Page 53 of Split

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Roman and I have barely spoken to one another since he returned to the manor last night, but he never seems to run out of things to talk about with Niko. The two of them have been holed up in his office for the better part of an hour now, and I’ve again turned to espionage.

I’m forced to change up my tactics this time since the office door is slightly ajar. Pacing the hall would be far too conspicuous, so instead I’ve been sneaking up to eavesdrop at regular intervals, then rushing back to the study to jot things down in my notepad. Hopefully when I look it over later, I’ll be able to piece some things together and make sense of it.

This is definitely an exercise in patience. Each time I’ve approached the office door, I’ve tiptoed over slowly, barely even breathing. I’m careful not to make a single sound as I shuffle closer to the edge of the doorframe, straining my ears to hear the men’s hushed voices from inside.

“How far back does this go?” Niko questions.

“That’s what I intend to find out,” Roman replies in a low growl.He sounds agitated.“There’s no denying the connection, though, especially in light of this…” his voice trails off, followed by the distinctive sound of rustling paper. He must be showingNiko a document of some sort.A brief silence falls as his second-in-command evidently looks it over.

“Shit,” Niko hisses, the sharp edge in his tone conveying his shock at whatever he’s viewing.

Curiosity gets the best of me. Cautious not to make a sound, I lean forward to peer through the gap in the door, determined to sneak a peek at whatever elicited that reaction from Niko. He’s seated across from Roman’s desk with a sheet of paper in his hands, my husband fiddling with the frayed edge of the bandage around his own as he watches him skim the document. It obviously contains something important, but no matter how much I squint, the text on the page is too small for me to make out.

Guess I’ll just have to hope one of them verbalizes what’s on that paper.

I slowly start to back away from the gap in the door when Roman’s gaze suddenly lifts. My heart stutters in my chest and I jerk out of sight, pressing my back against the wall and clasping hand over my mouth to muffle my panicked breathing.

Maybe he didn’t see me...

“I’m afraid I’m going to have to cut this short, Niko,” Roman states flatly. “Something has come up.”

Shit.

Shit, shit, shit.

My thick socks slide against the black marble flooring as I scramble down the corridor away from his office, anxiety suffocating my throat like a noose. I need to come up with a plausible explanation fast if I’m going to get myself out of this one. If I run and hide, it’s as good as an admission of guilt. It’d only confirm that I’ve been plotting against my husband, and I have no doubt that he’d lock me up and throw away the key.

I need an excuse, and I need itnow.

I’m in such a state of panic that it’s as if my brain isn’t even working. I’m no closer to forming a cover story when I dart into the study, the men’s voices carrying down the hall as they exit Roman’s office.I’d better just run and hide.Remembering the secret door in the bookcase, I dash in that direction, but just as I’m about to reach for the shelf to pull it wide, a lightbulb goes off in my head.

This house of horrors could be my salvation.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve caught a flicker of movement in my periphery only to turn and find nothing there. The manor is most definitely haunted, and its ghosts just became my alibi.

I draw a deep breath, shoring up my composure and willing my frantic pulse to slow.This could work.The glimpse Roman got of me could only have been for a millisecond. He’ll be expecting me to run. When he comes in here and finds me acting completely natural, it’ll take him by such surprise that he’ll question whether he saw me at all.Shit, for a spur-of-the-moment plan, It’s kind of brilliant.

Concentrating on getting my breathing under control, I reach for a book on the shelf, flipping it open right as Roman and Niko enter the study.I’m the picture of nonchalance as I glance over at them, both men turning their heads to look in my direction simultaneously.

I swear Roman falters a step.

“See you later, Mrs. Volkov,” Niko calls out, flashing me a grin.

I smile back at him shyly as I lift a hand, wiggling my fingers in a little wave.

“I’ll call you,” Roman grumbles to Niko while I turn back to the bookshelves and pretend to peruse the titles.

I hear the door close behind Niko as I return the random book I’d grabbed to its rightful place. Then I hear Roman’s heavyfootsteps crossing the room toward me as I run my fingers along the aged spines, fully committed to the part I’m playing of a bored housewife searching for something interesting to read.

Pain shoots through my scalp as Roman snatches a handful of my hair, yanking me backwards forcefully and spinning us both around. Before I can even react, he shoves me down over the side of the sofa, my body folding over the arm and my cheek smacking against the leather cushion.

“Are you spying on me,wife?” he snarls.

“What? N-no,” I choke.

“Don’t lie to me,” he snaps, his fingers tightening in the strands of my hair until my eyes water.

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