Page 10 of The Russian Retribution

I obey, walking closer and handing the form over.

“Pen?”

After patting my pockets, I locate one in my back pants pocket and hand it to her. The silence between us is palpable. I feel like I should fill it. After all, how am I going to get close to her if I can’t even talk to her? But the more I think about it, the harder itbecomes to think of anything to say. I watch her skim the form, and then she signs down at the bottom with a sigh.

“Good,” she says. “Now I can leave.”

“About that,” I say, and my words halt when her eyes flick up and lock onto mine. “You can’t leave yet.”

“Why not?” Her dark brows pinch together, and there’s a softer look on her face now, as if she’s trying to anticipate my words so she can prepare herself. “Another form?”

“No,” I say, and I smile softly. “I just need to assign you another guard and secure a safe route back to the manor.”

“You haven’t done that yet?” she asks sharply.

“I had my own check-up,” I reply just as sharply. “It ain’t easy to walk off an explosion, y’know.”

“Oh. Of course.” Her eyes flick down me. “You’re alright?”

“For the most part. Better than you.”

She doesn’t smile, but her eyes meet mine once again. “Can’t you just get Igor to take me home?”

My stomach twists as the sight of his burned body bursts into my mind. “I can’t. I’m sorry, Ma’am. He died in the explosion. Quickly, I gather, but he’s no longer with us.”

“Oh…” Her gaze falls away from me and for a moment, her mask slips. There’s pain moving across her face and her grip tightens on the pen.

“But don’t worry, Viktor is fine. Superficial wounds, mostly.”

She nods slowly but doesn’t say a word. Strands of hair escape their resting place on her shoulder and fall forward like a shimmering curtain. “Did anyone else die?”

“Just Igor and one of the paramedics.” My teeth catch on the inside of my cheek. “But don’t worry. I will assign you an entirely new security team this time, and we will make sure that what happened doesn’t happen again.”

“I don’t want a team,” Anastasia replies. “That’s too many people.”

“With all due respect, your demand for just one guard resulted in this. There’s only so much I can do from afar, and Igor… I’d really advise a team this time, Ma’am.”

“Anastasia.”

“Huh?”

“My name is Anastasia.”

“I know, but you’re?—”

“What?” She looks back up at me. “I’m the Godmother so I don’t get to have people using my name?”

“No,” I reply cautiously. “But it’s a mark of respect. You’re my boss.”

“Igor was your friend?” she asks suddenly, ignoring my words.

“To an extent. So I think it would be better for everyone if we secured a full team.”

“No.” She sighs and pushes back the blanket. “I don’t need a team.”

“But—”

“You.” She points at me with one long finger. “You can be my bodyguard. You survived and you rescued me. That’s the kind of protection I need.”

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