Viktor(48)
“He’d better not touch you,” she growls.
“I’m okay, really,” I say. “I can take care of myself.”
“Well, whatever you do, you keep fighting, okay? Don’t give up. I’m going to see you again.”
I sigh. This conversation is getting every bit more difficult. “Please don’t worry about me anymore. Worry about yourself.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? I won’t stop thinking about you.”
“For your own sake, just … please, don’t make this difficult.”
“What are you saying, Lex? You can’t mean—NO! I’m not giving up on you.”
I smash my lips together when I hear her yell.
“I don’t give a shit what he’s up to or what he wants, but I will see you again. And if it means coming all the way back to that house of his, I will do it.”
“No!” Viktor yells, immediately reaching for the phone.
“Don’t do it, Alisha. Listen to him,” I yell, holding the phone tight, trying to escape Viktor’s grasp.
“Tell her she can’t come here,” Viktor yells. “She can’t leave her house, no matter what.”
“Do you hear him? Alisha, tell me you’ll do what he says!”
“Why?”
But then Viktor manages to rip the phone from my hand. “This conversation is over. Good-bye, Alisha.”
The line’s cut off and he tucks the phone back into his pocket.
“Why?” I growl. “Why did you do that? I could’ve talked to her more, my minute wasn’t up yet.”
“She can’t come here. Don’t you know how dangerous that is?”
“I couldn’t even say good-bye. Again!” My voice fluctuates in tone.
He’s right in my face. “Well, I’m fucking sorry about that, but you can’t give her any reason to come back here.”
“Why? Because you’re afraid she’s going to take me away from you?”
His nostrils flare, and for a second, he just stands there staring at me. “Because you’re both in danger.”
“What? Since when?” I sit up straight.
“Since you came to this city.”
“Why? What’s so special about us?” I frown.
“I …” He growls. “I can’t tell you everything; just know that you’re in danger.”
I cross my arms. “You’ll have to do better than that.”
“Remember the cop? He was one of them.”
“One of who?” I don’t understand any of this.
“One of the company’s men!” he yells, almost pulling his hair out. “He’s part of the company, and now, they’ve come for you.”
“Wait … what? Come for me? How do you know? Is that why he was looking at the tattoo on my neck before he …” My stomach feels like it turns over. “Why wouldn’t you tell me this before? What does the tattoo mean? I could never ask anyone, but you know, right?”
He shakes his head. “I can’t …”
“Why not?”
He tries to grab my hand, but I pull away. “Because it would hurt you.”
“No. You don’t get to decide not to tell me something to spare my feelings.”
I get up and walk away from him, but he comes after me, grabbing my arm. “You can’t go out there. Not anymore. I’m already surprised you were able to stay in the city this long without being detected. But they know now, and they’re looking for you both. You have to believe me.”
“Why would I? You’ve done nothing to prove yourself.” I jerk my arm away, but he won’t let me go. “I’m done with this conversation,” I say.
“You don’t even know the half of it yet.” He shakes his head.
“Let me go,” I say.
“Don’t go outside,” he growls. “It’ll get you killed.”
We glare at each other for what feels like minutes before he finally releases me from his grip.
“So that’s it, huh … That cop, you knew him, didn’t you?” I say. “You two work for the same company?”
“Yes … but I’m not proud of it.” He balls his fists. “The fucker got what he deserved.”
“You should’ve told me.”
“Why? Would you have believed me?”
“No.” I frown. “Actually, I still don’t. I think this is just another lie for you to keep me here, and it’s not working. It’s only making me angry with you, so if that was the point, well done. You got what you wanted.” I turn around again, and finally, he lets me walk away this time.
“I’m not the only one who’s blinded himself from the truth that’s right in front of him.”