Page 74 of Deadly Knight
“That feels a bit much, considering you don’t know me.”
With eyes as blue as the sky and in a tone as flat as the Prairies in Saskatchewan, Vanessa replies, “You’re Dimitri’s. No matter what the situation between you two is, he cares about you, and we care about him; therefore, we care about you too.”
Oh.Well, now I feel like a bitch for being wary and assuming.
Though I never spoke aloud, she clearly reads my concerns from my expression. “I get it. Last time you were in Moscow, the Bratva was a different organization. Your fears are valid. No worries.”
I find myself cautiously smiling, becoming relaxed by Vanessa’s easy demeanour. “How’d you guess?”
“One doesn’t maintain leadership without being able to read others. You got very stiff. Some unsolicited advice would be to hide your emotions better to protect yourself.”
Further evidence I’m not fit for Dimitri’s world, then or now. I couldn’t hide my fear from a single woman dressed in jeans and a hoodie, as casual as a person can get and the exact opposite of what a dangerous Pakhan looks like in my head.
Why am I even thinking about this?Him saving me doesn’t change anything.
Vanessa turns for the door again, and the puppy trails behind her, his limbs clumsy as he keeps up. “Dog’s name is Veles. He’s friendly, but hyper.” She twists back, propping herself on the doorway, a barrier between me and freedom. “Dimitri demanded I keep you locked in here, but I’m not about to do that.”
Already, I like her more than Dimitri.
“Ifyou promise me one thing,” she continues, lifting her finger. “Don’t run. He’ll kill me if he learns I let you out of the room, so before my neck’s on the line, just don’t.”
She falls into step beside me when I reach the hallway. “What about my neck?”
She laughs but doesn’t reply, not getting my comment wasn’t a joke or a sarcastic remark as she leads me down the long hallway I have vague memories of. Then, I was amazed by the padded carpet and ancient vibe of this place. Like a history movie, large portraits and paintings of deceased Volkovs were always hung on the walls, and clearly Vanessa never redecorated.
By the top of the stairs, she hovers by the last painting in the row, curling her lip at the man I vaguely recall meeting. By meeting, I mean Dimitri pointing him out before hiding me.
“If it wasn’t tradition to keep portraits of the past Pakhans up, I’d have it removed.”
“Your papa,” I guess, staring at the identical blue eyes of the woman beside me.
“Da.”She faces me, giving her back to her father. “He’s dead, and won’t bother any of us. No one from his time hangs around. Point is, you’ll be safe until Dimitri gets back.”
“And then he’ll let me go home?”
She grimaces. “To be honest, I don’t know what’s in his head these days. It’ll be something for the two of you to work out.”
“If I don’t want to?”
She shrugs. “Again, it’s a problem for you two. Come, let’s get you food. You’re probably starving.”
I am, so I continue following her down the massive staircase made with a glossy wood, and past the ornate entranceway. I stare at the front door a bit too long. I memorize everything about the route, doubtful I’ll ever be able to use it.
Veles runs by us, leading us down another hall, and we eventually enter a large kitchen full of shiny appliances my bank account would cry at. He goes straight for a dog bowl in the corner while my attention flits to the island counter, easily consuming two-thirds of the room, and the two people standing behind it—another woman stirring a smoothie, and a guy, his eyes on the woman at my side.
“Hey, when did you get in?” Vanessa abandons me and heads for him, presumably the ex-husband she mentioned, and wraps her arms around his neck to pull him in for a kiss.
A thick Italian accent isn’t what I expect when he replies, “Few minutes ago. Came to go over details with Lev. And to visit you, of course, or else I could have just called Lev and saved the trip.”
Another name semi-familiar to me from the past, and more recently when Vanessa mentioned him upstairs. Lev was training alongside Dimitri when we were in school, but he was another person I never met.
“I was told you’re busy with business.” His gaze makes its way to me. “I assume this is the business?”
“Katya.” Vanessa nods. “Dimitri’s…guest.”
Is that what they’re calling kidnapped people? “Unwilling guest,” I correct.
The newcomer blinks once before laughing. “Sense of humour’s always good. My name’s Zeno. I’m hers.” He thumbs towards Vanessa as she returns by my side, not so subtly positioning herself between me and the doorway.
