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“Avery.” I turn to her. “This is Budimir. He doesn’t speak any English, but he’s going to stay with you until Boris gets here. Go back to your books, study, and rest. I’ll be back before you know it.” I kiss her again, a quick peck to her lips—otherwise I may decide Abram can wait.
She nods, glancing at Budimir only briefly. “Fine. I’ll just sit here waiting.”
I touch the tip of her nose. “No attitude.”
She sighs. “Please, be careful.”
“Always.” I wink, then kiss her once more before turning to Stepan. “Let’s go.”
As the elevator doors slide closed, I keep my gaze focused on Avery, memorizing her eyes, her lips, the beauty of her soul. Staying grounded with these images will help wash the sins from my soul for what I’m about to do.
Avery
Budimir stinks.Literally. The harsh stench of cigarette smoke clings to him. He drags it with him everywhere he goes in the penthouse. And he’s goneeverywhere. I’m trying to stay out of his way by staying on the couch with my textbook while he checks the windows for a second time in the living room. I’ve stared at the same diagram for the last hour. Not a single word has sunk into my brain
How can I try to learn anything while I’m worrying about Luka?
Budimir lights another cigarette and goes into the dining room.
“You know, Luka doesn’t smoke in here. I don’t think he’ll like it,” I call after him. It’s useless since he speaks exactly one word of English. No. That’s the only word. I learned it when I tried to call Luka. He snatched my phone from me and pocketed it.
Boris is supposed to be here, but he hasn’t shown up yet.
I snap the textbook shut and shove it off my lap. Maybe if I eat something, I’ll feel better. Luka promised he’d be home in a few hours. It’s only been one, and I’m already getting antsy. There’s no reason for me to worry. He’s with Stepan and he’s got plenty of guns with him.
Budimir is on his phone when I enter the kitchen. He looks up at me with small eyes and continues talking in rapid Russian. Maybe his dialect is different than Luka’s, because when Luka speaks in his native tongue it has a beautiful rhythm to it. Budimir hits the hard syllables like a freight train running over a tin can. It’s ugly.
I grab a bag of potato chips from the pantry, then a bottle of water from the fridge. The entire time I move around, I can feel his eyes on me. A creepy shiver runs down my spine.
“Da… da… da…” Whoever he’s talking to seems to be giving him orders, or just running down a list of things he agrees with. Budimir catches my gaze and pauses.“Vernis’ v druguyu komnatu!”Hejerks his hand toward the kitchen door.
“You want me to go?” I point in the same direction, adding a tilt to my head. “I don’t understand you. What do you want me to do?” I probably shouldn’t be annoying him, but he’s an asshole. Why would Luka let him stay with me instead of waiting for Boris? And where the hell is Boris?
“Chertova suka. Idti!”He pulls his hand back like he’s going to slap me.“Idti!”He gestures with his chin toward the door.
“Did… did you just call me a bitch?” I’m not the quickest study of the language, but I have learned a few choice words from listening to Luka on the phone. Google translate has been a good friend to me.
He looks ready to launch himself at me, so I hurry from the room. I can’t stay here. Not with him. Something isn’t right. Luka wouldn’t have left me with someone like that.
I look over my shoulder to be certain Budimir hasn’t followed me out of the kitchen, then run to the foyer and grab my purse from the front hall closet. I wouldn’t usually go running out in a pair of capri leggings and an oversized t-shirt with an obvious coffee stain on the stomach, but there’s no time to change.
I quickly punch in the security code Luka gave me for the elevator and wait. Budimir is talking loud enough that I can still hear bits and pieces of his conversation from the kitchen.
“C’mon, c’mon.” I wring my hands. I have to get out of here before Budimir comes back out. He’s not going to let me leave, and I’m not sure what he’d do if he caught me trying to escape his protective services.
“Avery!”
Fuck!
Apparently, he can say my name fine. I’m out of time.
Just as I’m going to toss my purse back in the closet so I can pretend I wasn’t just trying to escape, the elevator doors slide open.
My newfound hope dies quickly, though, when the doors open and Stepan is standing there. His hands are folded in front of him, and a sneer tugs at his lips.
“Going somewhere?” he asks as he steps off the elevator. His presence pushes me back a few steps.
Budimir finds us and barks at Stepan in more Russian, his hand waving in my direction.
