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“Blood goes where it goes.”
I scoffed, not having any words in rebuttal. Also, the man was scary as hell.
No longer wanting to be subjected to his stare, I pivoted and made my way toward the stairs. I halted in my tracks when I caught the tail end of a conversation between two familiar voices. It was Annika and Anastacia. I just couldn’t catch a break from the Sokolovs.
“Aren’t you worried that she lives here?”
“Worried about that little girl?” Anastacia laughed. “I heard she was the daughter of some maid or something. Kristoff took her in because she’s sick. She’s a nobody. I will get rid of her when I’m the mistress of this house.”
Anastacia sounded as if she lived in a Victorian novel. How egalitarian of her. I focused on the ridiculousness of her words, rather than allow them to tear my gut to shreds. I debated making a U-turn, but didn’t want to chance running into Sokolov again.
Clearly, the Fates were out to punish me. What else would explain the fact that I ran into Anastacia the moment I tried to avoid Sokolov?
I squared my shoulders and descended the stairs.
Anastacia stood at the bottom of the staircase. Her long, sleeveless dress and pearl earrings indicated she’d changed for dinner. Both Russian women had. Night after night, they exchanged their informal wear—which still was anything but informal—for the most sophisticated gowns. I couldn’t help but compare her satiny day skirts and pants to my jeans and tank tops. I only dressed up when I went out, which wasn’t a lot. Anastacia was the Gucci to my Gap. Was this what Kristoff looked for in a woman?
“Katya. I would like to speak to you.”
Her words were stern, just like her face. I didn’t like her tone of voice, but let it go. She was still a guest, even though she eyed the place—my home—as if she belonged here.
I plastered a smile on my face. “How can I help you?”Please don’t tell me you have another complaint about the house staff.
Her lips pursed. “I wondered…When will you go to college? It’s what American girls do, yes?”
For a moment I considered telling her outright that I knew why she was asking. I didn’t like small talk. I much preferred things to be out in the open, that’s just how things went in this household. If Anastacia thought she could behave circumspectly in casa Romanov, she was deluded. Kristoff, for all his faults, wasn’t a diplomatic kind of guy.
“Actually, I’m already going to college. I think you mean to ask when I will move to campus and live there. Something I would love to do,” I said sweetly. Her features immediately softened, so I added, “But Kristoff won’t let me.” I didn’t bother to tell her he thought it wasn’t safe, but rather let her draw her own conclusion.
Anastacia’s smile tightened. “I will speak to Kristoff. They have excellent schools in Europe.”
Wow. Europe. That was a long way from SFU, but the way I was feeling right now, even Antarctica sounded appealing.
What was it with Russian mafia princesses wanting to get me out of this house? First Svetlana and now Anastacia. I could have told both women I was no threat to them. Kristoff had made it more than clear that he wasn’t interested in me. I decided to repay Anastacia’s ‘kindness’ by letting her sweat.
“You do that.” I left with my smile intact, but I was bleeding on the inside.
I heated some food in the kitchen and made my way to the wing where Elena was being held. I hid around a corner until Baran left the room.
I fumbled with the tray while opening the door and Elena jumped up from the bed. Her gaze immediately zeroed in on the food. I’d heard the rumor that Baran only brought her water and bread. I loved him like a brother, but sometimes he was a bastard.
I put the soup on the bedside table and pretended I didn’t see her misty eyes.
“Why are you being nice to me?” she asked.
Because we could all need more kindness. “I don’t believe that the woman who mothered Vicky could be evil. You have a great daughter. I wish Viking would let her stay. I’m thinking of asking for that for my birthday,” I joked.
Elena smiled. “Thank you.”
I shrugged. “I think we all need some help from time to time.”
Her eyes widened as she caught on. “So, you will help me?”
I pretended not to notice her apprehensive look. Obviously she didn’t trust me yet. I grabbed some pants and a shirt from the closet and put them on the bed. “Let’s start with helping you into decent clothes. I hope they fit. I think it’s the closest thing to your size I could find on such short notice.”
Elena gave me a tentative look. She was shorter than me and curvier.
“They’re from the housekeeper’s daughter. Just try them on.”
