Russian Persuasion

by Laura Hart

  Max took his phone and punched in some numbers. Damn it! He should have insisted that she get her own working phone for the trip, but he’d expected to be with her most of the time.

  “Mama, where’s Sadie?”

  “I think she’s on the balcony working on her laptop, but she might have gone out. She said she was going to walk out for a bit.”

  “Can you please check?”

  Vera Vasilyevna could hear the urgency in her son’s voice and asked, “What’s the matter, Maka?”

  “Please, Mama, go check.”

  She did as he asked and returned promptly with what she hoped was good news. “Yes, son, she’s on the balcony. Do you want to talk to her?”

  “Yes, please. And, Mama?”

  “Yes, Maka.”

  “Keep her safe in the house. We have a threat against her.”

  Max could hear his mother’s sharp intake of breath. “That’s terrible! Don’t worry, she’s safe here.”

  She carried the phone to the balcony and handed it to Sadie.

  “Hello, beautiful woman. What are you doing?”

  “I’m trying with no luck to work on my blog. Maybe I should become a travel writer instead.”

  Normally he would have laughed, but this morning Max felt only tension. “Listen to me, Sadie. I’ll tell you more later, but for now you need to stay in the house and not go out.”

  “Why? Is there a sudden swarm of criminals overrunning the city?” She giggled, and the innocent sound made Max crazy. He wanted to put her in his pocket and keep her safe forever.

  “No, mishka, but there is something that’s a problem. I’ll tell you about it later. Just promise me you’ll stay in the apartment until I get home again.”

  Sadie shrugged. She’d been planning to take her camera and go for a stroll as soon as she was finished on the computer, but if it was that important to Max, she’d wait. “Okay,” she said, not giving it that much thought.

  “I love you,” came his deep voice.

  “I love you, too,” she answered, aware that his mother was standing nearby. In fact, right now she was motioning that she’d like to speak when Sadie was done. “I’m going to give you back to your mother now.”

  “Max?” his mother said as she walked back towards the living room. “Is it the same people?”

  “They didn’t sign their message, but we’re sure it is. Who else would do such a thing? They’re probably just taking an opportunity to up the pressure, but we can’t take any chances.”

  “She’ll be fine here,” his mother repeated.

  Max, David, and their father huddled for a good hour discussing the situation. Since there was no actual threat, they couldn’t really take action against it, but they did let one of the policemen they’d been working with know what had happened.

  * * *

  “I don’t really understand,” said Sadie with a shake of her head. She was looking at the pictures that Max had brought home to show her. At first, he’d not planned to share them with her, but when she scoffed at his concerns, he’d spread them out in front of her.

  “They didn’t really make any threats,” she argued. “Maybe you don’t even understand the message, or maybe there wasn’t a message at all.”

  Max looked at her in frustration. “You think some strangers who just happened to know who you were and where to send the pictures took some miscellaneous photos to try out their new camera?”

  Sadie giggled.

  “Sadie, this is serious. These are the same unsavory people who’ve been giving us trouble for a while now. Throwing you into the mix is vulgar as far as I’m concerned, but then that’s who they are. We’ll be going back to the States in a week, so until then, you need to not go out by yourself.”

  “I wasn’t by myself in half those pictures. In fact, I think I was only really alone in that one where I’m walking in the street. Are you saying you and I aren’t going to go out anymore?”

  “No, mishka, of course not. I intend to use every minute we have left here letting you enjoy the city, but I’ll be with you then.”

  As if to prove his point, he pulled out a couple of tickets and held them up in a tantalizing way. “What would you think about a ballet performance in the Hermitage tonight?”

  “Really?” All thoughts of threats were forgotten. “I didn’t know they had performances there.”

  “Well, they do, and we have some very nice seats to tonight’s show. Are you interested?”

  In answer, she grinned and wrapped her arms around his neck and then kissed him.

  “I’ll take that as a yes.”

  “What are they dancing?”

  “Romeo and Juliet, the Tchaikovsky version.”

  “This trip just keeps getting better and better.” Her face was glowing with anticipation, and Max couldn’t resist wrapping her in his arms and kissing her. He hoped that she would continue with that thought, because he still had one more surprise in store for her this trip.

  * * *

  “This city is like a picture book,” declared Sadie as she looked around the plush theater. “It’s like no matter where you turn, there’s something beautiful.”

  “This was an imperial theater, so of course it would be rich and decorative. Did you see in the program where it says it was opened in 1787?”

  “Who was in charge then?”

  “In charge?”

  “Like the czar or emperor or whoever.”

  Max’s eyes crinkled in amusement. “I believe you’re talking about Catherine the Great.”

  Sadie nodded and then said, “I read a couple really good quotes from her in one of the brochures you gave me. I might like to read a biography about her.”

  “You could do worse. She was a good ruler for Russia in many ways.”

  “Women make good rulers,” Sadie proclaimed, folding her arms as if to strengthen her point.

  “Perhaps. There have certainly been some notable women rulers in history.”

