Chapter 151 156

Chapter 151 156
I feel moisture on my cheeks and realize that I’m crying. “You must think I’m an idiot,” I mumble, self-consciously batting the tears away.

“No, not at all. I just think you’re in love with a man you know you can’t be with anymore.”

Another sob escapes me.

“Lyubimaya,” she croons, “it’s okay. I am with you.”

“My baby…”

“One thing at a time, honey,” she says. “If we leave here, we need somewhere to go. Is there anyone you trust?”

“My brother and sister,” I tell her.

She nods. “I suppose that will have to work. They’re staying at The Imperial, aren’t they?”

“Mia is. I don’t know about Rob.”

“Let’s take her there then. There will be security and Hargrove has the means to protect you all.” She grips me tightly, her eyes boring into mine. “Olivia, are you ready for this? We don’t have much time.”

“I know. I just…”

“You want to save this girl. You convinced me to save her. Now that we’re taking the risk, we have to do our damndest to make sure we get it right.”

“I know,” I say, swallowing my sadness. “Let’s go.”

She gives me a nod and turns to her man. “Follow me and listen to my instructions exactly.”

Yulia leaves the room first. Moritz follows behind her, the girl in his arms. As I trail them out into the hallway, I notice a camera perched high in the corner. My body goes cold.

“Yulia,” I hiss, running past Moritz to whisper in her ear. “The cameras. They’re all over the house.”

She gives me a reassuring smile. “I already disabled them when I went to get Moritz,” she tells me. “I had to wipe some of the memory, too. If Aleksandr checks the tapes, he won’t see you coming up here. He won’t even see you leaving your room.”

“He’ll put two and two together eventually.”

“But not before we’re both out of harm’s way.”

I frown. “Do you really think he would hurt you? Us?”

She looks uncertain for a moment. “I don’t know. I didn’t think he was capable of…” She fades off, her eyes flitting to the young girl in Moritz’s arms. “Well, I don’t know what he’s capable of anymore.”

My shattered heart sinks in my chest. I’ve never felt so crushed.

Moritz and I hang back until Yulia gives us the all-clear to head down to the third floor. We do the same thing to get to the second. Tiptoe down, wait for the signal, descend quickly and quietly.

But as we’re moving down to the first, I hear Yulia’s voice cut through the silence.

“Tasha,” she says, addressing one of the maids. “What are you doing on this floor?”

“Cleaning the common rooms, ma’am,” the girl replies, sounding surprised by the question. “It’s on my task list for today.”

“Is it?” Yulia asks absent-mindedly. “Oh, goodness, I must have made a mistake. I’m going to need you down in the basement. The carpets need a steam.”

“Oh. Yes, ma’am.”

“And take Christa with you. That space is large. You’ll need some help.”

“Of course, ma’am. Should I finish cleaning in here first?”

“No, that won’t be necessary. Basement, now, please.”

The girl scurries off and Yulia gives us the signal to move forward.

The first floor is perhaps the most complicated area of all. Most of the men pass through the common rooms here when they change posts or leave for their lunch. It’s a beehive of activity most of the time.

But Yulia is an adept guide. She looks calm and confident. It’s helping me feel more in control.

Until she freezes and turns back to look at us, panic in her eyes.

She doesn’t even need to say anything. I can hear the engines roar and the crunch of gravel just outside.

Aleks.

He’s back.

I grab a hold of Yulia and pull her back. “We have to distract him.”

“But how?”

I glance around the room, but the answer is obvious to me. “I’ll do it,” I say. “I’ll distract him while you get the girl out of here.”

“Olivia—”

“Listen to me,” I plead. “You know this compound better than anyone. And if you’re sitting up front with the driver, no one will question you when you leave. But if I’m seen, all hell will break loose.”

Yulia wants to argue with my logic, but we both know she can’t.

“You need to get her out,” I say.

“But—”

I shake my head as car doors slam outside. “We don’t have time, Yulia. This is the only way.”

I’m about to walk out when she grabs my hand. “Olivia, you have to be convincing.”

I can tell that she’s worried about my ability to keep up pretenses. I can’t exactly blame her. I almost had a fully-fledged meltdown upstairs just a few short minutes ago.

“I know. Don’t worry. I will be.”

“Are you certain?”

I nod in response. And then, before I lose my nerve, I walk out into the main foyer.

Yulia, Moritz, and the girl duck into the second common room to the right, one of the few that doesn’t open out into the garden. But it does have windows that overlook the front façade of the house on the opposite side.

If I can get Aleks into the rear den where the grand piano is sitting, then they’ll be able to climb out and leave using one of the cars. Most of the vehicles Aleks owns have tinted windows, so it’ll be easy enough to conceal the sleeping girl once she’s inside.

“Olivia?”

Aleks walks into the house, surprised to see me.

“Hi.” I smile. “You’re back already?”

“Disappointed?”

“Of c-course not,” I say. I curse myself internally for the awkward stumble and try to regroup. “I just… I was just walking.”

He raises his eyebrows. I wonder if he’s already on to me. That would truly be pathetic, to blow the game so quickly.

But then I remember what’s at stake here: a young girl with her whole life ahead of her.

I need to get my shit together.

“Can we… talk?” I ask, gesturing for him to follow me into the den. Once the door closes, we’ll be afforded some privacy, which should give Yulia enough time to get the girl out of here.

“If you want,” he says, following me into the room. He looks amused when I close the door behind him. “Something bothering you?”

I turn to him, trying to figure out what my pretense is for wanting to talk to him in the first place. I’m coming up hatefully blank.

“Um…”