Page 29 of Aleko
“What are you doing?” she asked, forcing herself to swallow.
“We caused you to be short cash,” said Sebastian. “I’m giving you what you were owed.”
“That was over a thousand euros in that tin.”
“We all toss in cash for incidentals.”
“I’m an incidental?” she demanded, and Sebastian’s lips pulled back in a grimace.
“No. You are important to us. We want you to stay. And we’re concerned that Anuket could come back.”
“No,” she said firmly. “You cannot make me, and I will not be bought off with that.”
“We’re not buying you,” he said, sliding the money under the edge of her plate. “We think you will be a good fit for us. But if you want to go, you can go. This isn’t a kidnapping.”
Her phone chimed with an alert, and Lia jumped in surprise. It was a calendar reminder.
“I’m supposed to be downtown in an hour,” she said.
“I’ll drive you,” he said.
“I’m not coming back,” she said, grabbing the money and her phone.
“We’re not going anywhere,” said Sebastian, calmly. “I think you should think about staying for a little while. The warlocksare still out there and so is Anuket.”
Lia shivered. So were the Russians. She looked around the kitchen with the multi-colored, eclectic dishes and soft dove gray walls. It would be a nice place to come home to. She thought of Alekos, his burning blue eyes, and soft lips and shook her head.
“No. I handle my own problems.”
“Sure,” said Sebastian, easily. “But we don’t want you to have to handle ours.”
Lia shook her head again. “I’m going to get changed and pack.”
“I’ll change to,” he said, with a shrug. “For some reason people look at me funny when I drive around like this.”
Lia forced a perfunctory smile and then fled from the room. Upstairs, she packed her things back into her purse. She put on the one dress that was most similar to the one that had been ruined the day before. It took her a long moment before she hung up the white sundress, but she still managed it. Then Lia put on the new shoes to replace her old ones. She felt that was fair and went downstairs.
Out on the porch, Sebastian, now wearing jeans and a t-shirt, was talking to Alex, but when Alex saw her, he turned and walked away, his expression furious.
“Are you sure you won’t think about staying?” Sebastian asked as she came out to the deck.
“I won’t be owned by him,” she said, gesturing to the rapidly departing Alekos Ash.
Sebastian sighed. “Car is this way.”
Episode 19
The Courthouse
Alex
Alex pulled up next to Sebastian’s car, where Sebastian was leaning and poking at his phone. He couldn’t believe he’d let Sebastian talk him into this. He should have just locked her in her room until she came to her senses. But Sebastian said kidnapping would not give an optimal outcome.
Alex knew what Sebastian meant. The military moved their euphemisms around, but optimal outcomes still meant winning, and so far, all of his decisions regarding Eliandra had been the wrong ones. He was losing and badly. Following Sebastian’s advice to let her go had been one of the hardest things he’d ever had to do and he still wasn’t sure why. Eliandra was in his blood like no one he’d ever met and his frustration was almost as bad as his desire.
“Did she say anything?” Alex asked, rolling down his window.
“Not very much,” said Sebastian. “She said she had a job. I made her take our numbers, but I don’t think she’s going to call. She’s skittish as hell and you did not fucking help. She point blank said she would not be owned by you.”
