Page 72 of Caged in Desire
“Rude!”
Ignoring Jack, Ledger continues. “But I do have a bit of good news. You aren’t stuck with Jack and me anymore.”
Perking up at that, I raise my head to see Sasha burrowing under Ledger’s arm into the room.
“My KitKat!” he yells, and I jump into his arms.
If I have to be locked up, at least it can be with my cousin. He smells like comfort and familiarity, and I’m so damn glad to see him.
“I’m so happy to see you!” I say, muffled into his shoulder as I squeeze as hard as I can. Jack and Ledger leave to go bring us more food, and Sasha sits down on the desk chair to face me with a serious face.
“Alright, KitKat. You’ve been keeping shit from me. Time to tell me everything.”
“And so Henry is going to murder Uncle Ivan because he thinks he’s behind all this, and he wouldn’t listen to reason when I tried to tell him I don’t think it’s him. He wasn’t really listening at all, though. He kinda went full caveman after the threat to me arrived,” I finish, having caught Sasha up to date fully on all the happenings.
He’s giving me a serious look, almost guilty, and I wonder what he knows that he’s not telling me.
“It’s not my dad, KitKat. You’re right about that,” he sighs, eating another cookie off the plate Jack brought before dramatically spitting it out into a napkin. “Fuck! What is that?”
“Danish wedding cookie,” I reply primly, popping one into my mouth. “I’ve grown fond of them.”
“Ugh, Jesus. More for you, then.”
Swallowing, I ask Sasha a question I’ve been wanting to for some time.
“I just don’t understand why he would push so hard to get me back. He made Henry so mad, and for what? Knowing it could hurt the business, when Ivan and I were never particularly close. I just don’t get it.”
Sasha gazes past me at the wall for a minute before shaking his head.
“He’ll tell you one day, Kat, and probably soon, with all this craziness going on. I’m sure he’ll answer all of your questions then,” he finishes, and I can tell he’s done talking about this for right now.
I stand to pace.
“I’m not happy about Henry going to see Uncle Ivan alone, either. Not that I think he’s a threat, but clearly, our compound isn’t safe. Someone was able to get to Father, and youknowhow tight Taranov security is, Sasha. The redundant keys, the stupid ID badges to get in and out…”
“Fuck,” Sasha says, running his hand down his face as guilt overtakes his expression. “I actually have a confession to make. When I came to visit you, I actually flew in a couple of nights early to…umm, well, never mind that. But I was at a, um…club, and I think I was robbed.”
I’m out of my seat before I know it, checking him for any injuries, like I would be able to find anything after so much time has passed. “Oh my God! Are you okay? Were you hurt?”
“I’mfine, really,” he says, shooing me back to my seat. “Nothing happened, but I woke up the next morning without my master key. I must have drunk more than I thought I did…”
“Do you have any idea who it might have been?”
“No clue. The only person I really talked to that night was some lady at the bar. And before you ask, no, nothing happened. But that was just barely before Pavel passed away, and I always wondered…”
“Wondered what?”
“Well, what you said about him not being one to commit suicide, and I agree. I don’t think he was the one who ended his life. And I’ve felt this twinge of guilt that it has something to do with whoever took my key that night.”
“Please don’t blame yourself. You would never hurt anyone in our family. I know you wouldn’t.”
“Yeah, I know, but it’s not just Pavel now. Someone's been targetingyou,and I can’t help but feel like I’ve let you down,” he says, looking down at me with fierce remorse.
“It’s fine—”
“Henry told me about the break-in and the note.” He interrupts. “I can’t just sit here and act like everything is fine.”
Sighing, I retreat to my chair and sit down. “You don’t think I want to figure this out too? Name someone you know who’s better at solving puzzles than I am. If I could only get a moment to look at my room, maybe I could find a clue orsomething…”
