Page 76 of Take the Sub and Run

“He just wants information?” Sofie finished pulling on the loose camel pants and oversized white button shirt over a bralette and underwear. The shirt was similar to the ones she wore to paint every day, and she appreciated that her friend had found something that felt like her.

The lacy pale blue underwear and bra weren’t at all like what she wore most days, but very much the sort of thing she would buy herself.

“Yes. They need to have all the information so they can decide what to do.”

“They don’t need to do anything.” Sofie slipped her feet into ballet flats.

“Sofie…” Colette touched her arm. “You understand what's probably going to happen, don't you?”

“What do you mean?”

“What was done to you was a crime. A very serious crime. And I’m so sorry I didn’t realize you’d been forced into it. I would never have come to you had I known that you’d been trafficked and groomed and…” Colette’s eyes were bright with tears.

Sofie stared at her friend, a sinking feeling gripping her.

“Sofie?” Colette reached for her, but Sofie backed up, turning for the door.

“Where are they?”

“There’s an office… I’ll show you.” Colette cast a worried look at her as she went first out the door.

Sofie paused for a moment in the open doorway of the office space, blinking as she realized it was just Landon and Andrei in the room. Rolf was on the large computer monitor.

“Jurisdictional issues will…” Rolf trailed off as Andrei and Landon both turned toward the door.

Sofie’s stomach fluttered when Andrei’s gaze met hers. A smile, softer than his normal sardonic grin, touched his lips, while a wicked glint still lingered in his eyes, especially when they flicked down her body in a quick assessment.

The outfit was comfortable and practical, but for a moment, she felt beautiful in it.

“Ms. Vermeer is here,” Landon said, shifting so that there was a free seat between himself and Andrei, directly in front of the camera.

Sofie sat, nervous until Andrei reached over and took her hand.

He was holding her hand.

Something had changed last night when he kissed her. The problem was, she didn’t know what it meant, if it meant anything at all.

“Ms. Vermeer, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Rolf wore a suit and tie. The wall behind him was bookshelves with what looked like legal tomes as well as binders and a few pictures with what were no doubt important people.

Either his chair was small, or he was an exceptionally large man.

“Hello,” she said, trying to act like she took meetings with people in suits and ties all the time. The way Andrei squeezed her hand made her think she wasn’t doing all that well.

“I’m Agent Pederson. Agent Leonard and Agent… Rather, Mr. Malik have caught me up on your situation.”

“There’s no situation.” She smiled. “I don’t need anything from you.” Sofie hesitated, fairly sure she needed to say something else. “So… Goodbye.”

She started to rise, but Andrei put a hand on her thigh and pushed her back down into her seat.

“This isn’t really a question of what you need,” Rolf said. “A crime was committed. Several crimes in fact.”

“I didn’t do anything illegal.”

Beside her, Andrei shifted, drawing her attention. “Angel, I know you think that saying you just made copies, with no intention of passing them off as originals, somehow makes it not a forgery, but the law is a bit more complicated than that.”

Her stomach felt slimy. “What do you mean?”

“Forgery laws are nuanced and complex. But saying you ‘just made a copy’ of a painting, especially from an original, and didn’t know what it was for, isn’t a defense.”

---