Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

I allow myself one last look at Marcel's sleeping body. I don't want to leave. I have to. This relationship isn't good for me. He has this control on me, the sort of control that I can't allow to happen. I promised myself I wouldn't waste the second chance at life I was gifted.

If I stay here, I'm going to end up completely under his spell. I let him seduce me last night. I allowed myself to believe in the fairy tale that everything would be fine. It's not going to be. I saw his sister-in-law's face. I don't know everything that happened to her, and maybe my assumptions were wrong. But I do know that I don't want that kind of life. I don't want to be afraid to turn corners. I don't want to look over my shoulder all the time, waiting for something to happen. For Marcel's enemies to come for me.

I like to pretend that I'm strong. I like to portray that I can handle myself. The truth is I can't. I'm just as weak as I was back when my father traded me off at seventeen. The only difference is I hide it better now.

I close the door as quietly as I can, then tiptoe my way down the stairs, hoping like hell that I can make it out of this place unseen. Sighing in relief when I make it to the front door, I pull it open and step outside. However, that relief is short-lived.

A young kid is standing a few feet away while a waft of smoke billows around him. He raises one brow at me. "Sneaking out?"

"I'd say leaving quietly." I smile, hoping I can just keep walking and not have him question me anymore.

"Marcel know you're leaving quietly ?" the kid asks while mimicking a bad American accent.

"Mhmm, I'd really love to stay and chat, but I'm kinda in a hurry," I tell him. "It was nice to meet you, though."

"You need a ride, Zoe?"

"No, I have a car coming for me. But thanks anyway." I continue on down the driveway, not daring to look back.

"It's Vin, by the way," he calls out after me.

"What is?" I ask, while glancing over a shoulder.

"My name. You would have been curious if you left without knowing it." He shrugs.

"I would have been. Nice to meet you, Vin." I turn around and walk faster until I reach the gates and the two guys currently standing guard there. For a moment, I wonder if they're actually going to let me out of here, and then one of them simply nods his head at me and presses a button that has the metal doors swinging open.

It takes all of my restraint not to run. To remain calm and walk down the street. I don't want to draw any attention to myself. When I turn a corner, I pull out my phone and send a message to Lucy.

Me:

Think you can come and get me?

Lucy:

I know I can. Where are you?

I send her the street name and she tells me she'll be here in five. I lean against a tree and wait for her. And true to her word, barely five minutes later, Lucy pulls up in Dominic's Rolls Royce.

Way to be incognito.

"Did you steal your fiancé's car?" I ask her as I jump into the passenger seat.

"He's lucky I don't take a baseball bat to it again." She sighs and I laugh.

"What he do?"

"You don't want to know. Any reason you're sneaking out of the De Bellis mansion at this hour of the morning?"

"Not sneaking out, leaving quietly . And, yes. I need to go home for a little bit. I'm really sorry, and I know I'm putting you in the lurch but I need to go to New York. Just for a week, maybe two." My words come out fast and rushed.

"Okay, take as long as you need. We will be fine." Lucy pulls away from the curb. "Where am I taking you?" she asks.

"My place. I need to get my passport and pack a bag."

"If something's wrong, if you're in trouble, you can tell me."

"No, not in trouble. I just need to get away. Clear my head. Think about things, because everything with Marcel is… intense," I tell her.

"Okay, but I'm getting Dom to go grab your passport. If we stop by your place, I guarantee Marcel will be there looking for you before you even step through the front door. So, if you're trying to escape without him catching up, we need to move quickly."

Lucy dials Dom's number and puts the call on speaker. "Little Bee, did you take my car?"

"I did, but it's still in one piece… for now. I need you to go to Zoe's and pick up her passport," Lucy says before turning to me. "Where is it?"

"Top drawer in the office," I tell her.

"You okay, Zoe?" Dom asks through the speaker.

"I'm good. I just need to go back to New York for a week," I reply.

"Dom, get the passport and meet us at the airport. And if Marcel asks, you don't know where Zoe is."

"Sure. Meet you at the airport," Dom says before disconnecting the call.

Walking through arrivals in JFK, I turn my phone back on and then quickly silence it when the notifications start rolling in. I have twenty missed calls from Marcel. I'll call him back soon. I sent him a message as I was boarding, explaining that I was going home for a bit.

I felt guilty for just walking out on him. He hasn't done anything wrong. This is totally a case of it's not him; it's me . I don't have the energy to talk to him right now, though. I have a few missed calls and messages from Izzy and then two from Mikhail as well.

As I'm about to call Izzy back, I hear my name being yelled out. Looking up, I find my adoptive mother waving at me as she pushes her way through the crowd very unapologetically.

"Zoe Petrov, get your ass over here," Izzy shouts as she barrels right into me. Her arms wrap around me so damn tight it's hard to breathe. I don't move, though. I need this. I need her. Probably more than I thought I did. My eyes burn with unshed tears. And when Izzy pulls back, she looks me up and down. "I'm going to kill him. What'd he do?"

I shake my head and force a smile. "He didn't do anything. I just missed you guys."

"Bullshit. You haven't been back here since you left, so what did he do?"

"Honestly, nothing. I just… I got scared. It was supposed to be fun, a one-night thing, and now its… Well, it's just a lot."

"You love him?" Izzy asks.

I shrug. "I don't know. I just needed a breather."

"Well, take as long of a breather as you want. Because I, for one, am glad to have you home. You have no idea how much I need some adult conversation in my life," she says. "I spend all day talking to toddlers and babies."

"You have Mikhail," I remind her.

"Like I said, I need adult conversation," Izzy deadpans, and I can't hold back my laugh. She has a way of making me feel like everything is going to be okay. I remember when she first found me, and I clung to her like the lifeline she was.

"I'm really sorry I sprung this on you guys and didn't give you notice," I tell her.

"Nonsense. This is your home, Zoe. You don't need to give anyone notice to come home. Now, come on, let's get out of here before Mikhail sends in the Bratva search team." Izzy links her arm with mine and leads me towards the exit.

"There's a Bratva search team?"

Izzy lifts one shoulder. "No idea, but if there is, they'd never be able to find me if I wanted to stay hidden." She smirks.

"I have no doubt."

"So, lover boy? Does he know you're here?"

"I sent him a message, and I'll call him later. How are the kids?" I ask, changing the topic.

Izzy is a great mother. She can talk about her kids for hours and never run out of things to brag about. As she starts telling me everything the three Valentino-Petrov heirs have been up, I look around the busy airport and it hits me. I'm back in New York. There's a reason I haven't been back here. I've never felt safe outside of the Petrov compound. Thankfully, Izzy doesn't stop talking when I step closer to her, or when my hand clings to her arm just a bit tighter.

I focus on her voice and on breathing as we walk out to where there's a blacked-out SUV waiting for us. One of the Petrov soldiers holds the back door open. And as soon as I'm in the car, I take in a lungful of air. I didn't even realise I was holding my breath.

I can do this. I'm just going to be hanging out at the house. I don't need to go anywhere. And it's only a week. Two tops.