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“Eggy bread, please,” he calls out as I scour the pantry shelves. We’re definitely run shy of a few vital ingredients.
“Should I make enough for Papa?” I ask, hoping Nikolai will know more than I do about his father’s movements.
“Papa and Luka went out today,” he says, confirming my suspicions. “He told me to be a good boy for you. But that’s just silly because I’m always good.”
“Sure you are, kiddo,” I agree as he giggles. “Well, in that case, I think we can try something new today, what do you say?”
“More sheet ropes?” he asks eagerly.
“Actually, I was thinking of a road trip,” I say cautiously. The last thing I want is to freak the kid out. We haven’t left the property in all the time I’ve been here.
“A road trip?” His face turns serious. “You mean we’ll go away?”
“Not away, Niko. Just down to town. We’re all out of Captain Crunch – see?” I gesture to the empty shelves. “That’s kind of a disaster, right?”
“Yeah.” He mulls this over, then nods. “Okay. A road trip,” he agrees.
“Fantastic!” I say brightly as I whip up some eggs and reach for several slices of bread. “As soon as we’ve eaten, you can get dressed and we’ll hit the road,” I tell him.
About twenty minutes later, plates scraped clean, Niko scampers off to his bedroom, while I make my way to the huge garage. There’s enough room in here for a fleet of cars…and I find just what I’m looking for. The SUV Luka collected me in is parked next to the fare wall. On the wall is a board holding a collection of keys. I have no idea what he and Anton might have traveled in, but for now, this is all I need to know.
“Ready!” Nikolai calls from behind me. I turn around to see him dressed in a little pair of blue jeans, yellow sneakers, and a luminous green hoodie. The kid is probably visible from space – but maybe that’s a good thing. I’ve never had to keep an eye on a child in a crowded area before.
“Perfect.” I smile in approval, then hold the back door open for him and buckle him in. I’ve seen enough family films to know that kids need to be strapped down.
The drive to town passes in a blur of mindless conversation. Nikolai discusses the passing scenery and pretty much everything else that comes into his little mind. Poor kid probably doesn’t get out a lot, but the easy chatter gives me a chance to think about what I’ll do once we get into town.
“Right, out you get,” I tell him as we pull into a parking bay outside a busy shopping mall. “I have some errands to run, and then we’ll pop into the grocery store for some supplies.”
“Okay.” He’s staring around as if he’s never seen so many people in one place before. Maybe he hasn’t. I reach for his hand and he clutches mine tightly. We’re halfway across the parking lot when a voice calls out to me.
“Scarlett? Scarlett, honey, is that you?”
Shit!
It’s Lena.
“Scarlett, it’s been so long!” Lena exclaims as she approaches me, her eyes filled with worry. “I’ve been trying to track you down for weeks.”
“Hi, Lena,” I say cautiously, feeling a wave of anxiety wash over me. This is the last thing I need right now.
“Is everything alright?” Lena asks, her eyes searching mine for an answer. I want to tell her the truth – that I’m caught up in a dangerous game with a man who both scares and entices me. But instead, I force a smile onto my face.
“Everything’s fine, Lena,” I say, trying to sound convincing. “Just been busy, you know how it is.”
She glances at me, then down at Nikolai, who remains silent.
“Is this…?” she begins.
“The job you told me about? Yip,” I say brightly. “Worked out great!” God, I hope she doesn’t try to pry. “Anyhow, we have a ton of things to do today. You don’t mind if we dash off, do you? I don’t want my…uh…boss to worry if we’re home late.”
“Of course,” she replies, though I can see the concern lingering behind her gaze. “But if you ever need anything, Scarlett, you know you can call me, right? I’m still right there at Bruisers.”
“I appreciate that,” I say with a genuine smile. At least I have one friend I can rely on.
“It was lovely running into you,” Lena continues. “Take care.” She gives me a quick hug before walking away.
I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. That was close. Too close. I can’t afford to have anyone snooping around, asking questions I don’t want to answer.
