Deceitful Lies by Brook Wilder
Chapter 8
Paige
The rooms are lovely here, with a view of the mountains, and surprisingly, the balcony doors open and allow in the fresh air. In the center of the room is an electric hood fireplace. And though it’s not cold in the evenings, I switch it on and stare into the flames. The room is remarkable, except I’m sharing it with crazy Talia.
All day, she has continued to berate and lecture me on the duties of a pakhan’s wife. Her eyes will occasionally light up, and Talia reminds herself that I said I want to leave Andrei.
“I would suggest going to South America,” she says. “If you pick the right city, he’ll never be able to find you. I could spare a few soldiers to keep Andrei away.”
“No,” I reply curtly. “I prefer spending time by myself.”
My broad hint doesn’t sink in as Talia continues to prattle on about the only place in Twin Rivers where one can get a decent manicure. Unfortunately, being kidnapped again means I have a limited change of clothes. I’m given an outfit from the inn’s gift shop—an athleisure outfit made of thin knit with a long cardigan. Talia smiles approvingly when I sit down to breakfast, declaring her impeccable taste is starting to rub off on me.
Valeri claims his position on the couch, stretching out his legs, and watches us with a smirk. He doesn’t seem to care that Talia is planning her wedding to my husband. He keeps scrolling on his phone and mentions the hottest vacation spots.
“Perhaps we should take her to Mexico,” he says, “and dump her at a resort. Then she can decide if she wants to come back or not.”
Talia gives me a sharp look, uncertain if I will go along with the scheme. “No, I have something else in mind.”
I look at her, but she says nothing, plucking a plump strawberry off her fork with her teeth. Sighing, I resign myself to being kept in the dark. Would I waste away on a beach in Mexico, wondering if Andrei missed me?
Get real, Paige. You can’t be in love with him. He’s a heartless criminal who is using you.
But I’m afraid it’s too late.
I am in love, I reply to the voice in my head.
Suddenly, gunshots ring out. Valeri is on his feet with his gun drawn, running toward the hallway door. Talia also leaps up, but instead of following Valeri, she claps her hands with joy as if she’s won a prize.
“He’s here!” she exclaims. “Your husband is here to rescue you.”
I get up, prepared to run, but Talia grabs my arm in her vise-like grip. I struggle to yank free, but I’m weak from my confinement, and madness gives her strength. I’m afraid to fall and won’t risk hurting my baby.
“I knew you were lying,” she hisses viciously in my face. “Any sane woman would want Andrei. You’re weak, but you’re not crazy.”
“The crazy ones must want him too,” I snap.
Talia glares at me and then shoves me to the floor. “Do you know what he’s done for you? He just violated a sacred rule of the East Coast Bratvas. The Poconos is neutral territory, where weapons are forbidden.”
A repeat of gunfire interrupts her, and Talia stares at the door leading out. She can’t decide if to go and look or keep an eye on me. I hold my breath, hoping she’ll run out into the hallway, but she focuses on me again.
“Andrei is ripping the reputation of the Barinov Bratva to pieces, all for you—a weak, soft-hearted nobody—to get his stolen money back.”
The words slam into me and I pant heavily, unable to get up and run from her if I could. Satisfied that she’s secured doubt in my heart, Talia slips away. I wait for her to return and then realize she isn’t. Instead of running toward the gunfire, I run onto the balcony. The Rovers are visible in the driveway, and I can see a few of Andrei’s men. Hurriedly, I lower myself off the balcony; it’s only a few feet above the ground, and I tumble to the grass.
Involuntarily, I let out a shout as I roll down an incline and quickly look up to see if anyone has spotted me. I look straight at Andrei above me on the balcony. Skillfully, he leaps over the railing and runs down the short incline toward me. I grab his hand, and he pulls me into his arms.
Cradling me, Andrei rushes toward the Rovers as his men cover our escape.
Inside the SUV, I cling to him like a weak, soft-hearted fool who doesn’t have the strength to leave him. And finally, I feel safe enough to cry.
***
In seconds, we’re in the first Rover and driving toward home.
His finger strokes my cheek, and I move away from his touch, reaching up to wipe away the tears.
“I looked for you everywhere,” he whispers. “If Talia hurt you, I will tear her to pieces.”
“She didn’t hurt me,” I replied stiffly. “You saw where we were. She didn’t hurt me.”
“But if she did …”
“Stop,” I hiss. “I’ve had enough death already.”
Andrei furrows his brow as he looks at me. He’s probably wondering what he said wrong. Any other woman would be in his arms, thanking him and telling him never to let her go. Isn’t that what I wanted the whole time Talia had me? Didn’t I also want to be in his arms? I did until she told me about the money.
Am I just a part of his plan and nothing else? I place my hand on my stomach and move it away when he looks to see what I’m doing.
“It was too easy.” His voice reaches forward as he talks to Dmitri. “We shot two men. But they were bad shots. The rooms weren’t even locked.”
“It’s neutral territory, Andrei Vasilyevich.” Dmitri’s words hang in the quiet as we enter Highway 84 toward home. “It’s not supposed to be guarded.”
I wipe my tears away. Two men died, and for a moment, I wonder if one of them was Valeri. I shouldn’t care. I should be glad he’s dead. Talia is not only Andrei’s enemy; she’s also mine. But I do care. I care that someone lost a life because of me. I gasp and try harder to hold back fresh tears but can’t. Misery and guilt overwhelm me, making it hard to breathe.
“Paige, you’re safe.” Andrei slips his hand into mine. “You’re with me, and I will protect you.”
I pull my hand out of his grip.
His eyes narrow on me as if I had hit him. “What’s wrong?” he asks.
“I can’t believe you have the nerve to ask that.” My response sounds ungrateful, and I’m ashamed to appear bratty toward a man that saved my life.
I should get to the point and ask Andrei about the money. Tell him what Talia said. Put him on the spot. But I’m afraid of what his answers will be. I’m so scared I will hate him if he confirms my suspicions.
Because I know it won’t change anything in the end.
Andrei shifts in his seat and stares straight ahead, refusing to acknowledge I exist. He should be furious. He risked a lot to save me, but I’ve shown no gratitude. The growing argument subsides, and the rest of the ride home is spent in bitter silence.
I can’t help thinking about what Talia kept telling me.
I think about what my father said at the hospital.
Is my father still alive? Is Talia? I’ll get answers from someone … one way or another.
