My brows pulled together. “Him?”
She rolled her eyes. “I caught him staring at you more than once. I also caught the look he gave you back in that lingerieshop. Did you say he was stalking you back then?”
I scoffed. “Yeah. And he sent the dress we thought was from Marco. But I don’t trust his looks, he is probably plotting his next move. Or deciding where to stash my body.”
She gave me that wicked grin and shook her head. “He’s hot, though.”
We stepped out and found Rodion standing by the stairs with a phone to his ear, rattling off orders to someone. His eyes flicked toward us for half a second before he turned and started down the stairs, already three steps ahead. I waved at Carina and ran to catch up.
Once we got to his car, I sat in the back seat, the three dishes balanced carefully beside me. The car pulled away from the curb, and I leaned back, letting the silence wrap around me.
Everything that happened settled in. My heart warmed in a way I hadn’t expected. Rodion had brought my parents here and ensured they were safe. That meant a lot to me. I knew he was working with my father now. Whatever lines existed before had shifted. We weren’t enemies anymore—at least not the way we used to be. I saw my father looking at him with respect and a little gratitude.
And Rodion didn’t act like a tyrant; he listened and went through the files my father gave him without throwing a single word back. There were no arguments or threats.
Taking me with him today was a great deal to me. When we left the safe house, I thought he was taking me back to Leonid after I had pushed him earlier. But when I saw Carina and my parents, life cracked open again. There was a sliver of hope.
A smile tugged at my lips. Today was the closest thing to normal I’ve felt in a long time.
Outside the window, malls blurred past, people drifting in and out with shopping bags and coffee cups. I wanted to stop and get a few things I wouldn’t be able to ask for once we returned tothe safe house. I didn’t know if Rodion would let me out again or even care enough to get me something urgent. So when I realized we were nearly out of the city, I leaned forward towards him.
“Can I buy a few things?” I asked him. “I will be quick.”
He didn’t respond. His eyes stayed on the road, but his foot eased off the gas. The car slowed, not enough to stop but enough to notice. We drove again for close to ten minutes before he finally pulled up to a supermarket on the outskirts of town. A few people were wandering around. He killed the engine and pulled out his phone.
I unbuckled and stepped out, clutching the banknotes my father gave me. “I’ll be quick,” I said, closing the door.
Once inside, I headed straight for the sanitary aisle, grabbed what I needed, and slowed near the frozen shelves. My eyes landed on my favorite ice cream: coffee and hazelnut, swirled in perfect brown curls. I took one.
At the clothing section, I picked a small pack of underwear. As maids, they provided all this but since we were staying at the safe house, there was nothing provided there. By the time I glanced at the prices and added them all up in my head, I realized the money was almost gone.
Walking toward the checkout, I glanced outside. Rodion wasn’t in the car or anywhere in sight, but I didn’t panic. He might have stepped out to do something, maybe to smoke. As I turned the corner toward the cashier, someone slammed into my shoulder.
“Move it. We don’t have all day,” the man barked, brushing past me.
Everything slipped from my arms and scattered on the floor. I hissed, more from shock than pain, and turned to look at him. He shoved his way past me, cutting the line to the cashier like I didn’t exist. With a soft sigh, I crouched to gather the things I had dropped because I didn’t have the strength to argue.
Before I could stand, a heavy grunt cut through the air, and therude guy went flying backward. He crashed to the floor near my feet, blood gushing from his nose.
A bottle of energy drink rolled off his chest and spun in slow circles beside him. I stared, my heart pounding in my ears.
Rodion walked up to me, grabbed my shoulders, and pulled me to the cashier. I dropped the items on the counter, and the woman behind the counter moved fast, her hands shaking. Every eye in the store was on us. A few people had backed away.
Once the cashier had packed everything, I reached out to pay, but Rodion was already ahead of me. He dropped a few crisp bills onto the counter, grabbed the paper bag, and took my hand. He didn’t bother to check the change.
We got to the car and he opened the passenger door for me to get in. I slid into the seat, and he placed the bag on my lap before walking to the driver’s side. He started the car and drove away without a word. His red knuckles caught my eyes, a silent reminder of the man he’d left bleeding. I stared out the window, a creepy smile tugging at my lips. That guy deserved it. But damn, that was a scene. Did Rodion follow me inside? Because where the hell did he come from?
By the time I finished freshening up, the sun had already sunk below the horizon. I stepped out of my room, shadows stretching across the floor as I made my way to the kitchen. Rodion was in the sitting area, a laptop balanced on his lap as his fingers tapped across the keys. He didn’t break focus as I walked past him.
My mother’s packed dishes were still on the counter, so I peeled back the foil, letting the familiar scent welcome me.
I served my food and while it warmed, my eyes drifted to thedoor, debating whether to serve Rodion too. I couldn’t shake off what he did earlier. Before I could talk myself out of it, I was already reaching for a second plate to serve him.
Once the food was warmed, I carried the plates to the dining table, the gentle steam rising as I set them in place. When everything was ready, I left to call Rodion. He was still working, but when I stepped into view, he lifted his head. He looked me over in a silent, measured way, as if checking for weakness or intent.
“I’ve set your dinner,” I said, gesturing toward the table.
Without waiting for a response, I slipped out of his sight, wondering if I had a stain on my tee.