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“Svetlana never stepped on the grenade.”
Love is only love when you are prepared to die for it.
6
KATYA
I wanted to ponder Kristoff’s semi-poetic grenade comment but he ushered me out of the library as soon as he’d said it. Remarkably, he could go from a sympathetic host to scowling bad-ass in a microsecond.
“Wait,” I protested. “I wanted to talk to you about the party tomorrow night.”
“It’s not a party.”
He all but dragged me back to my room. We got some strange looks from a few members of the house staff, but none of them dared speak to him. Being pushed around like a misplaced houseplant was so embarrassing.
I huffed when he stopped in front of my door.
His expression darkened.“Don’t make me have to lock you up in there.”
“You can’t just—”
“I can do anything I want. My house, my rules.” He let go of my arm and stepped in close. “Don’t go wandering around by yourself again. You might not like who you encounter.”
Did he mean his girlfriend? “You sound like Miss Louboutin is dangerous or something.”
“Don’t be fooled by Svetlana’s cute shoes. Even a black mamba would think twice before crossing her. Also, she’s the least of your concerns.”
I swallowed. “I’m more into sneakers anyway.”
His eyes bore into mine. “Let me explain this to you in plain English. There’s a reason why Little Red Riding Hood got eaten by a wolf. The clueless dimwit wandered around in a freaking forest where she didn’t belong. Bad fucking idea.”
I scowled. “Life is not a fairytale.”
“Exactly my point.”
“That story had a happy ending!” I wasn’t going to let him use my beloved stories against me.
He gave me a look of pity. “Not in the original, more realistic version.”
Dammit, he had me there.
He gave me his back and left me standing in the corridor. Knowing when to pick my battles, I stayed in my room all night.
It wasn’t long before I woke up to my first morning at the Scarface mansion. I called my mom, but the call went straight to voicemail. I thought about venturing downstairs, but just as I debated if I should ignore Kristoff’s edict, a knock sounded on the door. The door opened and Olga arrived with my breakfast. The message was loud and clear; I was to stay inside my room.
So I decided to stick to the rules for the rest of the day. Dinner arrived in the same manner and though I was bored out of my mind by that time, I stayed inside...Up until the moment I heard cars arriving in the front drive.
Curious, I went out on the balcony and took my fill of shiny sports cars driving through the iron gates. Women who looked like models and distinguishably dressed men stepped out of each.
A hint of yearning and a touch of anger washed over me. How was it fair that I was stuck in this room while there was a party going on downstairs? The house felt like a cage, and I was trapped like a bird with broken wings.
I longingly leaned over the balcony railing. The smart thing to do would be to stay in my room, but the call for adventure was strong. It was like a live current beneath my skin, urging me to explore new shores. No one ever achieved anything by sulking in their room, I reasoned.
I went back inside and rummaged through my belongings. There wasn’t much. I had the basics in my getaway duffel—jeans, shirts, tops, and…ah, there it was. My little pink dress. The sleeveless dress I was supposed to wear on date night. A night that had been on my mind while dreaming of better times as I went through chemo. A night that was still on my agenda in a fantasy future.
I put it on and admired the fabric in the mirror. I grabbed my only pair of black heels and put them on as well. My hair just reached my shoulders, so there wasn’t much I could do with it. Still, not too bad.
As soon as dusk settled on the estate and the band started playing in the backyard, I made my escape. Finding the corridor empty was kind of an anti-climax but I’d take what I could. No one paid me any attention as I slowly descended the stairs, heading toward the action.
