AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I reach for my bag, opening it, and show her the gifts and the note. “He had these sent over today.Thisis his way of apologizing. Not–”
“Quite an apology.” Ruby scans the note. “You have a date with him tomorrow?”
I nod, swallowing hard as I wipe away the last of the tears. “I don’t know if I should go or not.”
“Honestly–after that, I don’t either. I’m sorry I told you to go over there, only for that to happen. But–” Ruby shrugs. “Men who know they’ve done a bad thing are easily manipulated. He might want to make it up to you. You can use that. Hell, look at it as getting him back for what he did, if you want to. If he’s still being fucking weird, don’t see him again. Pawn the shit he’s given you and move on to the next guy.”
I nod, feeling my throat tighten. “What are we going to do about–”
Ruby’s lips thin. “There’s not a girl here who wants the police involved. We’ll find a way to get rid of the body, make it look like he just ran off. After that–I don’t know what’s going to happen to the club. That’s why the girls are all so upset–not because they gave a shit about Igor, but because there’s no telling who might take over, or if it’ll just get shut down, and we’ll all be looking for new jobs.”
Fuck.I don’t want to go to a different club, deal with worse managers, bosses who will grope me and try to push my limits, try to sell me to men who want to pay for more than my time. Idon’t want to start all over again, and if anything, that makes me want to tell Mikhail that, yes, I’ll go on the date tomorrow. I’ll wear his clothes, and maybe I’ll even fuck him, and then–
Then, it’ll be time to make my escape. There’s no Igor to take my money now, no one to stop me. It’s not as much as I hoped, but it should be enough to get someone to make me a fake passport if Mikhail gives me more on this date, and I’ll figure out the rest as I go.
It’s time to leave. I know that for sure.
Or, you could just go.
“You should go.” Ruby’s voice cuts through my thoughts, and I look up at her, startled. “It’s probably better if the girls don’t see you here tonight. They’ll forget about any suspicions quickly enough, but you should go home. You’re in no shape to dance tonight anyway. Come back in a couple of nights, when you’re not seeing Mikhail, and I’ll fill you in on what’s going on. Or just come by my place, if the club is closed up. You can show up atmineanytime.”
She wiggles her eyebrows teasingly at me, clearly trying to lighten the mood, and I let out a choked laugh, forcing a smile. “Alright. I could probably use the break anyway.” I pick up my bag, hesitating. “You’re sure you’ll be alright, handling this on your own?”
Ruby nods firmly. “I’ve got this. Just go home, and stay safe.”
I take a cab back to my apartment. I can’t fathom making that walk again with so much in my bag that could be stolen, and my knees feel like water, as if they might go out from under me at any moment.
Safely back in my apartment, I drop the bag on my bedroom floor, wrapping my arms around me as I try to think. I’d been certain after talking to Ruby that going on the date was the right thing to do, one last windfall of money before I leave this place for good. Now in the quiet silence of my apartment, I’m no longer so sure.
If he killed Igor–
What if I’m not safe with him?
I can feel myself starting to shake as tears well up in my eyes, and I try to breathe through the fear. It feels as if every worry and moment of paranoia and fear are crashing over me all at once, making me wonder if Mikhail has been behind all of this, if I’m setting myself up for something terrible by spending another night with him.
I don’t know who to trust. I never really have. And now–
Even if he killed Igor, is it really so bad? Now your money isn’t gone. Now you have a way out still.
But that makes him a murderer. And after what he did to me, too-
What you have is enough. You’ll figure it out. You have so far.
The fear is too much to handle. I don’t know how I’d even get through a date, feeling as shaky and panicked as I do. I reach for my phone in my pocket, fumbling it out and finding Mikhail’s contact.Better to just cut it off now. Get the passport as quickly as you can, and you’ll be out of here before you know it.
Quickly, I type out the text, my hands shaking as I do.
I’m sorry. I can’t meet you tomorrow night. I appreciate the apology, but I don’t think I can do this anymore.
I sit down on the edge of the bed, clutching the phone in my hand. I expect to have to wait for a reply, but in a matter of seconds, it buzzes in my hand.
I look down at the screen and see the name there.
Mikhail.
Natalia
Iclick on the text with shaking hands, glancing over my shoulder as I do, towards the wide windows that look out onto the street. I have that strange feeling again that there are eyes on me. I’ve never wished so much for window coverings, not even on the nights when anyone could have walked past and seen me touching myself. Exhibitionism is one thing, but the feeling that I’m being watched, hunted,stalked–
