Chapter 20 - Alexei
I push open the back gate, walking back onto the property after a long morning run. I woke up so early today that the sun wasn't even near ready to start lighting the sky, but I couldn't get back to sleep so I threw on my running gear and hit the trails with a bright headlamp. The forest looks like a completely different world at early dawn, those silent predators moving quietly through the trees overhead. It's exhilarating to move with them, running, feel my body being pushed to the limits.
My chest is burning from the massive dose of fresh oxygen and my legs feel warm and alive when I walk back into the garden.
It's still early. The sun is only just starting to rise.
Clara will still be sleeping. She is usually a morning person, bright and cheerful, but last night, I kept her up pretty late. That session in the bathroom at the bistro carried over to the bedroom when we got home, and I couldn't get enough of her.
No matter how many times, I wanted more.
So did she. That naughty little minx is a lot naughtier than I thought. And now, there is a whole new level of exploration that I want to do with her.
She keeps up with me like we were made for each other. And now I know she is as keen to try new things as I am.
I walk quietly through the house, letting her rest as much as she needs to. I shower in the downstairs guest bathroom.
I have some things to check on this morning for work. I've printed them out and I'll go through them here at home.
I find myself less and less interested in going into town now that Clara is with me.
She gives me everything I need.
The fun adventures, the deep conversations, the intimate moments. She just gives me everything. I've been really struggling to imagine the day she leaves. The day the house goes quiet without her in it.
After the shower, dressed and ready for the day before the day has even started, I make a coffee and settle down in the living room with my laptop and all the documents I need to go through. It's peaceful and easy to concentrate here in the forest, and I should have everything done and out of the way before Clara wakes up so we can still do something fun today. I was thinking of pulling the rowboat out of the garage and taking her down to the wider part of the river so that we can paddle around and play on the water.
The front gate bell rings loudly through the house and I push myself off the sofa where I was reading the latest stock report. I don't want them to ring again, and I hope the first bell didn't wake Clara. It's only eight o'clock and she might easily get another hour's sleep before she wakes up.
At the front door, I check the security cameras—it's Oleg and Anya. Fuck. My heart constricts and my nerves begin to fire little warning shots of annoyance.
Not again . I clench my fist, close my eyes and then let out a deep sigh, pressing the gate button to open it and let them onto the property.
I've been kind of avoiding this whole issue like the plague.
I know what they want. There is only one reason they would drive all the way out here, and I don't want to talk about it.
I unlock the front door and pull it open as they park their car up near the top of the driveway.
I smile, knowing it is a gesture that is not reaching my eyes, watching them climb out the car, trying to figure out how to get rid of them before this conversation has even started. I had such a great morning. I was feeling amazing, full of energy and excited for the day, but this has instantly drained a lot of that good energy from me.
Dammit.
I wish Oleg had at least given me a warning over the phone before he just rolled up here. I could have been more prepared.
"Hi guys, good to see you. You should have let me know you were coming, I could've made some breakfast," I say, as cheerfully as possible, but to my own ears I just sound hollow and tense.
"This isn't a social call, Alex." Oleg sounds pissed off. Fuck. He is in serious mode, and that means that this is even worse than I thought. I wonder if something happened. Maybe this has nothing to do with Clara. Maybe this is a work thing. I can only hope.
"Okay. Well, come in," I sigh, already starting to feel agitated with all the possibilities.
Anya gives me a quick one-armed hug as she walks past, but she doesn't even say hello. I guess she's been listening to Oleg rant all the way here, and it's a pretty long drive. Once Oleg gets going on an idea, he lets you know exactly what he thinks about it. Anya looks like she's had at least an hour of his lectures, and even though they weren't directed at her, it's still draining.
"Can I get you guys a cup of coffee?" I ask, following both of them into the living room.
"No. Where is Clara?" Oleg turns to face me, his fists clenched at his side.
"It's early, man, she's still sleeping." I shrug. "Why do you want her?" Not a chance in hell I am letting him near her in the state he's in. I don't need her to start worrying that her being here is upsetting so many people.
