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Then she storms out, those haunting words ringing in my ears.
54
PAIGE
The garage is quiet the next morning when I tiptoe out of the house ten minutes ahead of schedule.
It’s not that I’m completely against Konstantin being my bodyguard; I just need some space. And, okay, maybe I’m in the mood for rebellion.
The keys jingle loudly as I swipe them off the key caddy, but no one seems to be coming after me. I manage to get into my little Volvo and open the garage door before Sanka pokes his head out of the door that connects the garage to the rest of the house.
Like a good soldier, he tries to get in front of the car before I can take off. But he’s too slow. I gun it, peeling out of the garage and racing through the gates before he can close them.
“Ha!” I say triumphantly. “Take that, Misha.”
Seconds later, my phone starts ringing. I answer it through the car’s Bluetooth. “Good morning.”
“‘Good morning,’ my ass. You ditched me!” Konstantin complains. “It’s not even six-thirty. Do you know how much trouble I’m going to get in for this?”
“Calm down. I’ll be at Orion in fifteen minutes or so. A solo drive is hardly going to kill me.”
“But not following Misha’s orders might killme.”
I wave a dismissive hand, even though he can’t see it. “He won’t kill you. Maybe he doesn’t admit it, but I think he likes you. Besides, you’re in the clear; I’m the one not following orders. He’ll be mad at me.”
“Is something going on between the two of you?”
“‘Something’?” I ask facetiously. “No, I’m just his wife and the mother of his child. But nothing is going on between us. We’re not friends or partners. I’m just the woman he’s using to tick all his boxes.”
I press on the gas a little harder, flying down the straightaway in an effort to leave my worries behind.
Konstantin groans. “This is why I don’t want to get in the middle of this mess. You two need to work this out in therapy. Until then, come back and pick me up!”
“No.”
“What the hell am I supposed to tell Misha?” he barks.
I tap the brakes as I near a bend in the road. “You can tell your cousin that…”
My voice trails off as I tap the brakes again. And again.
But nothing happens.
“What?” Konstantin asks.
“Oh God,” I gasp.
“Paige! What’s going on?”
The brake pedal is all the way down to the floor, but the car isn’t slowing down.
“Oh fuck. Fuck.” I follow the curve of the road, but I feel the car tilt dangerously on one side.
“My brakes! They aren’t—I can’t stop!”
My heart is thundering in my chest. It’s not helped by the fact that I’m coming up way too fast on a busy intersection. If I can’t stop the car, I’m going to crash. Maybe even kill someone. Maybe even myself.
Maybe even my baby.