  The performance was outstanding, as would be expected, and afterwards they went to the Azimut Sky Bar on the eighteenth floor of a hotel where they could unwind with drinks in front of windows overlooking the city lights. As they sat there, Max brought up something she’d mentioned earlier in the day.

  “This morning you said you were having problems with your blog. What does that mean exactly?”

  Sadie sighed and suddenly looked a bit deflated. “It’s not going very well. You wrecked everything.”

  Max looked startled. “How did I wreck things?”

  “You’ve made me behave in ways I didn’t believe in. When I’m with you, I do things that I used to write against, so it’s a problem. I can’t just write a column full of lies, but when I talk about what’s happening now, some of my original readers don’t like it. I’ve lost readership, which has cost me several newspapers. My income is going backwards, and sometimes I don’t even know what to write about anymore.” She looked like she might cry.

  Max was taken aback. She’d alluded to problems before, but he’d had no idea it was so serious. He put his arm around her and pulled her closer. “I’m sorry, mishka. I had no idea you were dealing with that. Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “You can’t do anything about it. You’re the cause, not the solution.”

  Max frowned. “I want to be the cause of good things in your life, not of problems. What can I do to help?”

  “I don’t know. You could act like such a jerk that I could write bad things about you.”

  Max raised his eyebrows at her. “Next suggestion.”

  Sadie sighed again and looked almost defeated. “Harmony says I can’t have both you and a career writing about how unnecessary men are.”

  Max looked surprised again. “You’ve been talking to Harmony about this?”

  “We talk about everything. She says that life unfolds in stages, and that I’m finishing one stage and starting another.”

  “She’s a very wise woman. You should listen to her.�
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  Sadie still looked sad. “I do, but I can’t afford to not have my blog. I need the money.”

  Max frowned again. What he wanted to do was wrap her in his arms and tell her not to worry about anything, that he’d look after everything, but he knew that wasn’t the right approach with Sadie. She needed to feel independent, to be independent.

  “Maybe you could do other kinds of work.”

  “I do some other things, you know that, but it’s not enough, and anyway, I like the writing part.”

  “You do some writing for sales and marketing, don’t you?”

  “Yes, but it’s not much.”

  “Maybe you could do some writing for us. I could use a good writer back in the States.”

  Sadie looked at him almost reproachfully. “You’re just saying that to help me.”

  Max took her hand. “I love you, Sadie. Why shouldn’t I help you? In any case, I really could use your skills. We’re new in the Houston market and just going into the Dallas one. Obviously, we’re going to want some marketing activity. It sounds like a perfect solution to me. You get some extra income, and I get to see more of you. What do you think?” He nuzzled her ear and kissed her neck.

  For the first time since the subject came up, Sadie’s face looked hopeful. “It might work,” she said slowly, “but I don’t really know anything about the things you sell.”

  “Then I’ll teach you, which means I get to spend even more time with you.” He kissed the tip of her ear, and she giggled.

  “What would your father think?” she asked, still unconvinced.

  “I don’t need his permission for every business decision I make, but in any case, I expect he’d be delighted. He likes you.”

  “How do you know?”

  “He’s my father, mishka. I know when he likes something.”

  Sadie was tired of discussing her unhappy situation, so she let the conversation go in a new direction. “You know, we’re almost ready to go home again, and I’ve never seen your bachelor pad. Let’s go check it out.”

  “Tonight? It’s kind of late now.”

  “Do you turn into a pumpkin after a certain hour?”

  Max chuckled. “Looks like we’re done being sad and have moved on to smarty mouth.”

  “It was just a question.” She looked at him with a tiny challenge on her face, which Max ignored.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll show it to you before we leave. It’s nothing great, just a simple bachelor’s pad.”

  “But I want to see it.”

  Within forty-eight hours she would rue her words.

  You Can Get Up Now

  The days had flown by, and there were only a few left before Sadie and Max would make the long return flight to Texas. Sadie had sent a couple hundred photos to her family and had raved about her experiences in St. Petersburg. Now, there was only one more picturesque street she’d seen and wanted to photograph, and time was getting short.

  She was alone in the apartment except for the woman who helped in the house. Max had left with his father right after breakfast, and his mother had excused herself to attend a medical appointment, promising to return by late lunchtime.

  Sadie worked on her laptop and even picked at the piano a bit, but she kept thinking about those few remaining pictures she wanted to snap. Finally, she stood up with a resolute nod of her head. Yes, she knew that Max had told her to stay in the apartment unless he was with her, but she hadn’t actually promised to do so. Maybe she’d just nip out for an hour, take her pictures, and no one need be the wiser.

  Feeling a tiny bit guilty, she wrote a short note to his mother to let her know she’d gone out, and then she gathered her things and slipped out of the apartment.

  It was a gorgeous day, sunny and slightly breezy, and she was comfortable in her short-sleeved shirt, although she’d brought a light jacket with her ‘just in case.’ God, she was going to miss this city! A fifteen-minute walk brought her to the area she was interested in, and soon she was happily snapping pictures, aware that in a few short days these beautiful buildings would be only a memory.

