Chapter Seven: Stephan
Iwoke up right as the sun had begun to rise, and opened up the window in my bedroom to let in a bit of fresh air. Annika and Natalia were still fast asleep in the guest room, and the boys had been rustling about for a few hours probably trying to get a workout in.
I sighed, brushing my fingers through my hair, thinking about Annika and everything she must’ve been going through right now. I couldn’t shake the guilt of knowing that I was hiding the very secret that got everyone into this mess in the first place, but I couldn’t give it up, especially before I found out what the Malevich painting was worth.
I hadn’t heard much about it, nor did I know its name, but from what I did know about art, it seemed that this painting’s existence was only known by a few people. I hated keeping that secret from Annika, but I knew that news would probably send her running, and I’ve begun to care too much about her to let her get away before I could explain myself.
She and I were both still figuring out our places in this world, and she was adamant on learning what the ins and outs of criminal life was genuinely like, so she could decide if she wanted to remain a part of it or not. Though from what I’ve seen of her, she’s very much capable of holding her own, and keeping her head held high despite how troubling the experience might be.
I still wondered whether she was developing feelings for me too, or if the night we spent together had been a one-off, disappearing into the back of our memories, to one day be forgotten.
I could tell that she was still deciding whether she trusted me or not, and no matter how much I told her that I was just trying to keep her safe, I knew deep down that I had the one thing that would continuously put her in danger until I figured out what I was going to do with it.
This painting has caused more trouble for me than it has done any good. I need to find someone to tell me how much this thing is worth, so I can finally get it off my hands.
I would take turns with Eduard and Feliks to run small jobs while one of them stayed behind to watch over the girls, and I knew that Annika didn’t feel as comfortable around them as she did me, but I still had work to do. I still worried that something bad was going to happen every time I stepped foot out of the house, with either Eduard or Feliks by my side, but I had a reputation to maintain, and I needed to fund my business if I ever planned on leaving the two boys behind.
I’ve wanted out of our little arrangement for so long, but I know Eduard and Feliks are going to be devastated when they realize what’s been going on behind their backs. Things are far more complicated now because I worry that one of them is going to use Annika to get to me. That is why I have to keep it quiet about my plans, hopefully get the painting off my hand for a good price, and pretend like nothing ever happened.
Eduard and Feliks both have started to figure out that I’ve taken a liking to Annika, and I hope they don’t do anything to screw that up.
I’d gotten ready that morning, heading down into the kitchen for some coffee, ready to take Annika to get the keys from her realtor. She had told me how much this gallery space had meant to her, but I saw her sitting at the kitchen island looking rather glum for someone who was about to get what they’ve wanted for so long.
“Good morning,” I said, and she smiled, but her expression quickly returned to its sad, lifeless form.
“Hello, Stephan. Should we get going soon?” she asked.
“Yes, would you like something to eat before we go? You look pale, tired, are you okay?” I asked, genuinely concerned about her.
“I didn’t get much sleep last night. Nightmares and all, but I suppose that’s to be expected. You know, receiving the keys to my gallery had been a dream of mine for such a long time, but now I’m starting to feel like it doesn’t even matter anymore.”
“Why do you say that?”
“I guess I’m just starting to rethink my entire life, everything that I’ve learned up until this point, and I want to figure out where I belong. I just don’t know if collecting art is the way to go anymore,” she said, and I already knew what was coming before she continued.
“What would you rather be doing instead?” I asked, curiously.
“I’ve been debating this the entire night, and after the conversation we had, I’m not even sure if its the right move, but if I’m to learn everything there is to know about your world, then I have to see if I’m even fit to be a part of it,” she replied, still dancing around my question.
“You want in, don’t you? You want to see if you can handle this life?” I questioned her, shaking my head because I knew she was going to get herself killed if I let her anywhere near a job.
“I have to know if it's what I’m meant to do. The next time you need to leave to go on a job, can I accompany you? I promise to stay behind, just observe, until I get a better feel for where I fit in if I fit in at all.”
I knew it was a bad idea, but I also realized she would continue pressing me until I gave in, so I decided to start her with a small job.
“Okay, but first I’m going to have to teach you a few things before I let you anywhere near to a job. Depending on the type, shipments, robbery, or anything along those lines, you have to be elusive, in and out before people can see you. If you really want a feel for all of this, we’re going to start very small, like taking candy from a baby,” I said, with a smile, placing my empty coffee cup in the sink before I grabbed my keys.
“That sounds good. Let’s go get my keys to the gallery because depending on how that goes, there is a chance I might be needing them. Will someone be staying behind to watch over Natalia?” she asked, and I nodded.
“Eduard and Feliks are both going to be here, so that leaves some room for me to be able to show you the ropes, though I think it’s best that we keep this little arrangement of ours a secret. The last thing they need is someone getting in the way of their income. For now, you and I will do this on our own, and once you’ve garnered enough skill, then we can decide if it’s a good idea to tell them or not.”
“Alright, I won’t say a word,” she said, pretending to zip her lips with her pinched fingers.
“Let’s go.”
I can’t believethat I’m going to go through with this. After everything I’ve learned over the years, this is the one thing that we’re taught not to do. We don’t train new criminals, especially not ones that aren’t sure whether they want to be criminals or not.
The whole operation is rather ridiculous, but I’m going along with it because it’s what Annika wants. I’d also be lying if I said I wasn’t curious about her capabilities, about what she’s able to grasp in all of this, because now that I’ve started to develop feelings for her, the decision she makes about the rest of her life will determine if we even have a future together at all. I just hope that Eduard and Feliks don’t find out about this right now.
