Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 88551 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88551 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
It’s not his touch that I hate. It’s him and the way he’s never called me by my name.
I stopped asking for it, because not only is it useless, but I always get punished for it. Hard, with more pain than pleasure, as if he wants to erase that thought from my brain.
And that’s why I need to escape. My heart bleeds at leaving Jeremy, who’s staring up at me expectantly, his gray eyes huge. Unless…
My heart jolts as a crazy idea forms in my head.
“Mommy?”
“Yes?”
“You didn’t answer me.”
I scoff. He’s definitely taking on his father’s demanding personality.
“I’ll always be your mommy, Jer. Nothing will change that.”
“Can we play together today?”
“Yes, but we have to pay a visit to Yan first.”
“Is he still sick because he saved you, Mommy?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m gonna give him one of my toys then.”
“You’re such a good boy, Jer. Come on. Let’s get ready.”
After we get dressed, I take Jeremy downstairs to have breakfast. Ogla watches me peculiarly but says nothing. I’m packing some toast and jam when she finally speaks, “Where are you taking those, Mrs. Volkov?”
“To Yan and Kolya. They barely have real breakfast nowadays.” While I’ve hardly seen them—or the other guards—eat before, I know Ogla usually takes their meals to some back building where they live and have their food.
“You’re not allowed to visit Yan.”
I lift my head, pausing my task. “What?”
“Before he went out this morning, Mr. Volkov gave specific orders that you’re not allowed to visit Yan.”
“Oh, fuck him and his specific orders.”
Ogla’s bland eyes widen as if not believing I just said that. I made her speechless for once.
Jeremy giggles as he tugs on my dress. “Bad word, Mommy.”
“Sorry, angel.” I smile, then direct my stare at Ogla. “Tell your boss that he can’t stop me from tending to a patient.”
And with that, I take the food and tell Jeremy to come with me.
We go into the guest house. Unlike the other guards, Kolya and Yan apparently live here. As usual, there are two soldiers with drawn weapons in front of the building. I’m prepared to give them a piece of my mind if they try to stop me, but they don’t.
When we go into Yan’s room, we find him sleeping. He woke up a few days ago, but the doctor put him on pain medication that causes him to sleep more.
He’s covered by a gray duvet that’s been pulled up to his chin, a slight stubble growing on his jaw, but he’s not as pale as those first few days.
Kolya sits by his side, tapping on his laptop. I’m surprised to find him here, because he’s usually Adrian’s shadow, and since Ogla told me Adrian has outside business today, I thought Kolya would be with him.
But then again, there’s been simmering tension between the two of them since Yan’s injury. They barely address each other, even in Russian. Adrian has been going out a lot during the day with the other men, and Kolya has hardly left Yan’s side
When we enter, he closes his laptop and stands up.
“Is he better?” I offer Kolya food.
He takes it and places it on the nightstand. “Yes. I believe so.”
Jeremy sits on the floor running his figurine over the sheet, but it’s far enough from Yan so that it doesn’t cause him discomfort.
“Mrs. Volkov.”
My attention slides from Jeremy to Kolya. “Yes?”
“Please leave. Boss gave clear instructions about not welcoming you here anymore.”
I grit my teeth. That fucking asshole.
“I’m not leaving.” I cross my arms. “And if Adrian says anything, tell him I insisted.”
Kolya’s face remains stoic as he murmurs, “You’re making Yan’s case worse, not better, Mrs. Volkov.”
“Surely he wouldn’t hurt his injured man because I want to visit him.”
“No, but he’ll suspect him more.”
I frown. “Suspect him?”
“Boss thinks Yan could’ve been behind your kidnapping.”
“What the hell? He got shot. Twice.”
Kolya’s jaw tightens. “He thinks Yan could’ve done that on purpose to get away with it.”
“Holy shit. Your boss is a fucking dictator.”
I can tell Kolya wants to defend Adrian, but something stops him. Or someone. Yan’s inert body. So that’s the reason behind the tension between them. Adrian suspects Yan, and the senior guard doesn’t like it.
“Did you tell him your version of events, Mrs. Volkov?”
“Of course.” The bastard made me repeat it again and again as if to make sure I wasn’t making things up and that I was retelling it as it happened.
I didn’t mention the man shadow and what he said. I screwed some details up to make it seem like the kidnappers threw us out of the car and left. I heard Adrian talk to one of his men, who said that they found a disfigured corpse with the car that fell down the cliff. It must’ve been Rifle Man.
No one mentioned anything about the other man. The shadow, who said that I have a mission and called me Duchess. I doubted that would help Adrian in any way, and it would’ve been bad for me.