Then perhaps allow me to parent her.”

There has been an edge to every interaction we’ve had since I arrived, but until now I have ignored it because this is her home and I’m the stranger Vadim brought into it under extremely questionable circumstances.

Today, I’m tired.

“What exactly is your problem with me?”

Nadia goes still. Anya looks between us.

“Sloane,” Nadia says coldly, “this is not an appropriate conversation to have in front of a child.”

“Then let her go inside.”

Nadia’s mouth tightens. “Anya, inside.”

This time Anya gathers Boris and the sketchbook and heads toward the house without arguing. I wait until she’s far enough away that she can’t hear us.

Then I look back at Nadia. “You have disliked me since the first time you saw me, and I would genuinely like to know why.”

“I don’t dislike you.”

“That is a terrible lie.”

Her eyes narrow. “You are very direct.”

“I have had a very long week.”

“So have we.”

“I didn’t bring armed men to your house.”

“No, apparently you only brought them to my brother’s aircraft.”

So, he has told her about it. Now I need to figure out what exactly.

I stand. “I didn’t know there was a tracker in my bag.”

“So Vadim says.”

The phrasing catches my attention. “So Vadim says?”

“He has become remarkably willing to give you the benefit of the doubt.”