Page 47 of Dare To Free Us

Vasilisa’s eyes went wide at that. She jumped at the bags and dug in. “This is amazing. I try to ask them but they never can get it right.”

The guard she’d been arguing with looked to the heavens for patience.

“Maybe you’d like to show me your room and tell me anything else you need?” I really did have the intention of getting things for her but I also needed to get her alone.

“Yes. Ok. This way.” She’d perked up a bit and I hoped she’d stay in a good, sharing mood.

The bedroom was basic with a full bed covered in a fluffy, purple bed spread, a night stand and chest of drawers. What wasn’t basic was the mess, clothes were strung out everywhere, glasses lined the windowsill and night stand. I think I spied a couple of paper plates or takeout boxes on the floor but tried not to stare.

“Where did all the clothes come from?”

“Oh, the um… Matteo had someone grab my bags while the Nico guy dragged me into car.”

I grimaced at the image of that. “I’m sorry.” It just kind of spilled out.

“Don’t be. Matteo says I never have to go back. But he also doesn’t tell me when I can leave.” Vasilisa dumbed the bags’ contents on the unmade bed and began to rifle through the contents.

Making my way over I pushed the gossip magazines aside and sat down. Matteo wasn’t kidding, the girl was messy as hell.

“So you are Matteo’s wife?”

Ok perfect, she’s a talker.“Yes.”

“Arranged.” She said without looking up.

“No, I chose to be with Matteo.”

Her hands stopped their exploration and looked up at me with speculation. Suddenly Vasilisa went from bratty teenager too much, much more. There was judgment and knowledge in those eyes. “Why?”

“Because I love him.”

“Again, why?” She looked completely confused by the idea of me loving Matteo. But as she narrowed her eyes I realized it wasn’t confusion but disbelief.

“Why is that so hard to believe?”

“How can you not see that it is?”

I was stunned at that. This fifteen-year old girl was questioning me about love? I had to stop myself form saying something that would be totally hypocritical.

“I’ve known him most of my life. Matteo is a good man.”

She burst into laughter causing me to gape at her in shock.

“What is so funny?” I asked, a bit pissed off. Here Matteo was risking his men and business to help her not go back to her family, and she was laughing at me claiming he was a good man?

“You live in fairytale, Arianna. There is no such thing asgood manin this business, just different kinds of monsters.”

“And how would you know? You are only fifteen.”

Her eyes flashed big and all traces of a young girl vanished. There was no hint of innocence left. They were as hard and cold as I’d seen in Shura’s years ago. It made me shudder. I got the feeling that Vasilisa had seen a lot in her short years.

“Age does not matter. This life takes away your ability to see anything but the truth. That we are all just moving pieces in a game. Only some of us hold the power and others are nothing but pawns. Something you would know if you were raised in this life.”

“How do you know I wasn’t?”

“Were you?”

“No, but how did you guess?”

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