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I couldn’t see who he was talking to. He only had the door cracked a little. When they switched to Russian, I felt bad eavesdropping, so I slowly went to hide in the bathroom to give them privacy. If I went to the bedroom, Viktor would come to help me like he always does and it wouldn’t help the situation.
When I finished up, the visitor was gone and Viktor was sitting at the island, a dark look on his face. I hesitated to approach him, tipping my head.
“Is… Is everything okay?”
He shook his head slowly. “No. They are looking for you. There is word on the street asking about you. I am sorry, ?????, but you cannot leave.”
ChapterEleven
My chest tightened considerably.This was exactly what I was afraid of.
“N-No… I-I can’t. I need to go.”
His frown deepened. “Tell me why.”
I shook my head quickly. He’d asked before, but I couldn’t answer. He’d send me back. It happened before.
Pushing to his feet, he came close, his eyes never leaving my face. It felt sometimes like he was suspicious of me, always looking at me like I might betray him. I hated when he looked at me like that, but I hated even more that I couldn’t voice my feelings out loud.
When he stood in front of me, his eyes narrowed, I had to fight the urge to backpedal. Viktor wasn’t going to hurt me, that much he’d made clear since the first day we met. It was hard to fully trust that, though, given the look on his face.
“Who is looking for you?”
I couldn’t answer that. I could only shake my head, taking a step back automatically. He caught my elbow, his gentle grip still pulling a whimper from me. I didn’t want to make him mad, but I just couldn’t make myself tell him.
“?????…”
“P-Please… I-I need to go.”
I tugged uselessly on my arm, but Viktor’s grip never wavered.
“Please…” It came out barely a whisper and tears welled in my eyes. Why did no one ever listen to me?
When he dragged me into his arms, I tried to protest, shaking my head continually. His arms enveloped me despite my hesitation, and when I was wrapped in his embrace, the dam broke. I sobbed against his chest, my face buried in his shirt like I might be able to hide from all that was waiting for me the minute I let my guard down. Viktor’s warm, rough hands combed through my hair, soothing me.
“I am sorry, ?????. I know you do not want to be here. We are trying to find those responsible, but they are playing games with us. It won’t be forever.”
That wasn’t the full truth. If I had a choice, I might choose to be here. It was nice not to sleep on the streets. The people here were kind, and Viktor’s thoughtful care made me feel warm inside and out. But I knew I couldn’t stay and the longer I was forced to, the more terrified I felt. Like a shadow creeping up slowly that only I could see, threatening to consume me.
“Tell me what makes you so afraid to stay. I will take care of it.”
Too many things to count. Aside from the obvious, if I stayed here any longer, I wouldn’t be able to make myself leave. And I knew I couldn’t stay forever. Nothing good ever truly lasts.
“Rosie.”
He didn’t use my name often, and the change made me look up, blinking away the tears so I could see him clearly. He looked pensive, concerned, but there was something else there. Something I didn’t understand until he cupped my face and leaned closer, brushing his lips over mine.
Alarm bells went off in my head. This situation got me into trouble once. I needed to pull away, put a distance between us, but I couldn’t make myself do it. He sipped at my lips, soothing my anxiety and drawing me under his spell effortlessly. All my arguments fled under his care and I leaned into him instead, soaking up the moment.
I started trembling when his fingers sifted through my hair. Viktor had taken to brushing it for me before bed each night, his gentle touch relaxing. I was grateful now, considering the state of it when I arrived here. And the action of his fingers running through it was overwhelmingly sweet.
Another knock at the door interrupted us, and I finally forced myself to pull away. I felt muddled and a little lightheaded, so when Viktor moved to answer the door, I took a few steps back and disappeared back into the room.
I was sitting on the edge of the bed when he returned, an exasperated look on his face. I frowned, tipping my head.
“What’s wrong?”
He sighed heavily. “They are asking to see you. They want you to join them for poker.”
