Alexei’s been speaking and acting strangely ever since he got to the house. I know he and his brother drank vodka together when they talked, but I don’t believe it’s the only reason he’s not himself. Alexei’s so big that a few shots don’t cause his brain to melt.
“What is your arrangement with Stroviak now? First, you were not close enough for him to open his house to us when we were fleeing from killers. Now he is here to be your best man? Why does he do this?”
Alexei is quiet a moment. “Do you believe in fate?”
I blink. “I do not know this word.”
“I don’t know the word in Russian,” he says. “Destiny?”
“Oh, yes.Sud’ba. When something happens by luck… or a plan of God or some other spirits.”
“Right.” He leans forward. “We met because of fate.”
“We met because we were both at a party full of bad men. I do not believe luck is primary factor.”What is going on?
He smiles for a moment and then it fades. “Egorov isn’t my friend. We’re enemies. The same was true for you. And yet we were both there.”
“Yes, well, I am forced to be there.”
“I know. You didn’t come of your own free will. I almost didn’t go. And yet we both ended up there. And later, you were the prize at the club where I used to fight. A place I never go anymore. I hadn’t opened their emails in a long time. Then I did, and there was your picture, after I’d been searching for you because I couldn’t get you off my mind. Our chance meeting on the first night was fate. My opening the email probably was too. Now we’re together for other reasons, but in the beginning, something powerful was at work to bring us together.”
“Alexei, how much vodka do you drink before this plane ride? To speak of spirits andsud’ba, I believe it was a lot.”
He rubs the back of his neck and smirks. “Baba Yaga’s breath on my neck.”
I laugh softly and squeeze his hand. “You know the witch Baba Yaga?” My fingers tighten and then tap, this time to tease him. “Your mother is not very nice to tell this story to you.”
“I’m not afraid of witches. Clearly, they’re on my side.”
This makes me chuckle again, despite my being worried about him.
Stroviak’s gaze rises to look at me.
I smother the rest of my chuckle. “Tell your brother this, too. I want to hear what he says about your witches.”
Alexei’s expression is serious as he glances over his shoulder. “If he’s meant to know, he already does.”
My eyes narrow. “You are acting very strange, Alexei.”
“I know.” His hands close around mine, and he looks concerned.
“What is it?” I whisper.
“Some strange things happened… messages from the grave.” He blows out a breath. “And I did drink a lot of vodka with Sasha.”
“Messages from the grave?” I murmur. “Do you hear voices? Or see ghosts?”
“No,” he says firmly. “Don’t worry. I’m fine.”
I lean forward. “You can tell to me the truth, Alexei. If you get sick, I will take care of you.”
His gaze locks with mine, then he raises my hands and kisses them. “You’re not going to take of me,kiska. I’m going to take care of you.”
* * *
Alexei
Natalia’s guessed right. I drank too much vodka in the basement of Connor McCann’s house while I was confiding in my brother. It takes the entire flight to Las Vegas for me to sober up.
