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This man, whoever he was, might be the only man on this planet who could free me once and for all. By any means necessary.
I needed him. I needed him like he was my last chance at life—which at this point, he honestly was.
Without saying a word, I walked into the living room and sat on the couch. He followed me, holding a cup of tea in each of his hands. I looked up at his face as he handed me one of the cups and then walked to the other couch, sipping from his.
“You... can’t stay with me.”
I took a deep breath. “Why? Because I’m a woman?”
He raised his brows at me, surprised. “What?”
“If you’re worried about me not keeping up or keeping my mouth shut—”
“That’s not it,” he cut me off, leaning back heavily into the couch. “This place might look safe, but it’s not as safe as you think.I’mnot as safe as you think.”
Nervously, I swished the tea in my cup. “I’m not afraid of you. In fact... I don’t think there is anybody else who could help me the way you could. I know I’m asking a lot, but I can pay you well. I have money—”
“I don’t want your money,” he interrupted, but I kept going.
“Then tell me the price. At this point, I’m willing to do anything.” I looked straight into his deep blue eyes.
I fucking meant it. Every word of it. There was no price I wouldn’t pay for my freedom at this point.
“Stop” was all he said.
I didn’t. “This must be a lonely life you live here.” I moved the shirt I was wearing up my thighs a little. His eyes followed my hand. I was shocked at myself. Never before had I offered myself to anybody as payment, and up until I met Andrei, I would have rather died than do this, but something about this man made me say and think mad things.
“A man has needs—”
“I said stop!” he said in a harsh tone as he put his cup on the stand next to the couch and rose to his feet. It was dead silent in the room, the air thick and unbreathable. Quickly, I pulled the shirt down over my knees again.
“You can’t stay with me. I’ll get you a passport and then we’ll book you a ticket to wherever you want to go. I’ll be back by this evening. Then by tomorrow evening you’ll be on your way to a new country with a new identity.”
I took a sip from my tea, more to avoid his gaze than the urge to drink. For the first time in my life, tea tasted to me like acid.
“Thank you...” I said carefully, “for all your help.”
He seemed relieved at that and nodded. I wasn’t quite done trying yet, but now was not the time.
“May I?” he asked and held his phone right in front of my face. “I need a photo of you.”
I nodded as the flash of the phone briefly blinded me.
“Stay inside and keep the door locked,” he said, pulling out a pistol from behind. “And here.” He handed me the gun. “Use this to defend yourself if you need to.” I stared at the cold metal in my hand as he walked into the bedroom. This was the first time I held a pistol. It was a scary yet powerful feeling.
When he came out of the room again, he was wearing a hoodie and had two books in his hand.
“I’ll be back soon,” he said, placing the books on the table beside me. One wasAnna Karenina, and below it was a copy of Dante’sInferno. “I don’t have a TV, but those should keep you busy till I get back. Lock the door behind me.”
“Thanks,” I said, trying to hide the tightness in my throat. Just like that, he walked out without another word. I took a deep breath and locked the door as he had told me to. Returning to the couch, I sat the pistol down on the table beside me and picked up Dante’sInferno.
I read through the first few cantos, entranced by the beauty of the words, picturing Andrei quietly reading it for hours. But it wasn't the type of book I would pick on a normal day. I was a romance junkie. Trash. Smut. The filthier, the better. But with some hot tattooed gangster here with me, it was probably better to stay away from my usual read for a bit.
After two hours or so of reading, my mind started to wander. The words on the page became just a group of shapes and I struggled to conjure their meaning. So, I set the book down and glanced around the room. My eyes flicked to the door of the bedroom. I was trying to remember if he had locked it or not.
I got up and walked over, and with one press on the handle, it opened a crack. I had so many questions I wanted to ask, and I could find some of the answers right in there. Why was he living here alone like this? Who the hell was my sexy dark knight?
I was bad, and I knew it, but against my good upbringing and all decency, I opened the door wider and stepped inside. It was unlikely, but what if Andrei worked for Marcello after all? I needed to find out now, not later.
