In the main hall, I see a pair of Dimitri’s men with rifles slung across their shoulders, watching every corner. Their presence reminds me that we’re still on high alert after the suspicious car incident. My father is out there, plotting. And now, more than ever, I realize I don’t want to raise a child in the crossfire.
I find Dimitri in the study, barking orders into the phone. His gaze darts to me as I approach, and there’s relief in it, perhaps, or something similar. But I also notice the caution. He never stops being the boss, never stops calculating the risks.
He ends the call and sets the phone on the desk. “Everything okay?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?” I force a small smile, hoping my voice doesn’t betray the thousand thoughts swirling in my head.
He eyes me for a moment. “You look…pale.”
I shrug. “Didn’t sleep well.”
“Nightmares?” he asks, stepping closer.
I wish it were just nightmares, I think bitterly. But I just give another shrug. “Something like that.”
He wants to say more, I can tell, but an associate pokes his head in to mention a minor issue with the perimeter patrol. Dimitri glances between me and the door. “I’ll be right there,” he tells the associate, then to me, he says, “We can talk later.”
He brushes his hand along my arm as he moves past. It’s a fleeting touch that makes my pulse jump. Then he’s gone, and I’m alone with the knowledge of what’s growing inside me.
The logical part of me suggests that staying might be a wise choice. Dimitri is powerful. He has resources, men, and money. He can ensure we never want for anything. But that’s the problem. We’ll never want for anything except freedom.
My father used to claim he was protecting me, too, back when he dragged me from hideout to hideout. It’s the same suffocation, just a different man calling the shots. I can’t risk letting my baby grow up in this environment.
My decision solidifies in a single heartbeat. I’m leaving.
I think back to when I stumbled on a staff entrance near the lower level, the one only Irina has a key for. I was determined to get that key and make a break for it, but I let that go once Dimitri and I were married because he started letting me become more involved.
I need to get that key.
Of course, there’s the question of money, identification, and a place to go. I don’t have all the answers, but I’d rather risk the unknown than wait for my father to attack or for Dimitri to smother me further. My heart aches at the thought of leaving Dimitri behind. I do care for him, but that doesn’t mean I chain myself to a man who sees me as a porcelain figure he must shield at all costs
I make my way to the kitchen, where I hang back and keep out of sight. Irina moves around the counters, focused on prepping the bread for dinner. Her keyring hangs from her pocket, jiggling with every step she takes.
She mutters something under her breath as she kneads dough, then stops to stretch her back. With a tired sigh, she tugs the key ring free and tosses it onto the counter beside the sink before grabbing a pitcher of water.
There.
I move fast and glide across the tiled floor before my nerves can talk me out of it. The keys are cold in my hand, heavy with the weight of what I’m about to do. I slip them into the pocket of my sweater and pivot back toward the pantry like I was never here.
My pulse pounds as I move through the halls, past the guards who have no idea I’m about to vanish from under their noses.
My heart races when I reach the service corridor. The staff entrance is ahead, just past the storage room. I press myself into the shadows, listening for movement. Nothing.
I pull out the key ring, shaking as I fumble through the keys and try one, then another.
Click.
The lock disengages. I push the door open just wide enough to slip through and step into the evening night air.
Freedom.
A rush of exhilaration floods through me. I made it. I actually made it. I swallow past the lump in my throat and move quickly, sticking to the shadows along the estate’s outer wall. I’m not free yet. I need distance before anyone notices I’m gone.
A car engine rumbles in the distance, but I keep moving. The alley ahead is my best option. If I make it there, I can disappear into the night and find my way out of the city before Dimitri realizes I’m missing. I just need to—
A hand clamps over my mouth.
My scream dies in my throat as an arm wraps around my waist, dragging me back against a solid chest. I thrash, kicking out, clawing at the grip that locks me in place.