What happens when it’s over?
When I arrive at the location, Stepan is waiting for me outside. “He’s not one of Sobakin’s senior vors but he’s on the fringes of the inner circle.”
“He’s good enough for our purposes. His head on a spike will send the right message.”
Stepan looks excited as he follows me into the bar. I should be, too. This is the kind of thing that I’m used to. This is the kind of thing that I’m good at. I’m inching closer and closer towards my goal and soon, Sobakin will be dust underneath my boot. I can avenge my parents and protect my siblings in the same breath.
So why do I feel so dissatisfied? Why do I feel like, in gaining victory, I’d be losing something else?
The answer is obvious. Once Sobakin is gone and Alyssa is safe…
There won’t be anything to stop her from leaving.
55
ALYSSA
ALYSSA: I’m so sorry. Please don’t hate me.
LIAM: Of course I won’t hate you. Just please tell me what’s going on?
Lev took his headphones upstairs, so I’m back to text conversations with Elle. Which I honestly don’t mind. If we were talking, she might hear the turmoil in my voice and that would only make her panic.
ALYSSA: I’m fine. I swear. I’m safe.
LIAM: You say that a lot. Which is why I don’t believe you.
I sigh. It would be so easy to tell her exactly where I am. She’d get the cops involved and I’d be out of this basement in no time. Except for one thing—
If that happens, Uri and I would be done.
You’d think that’d be a good thing, right? But as it turns out, no part of me is actually onboard to believe that. Everything in me is screaming that it would be a catastrophic mistake. If there’s even a slim sliver of a chance for the two of us, I don’t want to destroy it by calling in reinforcements.
Which means I’m forced to wait this out. I’m forced to trust that Uri will let me go one day.
I wonder how long it’ll be until I regret this.
ALYSSA: Things are just a little… complicated, Elle.
LIAM: Does this have anything to do with the series of murders and freak accidents that have been happening all over the city?
ALYSSA: What do you mean?
LIAM: There was this warehouse in WeHo that burned down last week. The cops ID’d eleven bodies, all of whom were linked to this mafia guy named Sobakin. And then two days ago, this young guy who was murdered in a local bar in broad daylight.
ALYSSA: He was connected to Sobakin, too?
LIAM: That’s what the news is saying.
ALYSSA: Yeah, I think it’s all connected. Which is why I have to stay put for now. That also means I won’t be able to come to your wedding. I’m so sorry, Elle. You have no idea how much I hate myself right now.
LIAM: Hey now, don’t hate yourself. As far as excuses go, being targeted by a scary mafia dude is a pretty good one.
ALYSSA: You’re the best, you know that?
LIAM: You’re not completely off the hook. I expect you to make it up to me when you’re out of… wherever the hell you are right now.
ALYSSA: Definitely. One hundred percent. Whatever you want, I’ll do.
LIAM: Great. But that is contingent on you getting out in the first place.
ALYSSA: Don’t worry. It’ll happen. I promise.
LIAM: Is he treating you right?
I have no idea how to answer that. I mean, the easy answer is “no.” But I have a feeling that Uri is just as scared as I am about this whole situation between us.
ALYSSA: He’s a good man, Elle.
LIAM: He better be. Otherwise, I’m gonna kick his ass. I don’t give a shit who he is.
I snort with laughter.
“What are you laughing at?”
“Ahh!” I yell, dropping the controller and whipping around fast enough to get a kink in my neck.
Lev is standing there, wringing his hands together and looking curiously at the screen. “S-sorry. I’m sorry…”
“It’s okay,” I say quickly. “It’s okay, Lev. I’m sorry. You just startled me. I didn’t even hear you come in.”
His eyes veer to the screen. “Who’s that?”
I turn off the screen quickly and Liam’s avatar disappears. “No one. Just made friends with a fellow gamer, that’s all.”
Lev’s eyes go wide. “You were playing without me?”
“Er, just for a few minutes. It wasn’t as fun by myself, though.” I put the controller aside and get to my feet. “How’re you doing today?”
Lev shrugs and shuffles on his feet without saying a word.
“Do you wanna ask me how I’m doing today?” He nods and I take that as my cue. “I’m a little lonely down here. And bored. I miss fresh air. And sunlight. And picnics on the grass.”
Lev looks warily at me. “Uri said you have to be here.”
Right on cue, the door creaks open again and Polly pops her head into the basement. “What Uri doesn’t know won’t hurt him. Let’s take a field trip.”
We both glance at Lev, who’s looking very unsure. “Uri will be mad.”
“Uri could never be mad at you,” I assure him. “And anyway, we’ll keep this our little secret, shall we? Just you, me, and Polly.”
Polly moves forward gingerly. She’s always extra careful around Lev. “It’ll be fun, Lev.”
Lev ignores Polly and glances at me. “Do we have to pinky swear?”
“Sure, we can pinky swear. Why don’t you and Polly go first?”
Lev swings around towards her, but his eyes are firmly fixed on his feet. Still, he offers her his pinky with a rare surge of confidence. Polly gives me a hesitant smile and links pinkies with her brother.
He breaks away immediately after and turns to me. “Now, you and me.”
Once the all-important pinky swears are out of the way, Polly leads the way out of the basement. She and I make it into a game of hopscotch and Lev cautiously jumps on board. He even starts giggling once we’re at ground level, sneaking our way into the kitchen.
Of course, once we’re there, it only takes a couple minutes before we’re busted by Svetlana as we’re raiding the pantry.
She gasps when she sees me. “Miss Alyssa, you’re not supposed to be out of the basement.”
Polly steps right in front of me. “Alyssa’s not here, Svetlana,” she says with narrowed eyes. “She’s down in the basement where she belongs. It’s just Lev and me, getting snacks for our garden picnic. Yes?”
Svetlana’s eyes veer from me to Polly before she sighs and crumples forward. “Yes, Miss Polly.”
Polly practically jumps on Svetlana and squeezes her in a hug. “Thanks, ‘Lana. You’re the best.”
Once we’ve gathered up a whole bunch of ridiculously unhealthy snacks, we make our way to the west corner of the garden where, according to Polly, no one ever goes.
“You know your brother has security cameras everywhere, right?” I remind her. “He’s gonna find out about this little prison break at some point.”