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“Okay then,” Nik says, breaking the tension. He leans down to grab a phone off the desk. “Luka is allowing you to call your mother. It will be untraceable and on a delay. Anything about where you are or who you are with will result in the call being cut. I advise keeping it short and on speakerphone.”
Luka says nothing, and Nik holds out the phone to me. It’s odd, a week without my phone being a second appendage, and it’s strange to hold one again. I dial my mom’s number and listen for the ring.
“Hello?”
Relief instantly floods my veins when I hear my mother’s voice. My eyes well with tears, but instead of letting them fall, I blink them away.
“Mom …” I say. It comes out as a sigh, a deep breath expelling the worry.
“Kate? Kate, is that you? I’ve been so worried! Where are you? Are you okay? You didn’t come home that night, and when I didn’t hear from you, I went to the police. Tell me you’re okay,” she pleads. A small smile spreads across my mouth as I hear the strength in my mom’s voice. She hasn’t been drinking, at least not yet anyway.
“I—I’m fine, Mom. I just need some time. After meeting Tony—” Luka sits up straighter and Nik moves closer, but I hold out my hand. “After meeting Tony at theonlyhouse I knew with Dad, I got emotional. I couldn’t go back there. I needed some time to process.”
Luka’s brow furrows as he slices through my lies, but this is a lie I know she will believe.
“But your work also said you hadn’t shown up. I know you too well to know you wouldn’t show.” Now that’s a lie. She doesn’t really know me. She checked out of trying to know me in favor of her alcohol and relationships.
“I needed some time away, Mom. I’m an adult and decided to take some time to process some emotions. I—I don’t want to spiral into depression.”
Yep. I’m an awful daughter.
“You were working so hard, saving for school—”
“Mom. I’m okay,” I rush out, feeling my resolve weaken, “just taking some time off. I’m sorry I left without saying anything.” Luka’s body seems to relax, and he leans back again. “But I also called to make sureyouwere okay. Are you all right, Mom?” My voice lowers above a whisper on instinct when talking with my mom about her mental health.
“Well, my daughter disappeared, and I haven’t heard back from Tony for several days, so I’m struggling,” she says. I hear it in her voice—the shakiness that means she’s barely holding on.
“Stay strong, Mom, and don’t worry about me. I’ll be okay.” I smile with my last words, hoping she hears it through the phone.
“You too, honey, I love you.”
“Love you too, Mom.”
Nik grabs the phone to end the call, and the tears I was holding back break. I plant my face into my palms as I grapple to gain control.
“Leave us,” Luka says.
I jolt at his demand and my face sours in disgust, rising to my feet to leave.
“Not you. Nikolai, give us the room.”
Shock racks my body as I see Nik nod and step out of the room, shutting the door. I drift back to see Luka pushing to stand, something unreadable in his stare. I wipe a tear from my face and work my way up his body—his muscular thighs, trim waist, and broad shoulders—before landing on his face.
“Thank you,” I say. “I needed to make sure she was okay and let her know I was too.”
“And are you? Okay?” he asks, pleading in his tone.Or is that a hint of guilt?
“No,” I answer honestly.
He shakes his head and diverts his eyes, looking anywhere but at me. “Listen Kate, I have a proposition for you. I’d be willing to pay for your mom to get help, however that works for her, and in return, I’d like you to stay here.”
My face contorts, and confusion grips me, but he continues.
“I—I need you—” he starts, but deviates. “I need to make sure that Antonio has no plans for you. I think it’s safest for you here.”
“Using my mom’s depression and my financial situation is low, even for someone like you, Luka,” I growl out.But it is smart.I don’t say that last part out loud.
“I’m not a good person Kate, don’t measure me by any standard you think you can contrive. I need the Cosa Nostra to back down, and Antonio is messing with you to get to me. This is a deal where you win both ways.”
