His eyes stared back at me with boredom. “She owed the money.” It was enough of an explanation. He took from her what he could to punish her. Made her life miserable. Made her suffer for leaving him.
“Why did you fake your death? Who can’t know you’re alive?”
He slid his hands into his pockets. “Uncle Dusan is taking care of it for me.” That was the only answer I’d get. He had pissed someone off. Deceived them. Killed a loved one. Something backhanded and ruthless, I was sure. Why else go to the trouble to make everyone believe he was dead?
When he pulled his hand from his pocket, there was a folded piece of paper in it.
“What’s this?”
He flicked it toward me. “The routing number to an offshore account. The amount is at the bottom.” He had known all along I would pay him. He had anticipated my offer before I saw it coming.
“Do I have your word that Mom is off the hook from now on?” I looked in his eyes.
He nodded. “You have my word—as long as I have yours that you will return to Russia and build the family business with Uncle Dusan.”
“Are you going to hurt Mom if I don’t?” I needed to know what the stakes were. I didn’t care about the money. He could have all of it. But touch the kindest, gentlest woman I knew, and I’d lose it.
He sighed. “I remember years ago, the last time we saw each other.”
A lump formed in my throat.
“There was a girl then. A girl who caused a lot of problems.”
My chest seized with fire. I didn’t want him to talk about Sophie. I didn’t want him to remember she existed. How could I erase her from his memory?
“You made the right decision then. You can make it again.”
I wanted to throw punches. I wanted to see him in writhe in pain, to suffer. To stand over his body while he begged for forgiveness. Confessed his sins and atrocities. But it wasn’t going to work that way. He didn’t have to say her name to threaten Sophie. Feliks Sorrow was a bad man. An evil man. The darkness was enough to swallow me whole when I realized that sometimes evil won.
He strolled past me, exiting the screen door into the backyard. I looked up just in time to see one of his bodyguards appear and give him a nod.
“Wire by 5 p.m. tomorrow, Romanov. I’ll be back in touch about the other items we discussed,” he echoed as he walked around the garage and out of view.
I dropped to my knees. How was I going to save her this pain a second time?
23
Sophie
I frowned when the text beeped on my phone. It was from Roman. I scanned the screen, hoping he was on his way to the apartment.
I can’t come over. Sorry.
What’s going on?
There was an immediate sinking feeling in my belly.
Mom needs me to stay here tonight. I’m really sorry.
I felt old, familiar doubts start to claw their way to top of my consciousness. There was nowhere else for them to go when I read a text like that.
Should I come over instead?
I held my breath, waiting for a response to my offer. The little dots under his message rolled back and forth.
I’ve got it. But I’ll stop by in the morning. I think she just needs me here.
Had everything already changed? Was he already scared and retreating? The idea of him being scared of our confessions to each other terrified me. I’d meant every word I’d said. I’d say them again. But there was a difference between speaking my heart and being misled. Which was happening now?
I was overacting. I had to be stronger than that. I had to believe Roman was stronger than that. I walked to the kitchen door and slid the additional latch into place. My phone beeped, and I felt the warm rush in my belly when I read his words.
I wish we were in the penthouse tonight.
The words were followed by the flame emoji. I sighed. As hard as it was for him to express in words how he felt for me, I was going to have to admit I wasn’t anywhere near ready to trust him.
* * *
The lamps on either side of the bed were still illuminated when I awakened the next morning. I wasn’t sure I could tell anyone I had gone to sleep with the lights on as if I was afraid of a monster crawling out of the closet. It didn’t feel silly, though, after I'd found the pile of ash.
Roman’s texts felt serious. It didn’t seem right to tell him about what I had discovered over the phone. I’d tell him when he stopped by later.
It had been a while since I had gone for a run. Sundays were the mornings the shop opened later than regular days. I dressed in a pair of running shorts and a sports bra. I stuck my earbuds in and shuffled through my playlists until I settled on one that would keep me motivated for an extra mile. I didn’t care what Roman said; I had pancakes and whipped cream to burn off.
The strides didn’t come easily. I wasn’t going to go this long without running again. Each block was punishment for ignoring my cardio. And it wasn’t only the cardio—it was me. I couldn’t disappear into Roman and forget myself. I needed morning runs to stay clear and focused. The same way he needed the ice.
By the time I finished the route, there were drops of perspiration dripping along my neck and dotting my sports bra. I huffed at the bottom of the staircase. Another flight of steps seemed like a mountain to climb.
“Back from the fuck fest finally?”
My head whipped around when I heard his sinister voice. He tossed the end of a cigarette toward me. The embers turned to black ash. There was a creeping sensation around my spine as if someone was slowly tightening it. Danger. Absolute fear.
“What did you say to me?” I glared at Russell. My phone was playing music, tucked in my armband. It wasn’t easily accessible without taking my eyes off his movements and alerting him to my plans.
“I’d heard you were a whore before I took this job, but I needed to see for myself just how filthy you were.”
I swallowed. “You’re fired, Russell. Get off my property. Now.”
“Yeah?” He took a step toward me, a much larger one than I expected. I tried to scamper up the stairs, but his hand clawed at my wrist, pinching my skin with a nasty twist.
