I frowned. “To whom?”
“Carina,” he said. “Didn’t you ask the boss for a favor?”
“Really?” I stared at the phone, confusion washing over me. “Wait, Boss said I could use it?”
Matvet raised an eyebrow. “Wasn’t that part of the deal?” He sipped his coffee. “Just do it.”
My mouth opened to ask a question, but I paused. Artur actually did it? Swallowing, I stared at the phone for a moment. The idea of speaking to Carina felt unreal. It was like a lifeline, a thread to the world outside this hellhole. I dialed her number and pressed the phone to my ear. The dial tone rang in my ear while I waited for her.
Carina picked up on the second ring, her voice crackling through the silence. “I thought I told you not to call me unless I’m speaking to Alessia.”
She was yelling. God, I missed this girl.
I blinked, surprised by her tone. Had she already met Matvet? “Hey, Carina. It’s me.”
There was a pause. I could feel the shock radiating through the silence. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I smiled anyway. I was talking to my best friend when I thought I’d never get the chance.
“How are you?”
“What do you mean, how am I? Bitch,” she breathed, her voice trembling. “One moment you’re off to see Marco, then you vanish. Marco showed up, telling me I had to help him find you. I was terrified, Alessia. That’s why I gave him your father’s information, and then your father disappeared. I—”
I was crying. She was crying.
“Carina, I—”
“Then these men started following me,” she continued. “I was going from house to house looking for you. They… they nearly killed me, but someone showed up. This guy saved me.”
“I’m sorry. It’s all my fault.”
“No, it’s not. It’s that damn asshole. God, I hate him.” She sniffled. “Where are you? The guy who helped me said you’d call. I’ve been waiting for this. Are you okay?”
My throat tightened. “I’m okay. Don’t worry about me. I just needed to hear your voice.”
“That’s enough,” Matvet cut in.
“Alessia…”
“I’ll call you soon, Carina,” I whispered, wiping my tears. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
She had been through a lot. The guilt weighed heavier than anything I’d felt in a long time.
Matvet collected the phone. “Are you good now?”
Something didn’t sit right. “Were you the one who saved her?”
He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he picked up the cup of coffee and took a sip.
“I was doing what the boss told me to.”
A chill crawled down my spine. I remembered asking Artur for the favor and promising I’d do whatever he wanted in return. Now that I thought about it, Matvet had mentioned a deal.
My head spun. The last time I checked, Artur wanted me to take the poisonous pill in exchange for Carina’s safety. Was that the deal?
“Wait, what deal?” I asked.
Matvet shrugged. “I don’t know the details. All I know is that the boss promised to keep Carina and your family safe, and in return, you will do something for him.”