Chapter 6 - Piotr

After unlocking the door, I knocked to signal that I was entering. I didn’t want to put Alyssa in an awkward situation. She was standing by the window in Cindy’s tracksuit. Even though it was a size too big, she still looked elegant.

Alyssa turned as I placed the tray down on the end of the bed. “I’ve brought you some breakfast. I wasn’t sure what you preferred, so here’s a variety.” I said, watching her come closer. Her eyes were so dark they looked black. Last night, I thought it was due to the darkness. But they were an intensely dark brown.

Her curvy hips swayed gracefully as she walked closer. My heart unexpectedly skipped a beat as a smile pulled her luscious lips slightly apart. I took a deep breath as my mind played with images of her wearing much less clothing.

Grinning, I stepped back, needing to put some distance between us. I was overcome with a sudden urge to pull her into my arms and kiss her. But the time wasn’t right. A woman like her deserved more than fleeting moments of pleasure.

“I have some business to take care of and will only be back this evening. I am sorry for having to lock you in. But it is for your protection.” I added as I slowly started moving towards the door.

“It’s fine. Thank you for the lovely meal.” She replied, staring at the tray.

On it was a pot of coffee, a bottle of water, cereal, sausages, bread, a bowl of fruit, cream, and other foods I could put together. Even if she didn’t eat all of it, it would also be sufficient for lunch.

“You can put what you don’t eat now in the fridge for later,” I said, opening the door.

“Thanks, I will. Have a nice day.” She replied, smiling softly at me.

Leaving the room, I locked the door and placed the keys in my pocket. I stood for a moment, unsure of her behavior. She seemed a lot calmer than she was last night. This would be nudging at my mind all day. I wanted to stay and get to know her, but I had to see Ashan.

I hadn’t made an appointment but felt sure he would want to know what happened at the fighting ring. Upon arriving at the gambling den unannounced, I was told he would be out for the day. I left a message on his desk in his office asking him to give me a call.

Walking back to my bike, I scolded myself for not calling ahead. I went to Leon’s and informed him about the ring. I shared my suspicions that something bad was happening there. Leon agreed to look into it and let me know what he and Cindy found.

Just as I was about to leave, Ashan called. He was available and would have his friend meet us at the den. I found Ashan and Lib on the top floor. They were waiting in the gazebo where we usually meet. After greeting them and ordering a beer, I informed them of the trouble this place could hold.

“So,” Ashan said. “You think something else is going on there?”

Glancing around, I replied cautiously. “Yes, I think it is a front for something horrible. I can’t be sure, though. But the owner, Jones, is not the kind of person I would do business with.”

Ashan looked at Lib before replying. “Why do I feel you are not telling us everything?”

Lowering my gaze, I continued. “Ashan, I ended up fighting.”

“What?” he exclaimed, rising from his seat. “Do the others know?”

Standing, I held my hands up, palms facing him. “No, please, they can’t. But I had no option.”

“I’m so sorry I placed you in such a position, Piotr,” Ashan said, tapping my shoulder. “What do you mean you had no choice? Are you okay?”

“Yes, yes. A little bruised, but I’m fine. The prize for the fight was a woman that’s now at my house,” I whispered. Ashan’s eyes widened as he stared at me in disbelief.

“But I wanted to let you both know that we will be looking into this establishment,” I added, stepping out of the gazebo.

Ashan nodded and shook my hand. “Thank you. Let us know if we can assist with anything.”

Nodding, I headed out and returned home. It was getting late. I hadn’t realized how quickly the day had passed. Pulling into the garage, dusk was already setting in. Mila and Konstantin were setting the table in the dining room. I headed up to wash and collect Alyssa for dinner. I knew that they would want to interrogate her.

Walking down the hall to Alyssa's room, I wondered what she had done all day. Unlocking the door, I knocked and spoke in a natural tone. “Come join us for dinner.”

There was a rustling sound coming from inside. I opened the door and peeked in. She was standing by the window, crumpling a paper. Stepping in, I was amazed that her beauty still took me by surprise as she turned and smiled. Holding out my hand, I waited for her to come closer.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

She nodded softly as she replied, taking my hand. “Yes, all good, thanks.”

We walked down to the living room. Pulling out a chair, I waited for her to sit before taking my place. Her silence, calm demeanor, and smile were a bit puzzling. She appeared content, the opposite of the woman I was with last night.

