Back in the kitchen, I packed the leftovers in the fridge. I wiped down the counter, grabbed my plate, and headed for my room. As I passed the dining table, I saw him pulling a chair back. He was actually going to eat.
Ignoring him, I stepped toward the hallway, but his voice stopped me. “Sit.”
Surprised, I turned. He took a sip of water, eyes already fixed on me. Did he think I put something in his food?
“It’s not poisoned,” I said. He didn’t answer. A sigh slipped out as I stalked toward the table and placed my plate down. “Fine, I’ll taste your food first, just to prove—”
I didn’t reach his side when I noticed he grabbed a piece of garlic bread and took a bite. My lips pressed together as I walked over to where I’d left my plate. I pulled out a chair and sat down.
We ate in silence until my voice filled the space.
“Thank you for today.” He lifted his gaze to me, and I continued. “My father will do what you asked. He’s a kind man. He will help you find what you’re looking for.”
The silence thickened again, broken only by the clink of spoons against ceramic. I glanced down at my plate, but my thoughts slipped elsewhere.
“It was nice to see them,” I murmured. “I was happy. Thank you.”
This time, my smile didn’t hurt. It warmed something in me. And that kind of warmth had a strange effect on me. It made me talk more than I usually did.
“I didn’t expect to see Carina,” my smile widened. “She’s a good friend. If she knew I was coming over, she would’ve brought me a copy of her new book,” I laughed softly and chewed. “I’ve read her drafts, but I would love to hold the finished version in my hands. That’d be amazing. Do you read?”
The moment our eyes met, my smile vanished. Rodion leaned back in his seat, watching me. And just like that, I remembered who I was talking to. It wasn’t as if he was listening.
Once I finished eating, I cleared the table and left for the kitchen with my plates. After placing them in the sink, I paused, hands resting on the edge, wondering why I started feeling so comfortable around him. I needed to get my shit together. As I turned to return to the dining room for his plates, I walked straight into him. I gasped, stepping back instinctively until my back hit the kitchen island.
Rodion was holding his plate. He leaned forward, placing it in the sink. But he didn’t back away. Instead, his hands leaned on either side, caging me in. He lowered himself, bringing his face level with mine.
His eyes didn’t waver. “I read,” he declared and studied me for a moment. “And I don’t care how nice your friend is. She wasn’t supposed to know where your parents are.”
I blinked. “She won’t tell anyone.”
“Yeah?” His jaw tightened. “And you think they can’t follow her? Renat is still out there. He knows her face. Do you think your friend’s safe?”
He was right. “I can call and tell her not to leave the house,” I whispered. “I don’t want anything to happen to any of them.”
Rodion didn’t move. “If they don’t follow instructions,” he said, “things will happen.”
That hit me harder than I expected. “Is Luigi after my father?”
He didn’t respond immediately; instead, he lifted his hand to my face. His fingers brushed a loose strand behind my ear. “You should worry about yourself.”
I swallowed. “My father said I’m safe with you.”
Rodion’s lips curled into a smirk that made my skin warm and my stomach twist. “Are you?” he asked.
I didn’t feel completely safe, but it was better than how I felt with Leonid. “You promised my father you would keep me safe, in return for him giving you what you want.”
His brow lifted, like the thought hadn’t occurred to him. “I did?”
Frustration built fast. “You also promised you won’t take me back to Leonid. Did you lie to me?”
His hand moved again, fingertips trailing along my cheek and down the curve of my jaw. When his thumb brushed over my bottom lip, my breath stilled. I realized just how close he was.
“I don’t make promises, Little Gem.” He leaned closer, his breath brushing mine. “I make deals.”
My eyes locked with his, trying to keep my thoughts straight. “So you lied to—”
His lips didn’t let me finish. He pressed a kiss to the corner of my mouth. It was teasing, cruel, and addictive but he pulled back before I could properly taste him.