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It was fair to acknowledge that the Vadims made a point with theirtypeof women. They knew exactly what they wanted, those men.
I shifted one foot forward and sunk even deeper against the counter. “Come on, it’s not that bad.”
“But it is, Mari,” Lilianna chipped on, slicing a healthy spring onion. From her lips, I’d earned my nickname. Sheglanced over her shoulder, grinning too. “That up-and-coming artist has to accept that she has no future in the music industry.”
She mirrored Giselle’s outfit except, hers was longer, plain, and more transparent than normal. Earlier, she did hint at waiting for Sergey to get home.
I placed a hand on my chest and shook my head. “Ouch,” I smirked. “That hurt, I’m not even Vibez.”
“That’s another thing.” Giselle stood by the cooker now, sprinkling more salt into the pot. “The voice does not fit the genre, and the name doesn’t suit the voice. She should have gone with Oprah, or something, you know? Since she sings likethat.”
“Like what?” I raised a brow, finding the entire conversation amusing. After training, the rest of the day went by very quickly. At dusk, the three of us strolled into the kitchen to prepare dinner. Which was where we were now.
“Like she started her career in a theatre from the 80’s,” Giselle sputtered through fits of snickers, and they busted out laughing. Again.
The men had someimportant businessto take care of and left us by ourselves in the big house. The second they drove off Giselle was the first to give the ‘ blood alert’—that’s what she called it anyway. It meant there was a high chance that the business they had to take care of included settling some scores, which included putting some bullet holes in some heads.
In her defense, she was trying to get me acquainted with the way their household functioned. I didn’t mind. What I couldn’t stomach was the dreary, ancient, quiet cooking they wanted to adopt. I promised to lighten up the mood, so I’d forced them to listen to a new song I discovered a few days ago.
“Where did you find her again?” Lilianna teased, moving over to chop healthy orange carrots. I heard her song on the radio and fished it out with Shazam. Then, it inspired me to paint a strange flower on a blank canvas. But I was not going to tell them all that.
Changing the topic seemed like a more convenient idea. “It doesn’t matter,” I munched on the apple, and gestured with my shoulder. “At least, we’re talking about something different for once since I got here. It’s only the Outfit, or the Russos—Camorras,whatever. There’s music too.”
I was aiming for a lighter, more airy tone, but I accidentally conveyed my true feelings by sounding sober. Vlad’s life was, admittedly, interesting. His world was more different than mine was or would ever be. But a part of me missed normal. I missed my life before now.
They went quiet briefly and shared a look that I’d already grown accustomed. They always had a common understanding. Lilianna pointed her silver knife towards my chest. “We could talk about that.”
“What?” I lowered my head and caught on immediately. The rub-red mosaic necklace. Heat flushed through me instantly and I silently hoped they didn’t catch the blush on my cheeks when I raised my head. “Oh.”
“Yeah,” Giselle’s eyes glimmered with mischief. “Let’s talk about that.”
I blushed harder, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. In a good, giddy way. I wished the ground for the ground to open up and swallow me whole. “But... but there’s nothing to talk about.”
Lilianna snorted. “Doesn’t seem like it.” She swirled the knife, drawing circles in the air. “You two couldn’t keep your hands to yourselves earlier today during training.”
I fingered the necklace, my other hand caressing one of the earrings. I could still feel the burn his fingers left on my neck and ears. “That’s not true.”
“True, Mari,” Giselle simpered. “Vlad justlovestouching you, doesn’t he? We saw, you know? First, it was the necklace and earrings. Then, the hair thing. Next, your waist...”
Here, stand like this. You need a proper stance before you take a shot. Didn’t your father teach you that?
His deep voice had floated in my ears. He’d been standing behind me; his hot breath had fanned my ears and the bulge on his pants had pressed against my back when he slid an arm around my waist and placed one hand on mine to position meproperly.
My cheeks heated quickly, and I knew I would burst like a tomato if I didn’t leave. I took my arm off the counter and waved the apple in the air. “This is an ambush!” I announced as I practically scurried out of the kitchen. “I’m going to retreat now before you two take more shots.”
Behind me, I heard their bubbly laughter ring out and I smiled. Hanging out with them was fun. I almost didn’t feel like I’d been third-degree kidnapped anymore and life didn’t appear to be only black and white, painted with the violence of the Bratva and the vengeance of the Camorras. Maybe things were looking up.
My phone buzzed and I plucked it out from the back pocket of my jeans. It was a text from Christy. I grinned even wider, elation flooding my heart. I opened it.
Christy: Help me, Mariana! Please Help Me!
The smile melted off my face and the apple fell from my hand. I knew Lilianna and Giselle were only a shout away but my first instinct was to run as fast as I could. So, I did.
I rushed to Vlad’s room, snatched the car keys, and ran back down and out of the house. It was funny that neither Lilianna nor Giselle picked up the sounds of my heavy footsteps, but I counted myself lucky because they probably would have stopped me.
And I couldn’t let that happen. I needed to get to Christy as soon as possible.
On the drive there, confusing thoughts sprung up: who would want to hurt Christy? What mess did she get herself into? What could have happened? My heart clenched when I didn’t come up with any answers. I hit my fist against the wheel, fuming through gritted teeth. From a corner, I spotted her house and plunged my feet on the gas pedal.