“Let go,” I warned. I caught his eyes raking over my breasts. He’d never been this bold before. Never so disrespectful. “I should have fired you months ago.”
“You left me here to watch the shop so you could fuck him.” He shook his head. “I wanted to work for the slut because I didn’t think it would take this long to get you to suck my dick.” He dropped my hand to unzip his pants. “I think I can make you forget him, you whoring bitch.”
I hurtled up the stairs. I twisted the lock, screaming when I realized the key was tied to the top of my running shoes. Russell was taking the steps quietly. His hand was wedged inside his jeans, rubbing himself. There wasn’t time to feel sick or disgusted. I just had to get away from him.
“I jacked off plenty in your bed while you were gone. Smoked enough that you’d know I was there. Marking my territory. Did you smell me, you dirty whore? Did it turn you on knowing I was in your bed waiting for you? I’ve seen you. Watched you plenty. I used to watch you in high school, too.” He was talking like an insane person. “I used to jack off outside your bedroom window back then. But now? It’s finally time for you to suck me off.”
I fiddled with the key. I had tied a double knot like a stupid Girl Scout.
His boot was almost at the top of the landing. He let out a ragged breath, as if he had finally cornered his prey—or he was going to ejaculate before he planned. He jerked harder and faster.
The key was on the laces, and then suddenly it was free. I wasn’t going to let him touch me. Ever. If I let him take another step, I’d lose my leverage.
The most guttural sound I’d ever heard erupted from my lips as I reared up and shoved Russell with everything I had. His eyes widened just as he lost his balance and tipped backward on the top step. I didn’t know if I felt joy or horror watching him tumble all
the way to the parking lot. Every thud of his body as it rolled made me grimace. By the time I opened my eyes, he was face-down on the pavement. He didn’t move. I unlocked the door before I ventured down the stairs. I took one at a time, thinking I’d never felt fear like this in my life. I clutched my phone tightly. My thumb hovered the emergency button.
Russell’s body was contorted awkwardly. One leg was definitely pinned in the wrong direction. His palm was still wedged in his waistband, but his jacket had fallen back. He was wearing a white tank top beneath the denim. For the first time, I had a view of his shoulder and neck. I covered my mouth when I read the word scribbled into the flames that ran from his shoulder blade along the upper part of his spine to his shoulder.
Sophie.
I crouched a few feet above him, keeping a running distance on the staircase. I wasn’t willing to get close enough to touch him. I waited for a glimpse of breath. When he sputtered and choked a dribble of blood, I took off up the stairs and bolted the door behind me.
I dialed 9-1-1 and waited for the ambulance and the police to arrive.
* * *
“Sophie! Sophie!”
Roman barreled into the apartment. His eyes were wild with worry. I stood in the kitchen talking to Detective Moss. He was repeating my statement back to me to make sure he had the details and the timeline correct.
Roman pushed the officer out of the way and pulled me into his arms. His hands cupped my face. “Are you okay? What happened? Why are there five cop cars surrounding the store and your apartment?”
My hands smoothed his. “I’m okay. He didn’t hurt me.”
“Who?”
Detective Moss cleared his throat. “I think I’ve got enough here. I’ll give you a call, Sophie, if we need you to come down to the station.”
“Thank you.” I nodded as he moved toward the kitchen door. There were two other officers in my bedroom collecting evidence.
“What in the hell is going on?”
I inhaled. “I was attacked this morning.”
“Attacked? Where is he? I’ll kill him.”
I shook my head. “In the Nahalia hospital,” I told him. “I knocked him down the stairs, and he’s unconscious.”
Roman’s eyes clouded before he held me to his chest. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here.”
“All those classes Dad made me take paid off, I guess.” I was trying to joke about it, but it didn’t feel light or funny. “He’ll be proud of me, right?”
“My God, Soph. Of course he will. I’m proud you defended yourself against that pervert. Who was it?” he asked.
“Russell. A guy who works for me part-time. I don’t think you two have ever been in the shop at the same time.” It seemed like a strange detail to me now.
I could tell Roman was trying to place someone who had done this to me. “Shit. That guy? I did meet him once. He was outside your apartment. He was fucked-up, crazy. I don’t know why I didn’t say anything. I saw him once and forgot him. I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.”
I shook my head. “How could you have known? I didn’t trust my instincts about him, and I should have. He’d been harassing me for months, and I just didn’t know how to handle it.” I looked at the floor. “It was never like it was today. The hatred he had for me. The nastiness in his voice.” I buried my head in my hands.
“He’s going to jail, right? They aren’t letting him out.”
“Detective Moss took my statement and asked about filing charges.”
“You have to, Soph. He needs to pay for this.”
I shook my head. “I can’t think about it right now.” I blew out a big breath. “Can we just make some coffee? And I need to shower.” I had wrapped a button-up shirt around my torso before the police arrived, but the sweat had soaked through, and I knew I smelled awful. “God, what time is it?” I asked.
“Almost eleven.”
“Shit. I have to open the shop.”
