Page 15 of Andrei's Solnyshko

“What happened to your father?”

“I killed him,” he says it matter-of-factly.

“You killed your own father?”

“He deserved it.”

“How old were you?”

“When I killed him? Sixteen.”

“How old are you now?”

He chuckles, “Seven years older than your twenty-eight.”

I feel my cheeks blush, “I’m twenty-five. When I was eighteen, I lied about my age so a casino would hire me.”

He simply shrugs and continues eating his breakfast. Silence fills the room while I contemplate asking my next question. I swear he is in my head.

“Ask me, Summer.”

“How did you know about my ribs?”

“I know things.”

“You watched me. You saw him harm me.”

“I did.”

“But you didn’t kill him?”

“He also owed me money.”

“That you wrote off in exchange for me.”

“I could’ve killed him. There was a choice.”

“You tricked me, you basically kidnapped me.”

“Do you want to leave?”

I don’t answer.

“I am a man who gets what he wants and I want you.”

“So that’s it?”

“Yes.”

“What if I don’t want you?”

“You do. If last night was any indication.”

I turn crimson and stare at my plate. I’ve lost my appetite. I’m so ashamed and angry with myself for being so weak. I repeat the words Carlos engrained into my psyche, “disgusting, filthy, slut.” I whisper.

Andrei roars like a lion, and when he stands he kicks his chair to the floor. I jump up and scurry backwards, running into thebuffet. A crystal vase falls to the floor, crashing into millions of pieces.

I start to move but his voice booms throughout the house, “Do not move!”

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