Page 71 of The Bratva's Christmas Bump
“My situation is different. I’m trying to keep Hollie out of this life.”
“For how long?” Dad rubs at his jaw. “I can’t lose you, Maxim. Not you too. I’m not—” He hesitates. “If the same thing were to happen to you and I couldn’t stop it…”
“Dad…” Sympathy swells inside me and I take a few steps closer. “The only thing pushing me away right now is you. Not her. For one thing, Hollie is being kept out of this life as much as I can keep her out. And she’s nice. If you don’t want the same thing to happen, then apologize. And mean it.”
The pain in Dad’s eyes melts away and he turns around, walking back to his desk. “I’ll get you a list of names who won’t talk.”
Momentary bonding over, it seems. Staring at his retreating back, I linger for a few seconds and then leave the room. On some level, I understand him. He’s preached all my life about the dangers of outsiders and I lost my brother because he was with one.
But in the end, it was a terrible accident.
Outside, the snow falls around me carrying the threat that at any moment, one wrong flake or patch of ice could bring me, or anyone I care about, to the same fate. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I head to my car but just as I’m about to text Toto about the car tires, Hollie calls.
“Hello?”
“Hey!” She sounds happy to see me and it makes my heart lift.
“How was your rehearsal?”
“It was fine. He was a little pissed at the delay and stuff, but he liked what I did so we’re set. But I actually, uhm… There's something I’d really like to talk to you about. Could we do something? Maybe go shopping and talk?”
“Is everything alright?” My phone buzzes once. “Hold that thought, actually.”
Checking the screen, my heart dips. It’s a 911 text.
And it’s from Zoe.
25
HOLLIE
“Where is she?” As soon as the door is open, Maxim leads the way into the apartment while I hesitate on the steps.
An elderly woman clings to the door with tears in her eyes and points down the hallway. “She locked herself in the bathroom.”
“Zoe?” Maxim doesn’t falter.
As I step inside, a large pair of curious, wary eyes peers up at me from behind the elderly woman. A boy. He can’t be older than four and he clutches at the woman’s skirt with one fist.
“Hi. I’m Hollie.”
My plans to sit down and talk to Maxim have been derailed by whatever’s happened here, but as soon as he explained that Zoe was the survivor of that terrible attack, nothing else mattered.
The child doesn’t reply and neither does the woman, so I cautiously follow Maxim’s path to the end of the hall as Toto and Stu file in behind me. Maxim stands against a locked door with one hand against it.
“Are you sure, Zoe?”
“Are you calling me a liar?” screeches a panicked voice from inside.
“No, but I want to make sure before I hurt someone who doesn’t deserve it.”
“It was him! I saw him! Please, Maxim, don’t let him find me!”
Maxim glances at me, kisses me on the top of the head, and rushes back down the hall toward Toto and Stu. A brief discussion ensues, and then Maxim and Stu bolt out the door.
“Maxim?” Zoe calls cautiously.
“He’s gone,” I reply cautiously. “I think he’s away to look for…” I hesitate. Not wanting to say the wrong thing, I end up remaining completely quiet.
