Page 226 of The Devil's Fire

Words lodged in my throat as I was caught completely off guard. He nodded to one of his men, who approached me and began to pat me down.

I remained frozen, my heart threatening to burst out of my chest. The tension escalated as the man discreetly shifted the slit of my dress, revealing the gun securely tucked into my garter belt.

Mr. Vasiliev briefly glanced at the exposed weapon before returning his gaze to me, his brow slightly raised.

“Who sent you?” His demeanor had shifted significantly from the auction. It was understandable, considering he had approached me then, and now I looked different, armed with a concealed weapon.

“No one.” I stammered, hating the tremor in my voice. “I had hoped I could talk privately with you.”

“Explain the gun.” Mr. Vasiliev remained calm and collected as he questioned me. He remained visibly unfazed as he spoke. It was painfully clear that I stood no chance against them.

Yeah, no shit. You have no experience, you fool.

I made a small grimace as he and his men glared with cold, expressionless eyes.

“It’s for my protection.” I answered honestly. “I just want to talk.” I added quickly to reassure him that my intentions weren’t malignant. Despite my words, he remained unconvinced.

“I don’t have time for this.” Mr. Vasiliev sounded bored, glancing at his watch. He then looked at the man holding the gun against my head. “Get rid of her.” He ordered, turning to walk away.

My eyes widened as the man removed the gun from me, only to attach a silencer.

“W-wait! Wait!” I screamed out in pure fear, but he ignored me, continuing to walk away. “Y-you said you called her Solnishko!” I yelled out in desperation.

Everyone stopped in their tracks, turning to look at me again. My breathing was heavy, and my legs begged to give out on me, but I fought to pull myself together.

“What did you just say?” His expression shifted to one of curiosity as he focused on me. I glanced at the other men; it was visible that they were all familiar with the name.

“You called her Solnishko, right? Did she, by any chance, call you Lunnyy svet?” Even his men turned to look at him. I held onto a tiny hope that this revelation might save me, praying they wouldn’t decide to end my life then and there.

Mr. Vasiliev studied me for a long moment before furrowing his brows.

“Who are you?” He demanded.

“If we could talk somewhere privately, I’ll explain.” I said firmly, attempting to mask the fear that threatened to overwhelm me.

“Follow me.”

I let out a breath, keeping a wary eye on the man who had held me at gunpoint making sure he tucked away his weapon. He trailed closely behind as I followed Mr. Vasiliev and his men into a room.

I expected it to be a suite, but it turned out to be an office. Mr. Vasiliev took a seat on the couch, gesturing for me to sit in front of him. I hesitated, glancing at his men to ensure none of them would suddenly pull a gun on me.

Once convinced it was safe, I took a seat, perching on the edge in case a quick escape became necessary. My hand rested on my thigh, close to the gun they hadn’t taken away. Mr. Vasiliev noticed, his gaze shifting from my hand to meet my eyes.

“Care to tell me now who you are?”

“I don’t know if you remember me, but we talked at the auction. I’m Althaia.”

“Althaia...” He mused, as if recognizing the name. “I remember her looking differently.” He added, with a hint of skepticism.

“Well...” I trailed off, removing my wig to reveal my real hair and taking out the colored contacts. “I was just trying out a new style.” I said, attempting to inject a bit of humor to ease the tension. It seemed to work, as he looked amused.

“Why the disguise?”

“I didn’t want to be recognized.”

“So, you’re telling me you’re here on your own?” He raised a brow.

“I am.” I nodded.

---