Lifting her head, she glanced at me as she sipped some wine. “I know he might have. But it’s wrong. You can’t go around killing people. It’s not the way life works.”
Shifting in my seat, I tried to reason with her. “Okay, I understand that. But what if it’s an awful person? I mean, really, truly bad?”
Moving forward, I placed my glass down on the table. Taking hers from her, I placed it next to mine as I took hold of her hands. “Look at me, Sophia,” I asked.
Lifting her eyes slightly, she glanced at me. I could see the tears still pushing to be released. “This guy, the one I shot. I’m sorry I had to do that before you. But believe me, he was a bad man. He was part of a Bratva group like the ones you read about in those books. If I tell you what he has done… Well, you’ll have nightmares for the rest of your life.”
Squeezing her hands, I hoped she was listening as I continued. “He has killed so many people. Kidnapped women for other reasons you won’t like. Been part of gun and drug smuggling. Please believe me when I say, he was bad. He would’ve continued with those things if he had lived. So, in fact, don’t you think it’s actually a good thing he can’t?”
Sophia turned her head to the side as the first tears rolled down her cheek. Moving slowly, I gently wiped it away. “I am very sorry,” I whispered.
I sat with her, holding her hands as more tears flowed. My anger is almost non-existent now. I took out my handkerchief and held it for her. Sophia took it and wiped her cheeks. I pondered a little on what she had gone to do. “Sophia?” I asked calmly. “Where did you go and what did you do?”
As she replied, she glanced at the door. I could see she was thinking very hard. She swallowed hard before speaking. “Well…, I went to see if everything was fine at work. If they were worried or looking for me. Maybe they needed something?”
She looked into her glass as if it were going to speak for her. She turned it slowly in her hands. I could see she was lying to me.
“Sophia, please. We haven’t lied to each other since the first time we met. Well…,” I added, swallowing the spit suddenly accumulating in my mouth. “I hope you haven’t lied to me. I know I haven’t lied to you. Please tell me why you went there?”
Her breathing changed. It was deeper and slower. Before looking at me, she inhaled sharply and exhaled slowly. “I went to meet Melody. I know she’s innocent. Someone else is framing us both. I want to prove it. So, I went to see her in case she wasn’t aware of it.”
“Well, then…” I interrupted, clearing my throat. “I guarantee she’s not innocent. No one is framing her. She’s the one doing the framing, and she is targeting you. That is, unless…,” Looking into her eyes, I continued carefully. “Unless you’re both in on it. But no, I’m sure she’s framing you.”
“No, please,” Sophia begged. “Give me a chance. I will help you clear the lawsuits if you let me do some research. I want to prove her innocence. Please, I beg you, Kolya, give me the opportunity. No more lies. I will tell you everything I find, and that is happening. Please, allow me to prove her innocence.”
Letting go of her hands, I rose quickly. I felt slightly angered and somehow disappointed. “Okay,” I agreed, pushing a hand through my hair. “You can do that. But you don’t go anywhere without me knowing. You let me in on whatever you find and allow me to handle business. Agreed?”
Sophia gave me half a smile as she rose. Extending her hand, I shook it. “Okay, I agree,” she said. Her skin was as soft as silk. Her touch is warm. Staring at our hands, it felt like they were meant to fit together.
I didn’t want to let go. Looking up, I caught her gaze. My heart jumped as it started racing. For the first time, I felt lost in her eyes. My heart felt like it was going to jump out of my chest. A deep longing for her ignited in my soul. I wanted to pull her close and kiss her. But I fought the feelings.
“You can let go of my hand, if you don’t mind,” she said, pulling softly. Glancing down, I realized I was gripping it harderand harder. Feeling silly, I let go and smiled at her before turning.
Should I tell her what I was feeling? Am I even sure what was happening? That touch was amazing. I want to feel it again, feel all of her, and never let go. Shaking my head, I decided to let it go and walked away instead.
Chapter 12 - Sophia
I couldn’t believe the magnitude of the building before me as we pulled into the parking area. It’s been two days since Kolya shot that man before my eyes. My mood wasn’t as dark as it had been. Yes, it took some time to get the image out of my mind. But I was excited and grateful for the distraction.
Going with him to his legal offices means I will have access to many things. I ate breakfast alone and made it a hasty task. Once done, I ran up and collected my bag. I found Kolya outside. “You ready to leave?” He asked as I was nearing him.
“Yes,” I replied. I tried keeping my tone flat. I didn’t want to seem overly eager. The guard he was talking to nodded at him and left.
He opened the car door, and I practically jumped in. As he got in, he smiled at me. “You look chipper this morning. Did you sleep well?”
“I did, thank you,” I said, glancing out the window.
The drive to his legal offices was quick. As we pulled in, it felt like I was hit with a giant ball. My mouth hung open as awe set in. The structure was much larger than Melody’s and looked polished.
We entered through two automatic glass doors. The lobby opened up before us. It was polished and pristine, speaking of greatness. The white and grey marble floor gleamed, each tile reflecting the soft glow of the overhead lighting. The walls were crisp white, adding to the sense of pristineness.
Directly ahead sat a reception desk. It looked as if it had been carved from polished granite. The veins of white and pale grey running through it like rivers frozen in the stone. Thesecretary looked up as we approached, offering Kolya a warm, practiced smile.
Glancing at Kolya, he returned the greeting with a brief nod. It was controlled, his expression unreadable. We walked past the desk, passing through a security scanner. A second set of doors slid open as we came closer to them.
Walking through it looked like we had entered some kind of waiting area. There were three elevators and two rows of seats. Following closely, I walked with him to the last elevator. A row of buttons on the wall glowed a soft golden hue. They cast a subtle warmth against the cool marble walls.
Kolya pressed the button for the top floor. He looked at me as the doors opened, his face emotionless. Six floors lit up in a clean order across the panel inside. Each number seemed to hold a quiet promise of power waiting above.