  Some time later, pleased with her work, she saw a sidewalk café and decided to have a coffee and maybe even one of those wonderful poppy seed buns that she was also going to miss. As she sat there sipping her coffee and nibbling the bun to prolong the enjoyment, she was surprised to hear her name called, and when she looked up, she saw the smiling face of a handsome man in his mid-forties.

  “Ms. Duval, isn’t it? I recognized you from a picture Max showed us last week. I’m one of his cousins, Aleksei Fedorovich, known in English simply as Alex.” He nodded slightly and put out his hand. Sadie looked surprised but shook it. He obviously knew Max, and she didn’t want to be rude.

  “Nice to meet you, Alex,” she said. “We’re getting ready to return to the States, so I’m just enjoying the last several days here.”

  “I do hope you’ve found our city to your liking.”

  “Are you kidding? It’s fantastic!”

  Alex noticed that her coffee cup was almost empty, so he motioned to a waiter to refill it.

  “Oh, no, don’t worry about it,” Sadie objected. “I can’t stay.” Then, as if realizing she was being rude, hurried to add, “Please, sit down.”

  The briefest look of triumph flitted across the face of Aleksei Fedorovich as he sat down at the small table with her and glanced towards someone nearby on the sidewalk. The waiter brought her a refill and also a cup for Alex.

  “Do you work in the House of Orlov, too?” she asked.

  “Not directly.”

  Sadie frowned slightly. “What does that mean?”

  “I work in an outside capacity,” he answered cryptically and then changed the subject. “I gather the North American branch is going to be a great success.”

  “I don’t really know much about it, but with Max running it, I’m sure it will do well.”

  They chatted for a few minutes and then Alex glanced at his watch. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be rude, but I have an appointment soon.” He took out a money clip holding a thick fold of bills, peeled off a couple, and put them on the table. “This will take care of everything,” he said as he stood up.

  “Oh, no,” objected Sadie immediately. “You don’t need to pay for me.”

  “In this country, it would be a sin not to pay for such a charming guest.” He smiled, glanced at the sidewalk, and took his leave.

  Sadie watched him go, thinking it had been fun to bump into one of Max’s relatives. Then, with a start, she realized she’d been gone longer than she’d planned, so reluctantly she got to her feet and started back for the apartment, retracing her steps down the street lined with beautiful baroque and classical buildings.

  * * *

  Max, David, and their father were huddled around a table mapping out some final plans before Max would leave again. They were pleased with their ideas for the future and were looking at some sketches their designer had given them. Suddenly Max felt his phone vibrate. Surprised at being interrupted, he frowned slightly and pulled it out so he could see the screen. For a moment he saw nothing, but then there it was—a picture of Sadie, smiling and sitting in a café with the very person he was trying to protect her from!

  He stared at it for a moment in disbelief and then jumped to his feet, swearing like a Russian sailor.

  “What is it, Max?” demanded his father, also rising.

  Max turned his phone so that his father and David could see, and immediately they too let loose with a string of strong expletives.

  “How the hell did this happen?” demanded his father, but Max was already on his way to the door.

  “Wait! Where are you going?”

  “To get her.”

  “You don’t know where she is, do you?”

  “I recognize the café.” With that he was gone. He half ran to his car, his face a study in both fury and terror. Why the hell was she in the café when he’d specifically told her not to go out alone
? Was she still there? Was Aleksei Fedorovich only toying with them, or had he taken his beautiful Sadie to use against them?”

  Fortunately, the House of Orlov was not that far from the apartment or the café, and in less than fifteen minutes he screeched to a stop near the café. He didn’t see Sadie anywhere, so he asked one of the waiters, who told him the American woman had left maybe ten minutes earlier. Yes, she’d been alone when she’d gone.

  Max jumped back in his car and started cruising the streets between the café and their apartment, his heart beating fast as his eyes desperately scanned each side street and doorway. He’d almost given up when he spotted her walking nonchalantly in the next block, almost to the avenue that would take her back to the apartment. He gunned the car and then screeched to a stop next to her where he jumped out and reached her side in several large strides.

  The sound of the brakes had startled Sadie, who turned towards the street. When she saw it was Max, her face started to break into a smile, but it was interrupted by his angry greeting.

  “What the hell are you doing out here?”

  Sadie was taken aback by the wrath in his voice, but before she could respond, Max grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the car.

  “Ow! That hurts. What’s the matter with you?”

  He practically pushed her into the front passenger seat and then came back around and got behind the wheel. Sadie was rubbing her arm where he’d grabbed her. “Hello to you, too,” she said with clear sarcasm.

  He ignored her. “Have you lost your mind?” he raged, his fear giving way to pure fury now that he knew she was safe. “I told you not to leave the house without me.”

  “And here I thought royal edicts ended with the revolution,” she replied, still rubbing her arm.

  Max stared at her, his dark eyes flashing, his jaw set, and then he started the car again with a jerk. They drove in silence for ten minutes until she finally asked, “Where are we going? The apartment was back there?”