"It's time for this whole thing to end, Alex. The search for Clara has escalated so much, and Giorgio is getting more and more intense about it. The truth is going to come out sooner or later, and Giorgio is going to assume that Yefim and Leon, who have both been helping him with the search, knew about it all along."
"He is going to be furious, Alex." Anya speaks for the first time since arriving. Her voice is tight with worry. I feel bad about that. I don't like to see my baby sister worrying.
But still. I can't let her go. I can't just agree to that.
"Look, guys, I can't—"
"What the fuck do you mean you can't? There is no choice here, Alex, we didn't come here to negotiate. We didn't even come here to ask nicely. We came here to fetch her. All you have to do is let her go. We will sort out the rest. We'll make sure she gets home safe without anyone knowing where she was this whole time."
"No," I say sternly. "She can't leave yet."
I just can't. I can't let her go. I am not ready for that. I don't know if I ever will be, but today is definitely not the day.
Oleg growls, a low, angry sound. His brows knotted tightly and his jaw muscles flexing as he glares at me.
"For fuck's sake, man, don't you get it? If Giorgio thinks that Yefim and Leon knew all along that you had her, he'll try and kill them. This is so much more serious than you seem to want to admit."
"They can figure it out. I mean, eventually the whole thing will blow over. He'll assume…" He'll assume she's dead. I don't want that. But I also can't face the idea of letting her go home.
"He'll assume someone has killed her, Alex. Don't be a fucking asshole. Let her go."
"Give me another month," I say.
"A month? Are you fucking insane?"
"A week." I am practically begging.
"Like I said. We aren't here to negotiate. We are here to fetch her."
I shake my head and walk over to the bar. It's really early to be drinking, but this conversation is so unwelcome I need to block out the anxiety it's causing me.
I need a moment to think. My head is spinning, and I can hardly get my words together.
Oleg is staring at me with so much anger I can see the veins on his temple popping out. Red and angry. He looks like he's about to have a heart attack.
Anya is standing near the patio door, fidgeting, shifting her weight from side to side.
"Alex," Oleg says quietly.
"Just give me a fucking second. Stop talking," I spit the words out at him, trying to keep my voice down, because the last thing I need is for Clara to come downstairs now and hear all of this.
I down a shot of vodka, then another. My hands are shaking slightly.
I can't lose her.
The clear liquid feels sharp, like blades moving down my throat. It distracts me and pushes away the agitation for a moment.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath.
What is the right thing to do here?
"Alex," Oleg's voice is filled with threat and warning.
Fuck the right thing. She is mine .
She belongs to me.
Her asshole uncle never even saw her for the incredible person she is. He never bothered to get to know the real her. How beautiful she is. How playful and full of life.
I won't let her go back there.
She belongs here with me.
"Alex," Oleg shouts angrily.
"Keep your fucking voice down," I hiss.
"We are taking her with us."
"You aren't. And this conversation is now over. You can let yourselves out."
I walk out of the living room, no longer able to stand the sight of sadness on Anya's face or the look of rage on Oleg's.
But when I turn my back on them, I don't expect what happens next.
Never in a million years would I expect what happens next.
A sharp pain stabs into my neck. I reach up to grab at whatever has stung me. My fingers wrap around something foreign, and I pull it from my skin, staring at it in disbelief.
A syringe.
I spin around and see Oleg, just behind me, his face contorted with regret.
"I'm sorry Alex, but we can't let you keep putting the family at risk—"
His voice moves and sways in the air, blurring in and out, louder then softer.
The edges of my vision begin to fuzz over, and I blink over and over again, but it's no use.
Whatever was in that syringe is making my legs feel heavier than they've ever felt. My hands feel limp as my arms drop to my side. The syringe drops to the floor and rolls away from me.
I try to speak, to shout, to tell Oleg he's an asshole, but my tongue doesn't even move, and I let out a heavy sigh as I fall to the ground in slow motion—Clara is the last thing on my mind before the world swallows me up and wraps me in a thick black darkness.