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“Stop!” I beg, backing up until I’m smashed against the bars of the crib. “Don’t hurt Benjamin. Just let us go. I won’t say anything to anyone. I’ll leave and you won’t hear from us again.”
Timofey doesn’t say anything as he towers over me. I cradle Benjamin’s head with shaking fingers and close my eyes, ready to accept whatever is coming next.
Whatever happens, I hope it’s quick.
Then Timofey turns his head to the side and bellows, “Rooney!”
Benjamin jolts and starts wailing again. The man I saw earlier appears in the doorway. This time, his hood is up, his face shrouded in darkness.
“What?” he croaks irritably.
“Take your hood down, you idiot,” Timofey snaps. “She already saw you.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I do,” he says. “It doesn’t matter, anyway. Piper won’t tell anyone. Will you, darling?”
“Don’tcall me darling.”
He smirks. “She’s going to learn her lesson. If she doesn’t, the people she cares about will have to learn it for her.”
Does he mean Benjamin?
Ashley? Noelle? My grandma?
Does it even matter who he means? Timofey is willing to hurt people. Who he hurts is not high on his list of concerns.
Officer Rooney lowers his hood, revealing a worried mouth turned down at the corners. “What do you want me to do?”
In response, Timofey reaches out and grabs Benjamin. I try to hold on, but Timofey shakes his head. “You won’t win this one, Piper. Pull too hard and he’ll break.”
I know he’s right. I also know he won’t give in.
So, reluctantly, I let Benjamin go.
Timofey holds the baby casually, like he’s done it a million times before. It’s strange how natural he looks with a child in his arms.
Then he backs away and jerks his chin in my direction. “Okay, Rooney. Go ahead.”
I wilt back, but Rooney doesn’t move. “Go ahead with what?” he asks.
Timofey smolders. “Arrest her.”
20
TIMOFEY
“You’re kidding,” Piper snorts.
She looks from me to Rooney and back again like she’s waiting for one of us to break character and reveal this has all been some kind of practical joke. Even Rooney is standing stock still in the doorway, waiting for… Actually, I’m not sure.
“What the fuck are you waiting for?” I ask him.
“He’s waiting for you to make sense,” Piper interrupts. “You hired me to be Benjamin’s nanny. Being in his room is not kidnapping, or whatever other bullshit accusation you’re making up in your head.”
“Funny—I seem to remember you saying you’ll do ‘anything possible’ to get him out of my house. I’m no lawyer, but that sounds suspect to me.”
“You were here the entire time!” she protests.