Roman’s hands slid to my shoulders. “I think it’s okay if the Golden Page stays closed today.”
“No. I have a strict operating budget. I can’t close. Russell was the backup. I have to make a sales quota every single day.”
I watched as Roman pulled a credit card from his wallet. “Today I’m buying every copy of Peter Pan, Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland, and Narnia you have and sending them to the children’s hospital.”
My eyes popped. “Do you have any idea how many books that is?”
“I hope it’s enough. If it’s not, then make it enough.” His eyes bore into mine.
I tightened my arms around his waist. “Thank you,” I whispered.
He kissed the top of my head. “Can I throw these cops out and get you in the shower?”
I nodded. “But I don’t know if I want to take a shower here.” I had a lot of details to tell him about Russell. Every piece of furniture made me wonder if he had touched it. Torching my apartment would be drastic, but that’s where my head was.
“Say no more. We’re going to Mom’s.”
“Thank you.”
When we left my apartment, I wondered if I’d sleep in it again.
24
Roman
I sat on the counter while Sophie showered. She washed her legs and shampooed her hair on the other side of the frosted glass. I didn’t know what else to do other than be there for her. I’d never felt this kind of rage or helplessness before. Some bastard had tried to hurt her. To put his hands on her.
The water stopped, and I hopped off the counter. I stood steady to hold the towel for her. She stepped out from behind the glass door, and I wrapped it around her shoulders. I kissed her forehead.
“Thanks.” I ran my arms up and down hers on the outside of the terrycloth.
“What else can I do?” I asked.
She shook her head. “Nothing. This is exactly what I need right now. I’m fine.”
“You’re shaking.”
“Okay. I’m shaking. He scared me. I thought he was going to hurt me.” She winced. “But he didn’t. I’m fine. Lucky that I’m here completely untouched. He’s the one in the hospital, not me.”
I pushed open the guestroom door where I had taken her bags. She didn’t have to say it. Neither of us wanted to be separated from the other. She laid out a few different T-shirts on the bed before deciding on one.
After she dressed, she climbed on the bed with me, and I held her against my chest. I’d wrap her in arms of steel if I thought that would keep her safe.
“I feel like an idiot,” she whispered.
“You’re not an idiot. He is complete scum. Stalkers can’t be rational. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
Her palm flattened on my bicep. “There were signs, and I kept ignoring them. I didn’t speak up. I didn’t tell anyone when he was creepy. I thought I was overreacting. And everyone loved him. They thought he was so cool for reading and working on cars. The freaking women in this town swooned over that whole bad-boy vibe. I didn’t want to admit that the woman boss couldn’t handle her one surly employee.” She sighed. “I feel like a failure.”
“Hey.” I tipped her chin upward. “He is the failure. Not you.” Didn’t she know the guy was a psycho?
“I’m so much smarter than this. I didn’t fire him. I let him keep his job. Why? Why did I let him treat me like that?” She was questioning herself, and I hated it.
“Because you wanted to give him a chance. You’re a good person. The person who looks for silver linings. You did nothing wrong. Nothing,” I emphasized. “Don’t let him do that to you. Don’t give him that, Soph.”
“He was in my apartment when we were at the Pembroke.” I felt her stiffen under my arms. “He smoked in there. In the bed.” I let her talk. I couldn’t believe it when she told me she found the ashes the night we drove back. And I wasn’t there. I was home cleaning up my own mess. She replayed the nasty words Russell spewed at her. She told me he admitted he’d been watching her for a long time.
“You don’t hav
e to go back in there, Soph. Lease it out to someone else.”
“And where am I going to go?”
My father’s words haunted me. There was a girl then. A girl who caused a lot of problems. I didn’t know when he was going to resurface. He had given me some time, but as usual I didn’t know how much.
“With me.”
She huffed. “Umm, that’s very sweet, but you and I have to move at a pace that won’t scare the crap out of you. I’m good with taking it slow. Moving in together made you flip out last time.”
“No, it didn’t.” I shook my head.
“You’ve already forgotten the realtor we hired. Maude. She crosses the street every time she sees me in town. I’m not sure which of us is more embarrassed.”
“It wasn’t about the realtor. Or moving in with you.” I eyed her. “Stay here with me.”
“At your mom’s house?” Her voice squeaked. “This is like college.”
I chuckled. “There’s not much summer left. Mom works all the time anyway. Think how fun the commutes will be. I can drop you two off at work at the same time.”
“Is that offer to rent out the penthouse still on the table?”
I laughed. “If you want it to be.”
She groaned. “Why do people have to be sociopaths?”
I held her close. “I don’t know. I don’t know.” It was hard not to think about the one who had resurfaced and was doing everything he could to take Sophie away from me a second time.
* * *
It took two weeks for Russell to be discharged from the hospital and transferred to the holding center. Charges were filed his first night. He had a punctured lung, cracked femur, and a broken wrist. The same wrist attached to the hand that was jacking off when Sophie kicked his ass. The head trauma wasn’t as severe as I'd hoped. He woke up still knowing who my girl was. I hoped he remembered how she had taken him down.
Cold As Puck: A Cold Love Series Novel Page 13