I hoped it was just the adrenaline and chaos that made her so agitated. Hopefully, her calmness was an indicator of her personality. However, she could be planning something. I would have to be ready, I thought.

Mila and Konstantin took their places across from her. During dinner, I caught Mila glaring at Alyssa a couple of times. The general atmosphere was relaxed, but I was sure something was coming. Once dinner was over, I started clearing the table while Mila made a fresh pot of coffee.

Mila spoke out as I sat back down, handing Alyssa a cup. “So, what did you do before coming here?” I could hear a tinge of irritation present in her tone.

Alyssa glanced at me before answering. She spoke softly, looking into her cup. She appeared shy, which wasn’t how I had summed her up. “I did odds and ends for my stepfather.”

“Odds and ends?” Mila questioned. Her voice rose as she spoke. I could see she wasn’t done. But before she could continue, Konstantin jumped in.

“How old are you?” Konstantin asked. “I don’t mean to pry, but you look very young.”

Alyssa shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Her cheeks turned a light share of crimson as she blushed.

“I turned twenty-one yesterday,” Alyssa whispered.

“What exactly did you do for your stepfather?” Mila questioned her, leaning forward. Her brows were raised, and I noticed her demeanor changing. She was about to turn to interrogation mode. “I mean a place like that. I’m sure what you did was illegal, or am I wrong?”

I felt a sudden rush of anger push up. They had no right to treat her this way. “Enough!” I added loudly.

Mila and Konstantin both looked at me, questioning. Mila turned her attention back to Alyssa. I could see her hostility and heard the anger in her voice as she continued. “Come on, spill it. What did you do?”

As I rose from my seat, I heard Alyssa replying. Her voice sounded shaky and faint. “I did sales of items and kept clients company.”

I had had enough. My protective instincts kicked in and took over. My voice rang through the room as I blasted at them. “I said enough!”

Mila’s look changed to one of shock. I had never spoken to any of them in such a way. Konstantin looked from me to Mila and then to Alyssa. “Well, then, let’s calm down and have our coffee, shall we?” He said in a reasonably calm tone, breaking some of the tension.

Sitting back down, I sipped at my coffee, wondering what she did for Jones. But that would be a discussion between her and me. Standing to collect the cups and take them to the kitchen, Mila also rose. “We need to talk now!” She said, nodding at Konstantin.

They headed to the kitchen and stood waiting for me. Placing a hand on Alyssa’s shoulder, I spoke softly. “Just wait here; we’ll be back now.” I took the tray with cups and headed into the kitchen.

Walking to the sink and washer, Mila and Konstantin followed. I had barely placed the tray down and was about to rinse the cups when Mila spoke up. “What the hell was that Piotr? I don’t trust her, and we need to know who she is! Why is she here?”

“You trust no one,” I responded to Mila.

“Not true,” Konstantin chipped in lightly. “She trusts us, doesn’t she?”

“Except for us, I honestly think there is no one else on earth that Mila trusts,” I retorted.

Placing the cups in the sink, I turned to face them. Both looked angry at me. I knew I had to fill them in on the events that took place. I didn’t want them to worry. So, I decided to give them the highlights. Taking a deep breath, I started. “We are married.”

“You’re what?” Mila said, glancing back at the entrance to the living room. Their mouths fell open as shock set in.

“Yeah, I thought you were joking when you mentioned it last night,” Konstantin added.

“I married her to help her out. She was in some kind of danger.” I added. I wasn’t sure if that was all true. But after what she said when she tried to run away, I needed to find out.

They glanced at each other and spoke in unison. “Are you insane?”

Before I could reply, Konstantin spoke as he turned and headed back to the living area. “I need to confirm this with her. I’m sure you’re pulling our legs, bro.”

“She’s gone!” I heard him calling from the other room.

Mila and I stormed to the living area. The room was empty, and Alyssa was gone. Mila headed up to check in the rooms while Konstantin and I looked outside. As we searched, I felt my anger rising. How could she do this? I thought we had come to some kind of agreement.

Moving to the front of the house, I saw the footprints leading into the tree line. “She went this way!” I hollered as I started down towards the gate. She couldn’t have gotten far. She was on foot and didn’t know the terrain.