Page 16 of The Tsar's Obsession
Mia: It’s only 111:30!
My eyes widened.Sir? This was her second spelling error, and I was pretty sure she wasn’t the type to send sloppy texts. I clued in right away.
Kirill: Are you drunk?
I chewed my lip and paced my home office for no reason except that I was so fucking excited to text her this late into the night. She had me excited. Over a text. Like I was a fucking teenager.
Mia: Did you know that there is aa icecream mussuem just down the street? I’ve nevr been, but I’m more of a gelato girl myself.
Mia: musemm
Mia: MUSEUYM
Mia: MUSEUM****you get it.
Oh, my sweet Jesus. I was already walking out the door and grabbed a hoodie, just in case.
Kirill: Who are you with and do they need a ride home too?
I suspected it was her friend Vivian. I tried, I really tried to ease up on following her every move, but it was like an addiction. For nine years, I received regular updates about her, and I couldn’t break the habit once I’d arrived in New York.
Mia:A bit forward of a qusstion, don’t you think? Who are YOU with?
Mia:And who’s going home? As I said, itss only 11:30. Well. 11;37 to be exact
Mia:11:38
My phone kept buzzing as I exited the garage, my hands gripping the steering wheel a little too tight. I stepped on the gas, and the city blurred past in streaks of red and white, streetlights washing over the hood of my car as I made my way across town.
The next text popped up on the screen.
Mia: 11;40
Mia: The nighte is still youngg.
I fired off another text, desperate tokeep this going.
Kirill: You still haven’t answered any of my questions.
Fuck, it was a twenty-minute ride, and I slammed on the brakes at a red light, glaring at the indignant pedestrian. Seconds slithered by. The engine roared to life again, but I was attuned to my phone, waiting for her.
Kirill: Focus, Mia. Are you drunk? Who are you with and do they need a ride home too?
I double texted. Not a wall of text. I texted—then waited—then texted again to elicit a response. I was beginning to hate myself for how weak I was around her, but this time, she texted back within an instant. My heart fluttered out of me at the buzzing of my phone, like I was one of Pavlov’s fucking dogs.
Mia: I’ll tell you if you tell me. Who are you with?
Oh. Oh, the satisfaction of her interest spread through me like wildfire.
Kirill: You think I have company right now?
Almost there. I opened the window, the warm summer air chasing away my jitters. This was fucking phenomenal.Shetexted me. This was what dreams were made of.
Mia: I mean, maybe. It’s late, youre awake. But you shouldn’t be texting your realtror when youre with someone. That’s not nice. But then again, are you nice? I don’t know..
Oh, little Miss was backing herself into a corner now. I turnedonto Houston, literally counting down the minutes until I’d see her.
Kirill: I’m very nice. See how I’ve been able to maintain this conversation while driving?
