Eventually, I spotted them further down the sidewalk. Sasha stood a few feet away from her with his arms crossed over his chest. He looked down at Valentina as if he wanted to strangle her. He probably did.
Still, even with him staring at her, she stayed planted on that bench, her head tilted high in defiance.
I could feel the heat radiating between the two of them even from this distance. It was almost impressive, the way she managed to run a grown man down.
I took my time walking over, tucking my hands in the pockets of my slacks. Sasha noticed me first, and his expression shifted slightly.
“Finally,” he hissed through his teeth.
My attention fell to Valentina. She was clearly trying to make a point of ignoring me. I found it mildly entertaining.
She wore a blue Knicks sweater, oversize and probably stolen from someone else’s closet. Her hair, which was too long for anyone’s good, was tied into a ponytail that cascaded halfway down her back.
Sasha stepped toward me, ready to argue about how difficult she’d been all day. “She’s impossible. Doesn’t listen. I’ve tried everything.”
“I can see that,” I said dryly.
He blew out a sigh that sounded desperate. “She yells if I try to move her. Says I’m harassing her. People are starting to notice.”
“Of course they are,” I muttered. “You are harassing her.”
Sasha shot me a look. I could tell he didn’t expect me to call him out. But it was the truth. Valentina’s defiance had been clear for hours—anyone could see she wasn’t about to budge. Sasha, however, seemed to have missed the memo entirely.
“Yeah?” he asked angrily. “Well, what the hell do you suggest then? Because she’s not budging.”
I pushed past him and stepped right in front of Valentina—so close the tips of her shoes brushed mine. “Seven hours,” I finally said, demanding her attention. Shockingly, she gave it to me. “Do you really have nothing better to do?”
“I’m just fine here, thanks,” she said with an attitude so sweet it made my teeth grind.
I leaned down slightly. “You’ve made your point. Now get up.”
She tilted her head. “What point is that?”
“That you’re stubborn, childish, and a pain in the ass,” I said, my patience thinning. “Now move, before I throw you over my shoulder and carry you out of here.”
Her mouth opened. It closed. “You wouldn’t dare.”
I considered it.
And I definitely would.
Sasha whispered something in Russian under his breath.
This wasn’t his problem anymore. It was mine. For some reason, I’d let it become mine.
“You’re testing me,” I told her.
“Maybe.”
“That’s not a good idea, Valentina.” I leaned in, my breath a whispered threat. “Unlike Sasha here, I don’t care how loud you scream.”
I saw the hesitation take over her smug pride. Still, she didn’t budge.
People were staring now. Great.
I didn’t have all day, and I definitely wasn’t sticking around long enough for someone to call the cops. So I leaned down, hooked an arm around her waist, and tossed her over my shoulder without giving her time to think about it.
She sucked in a quick breath like she couldn’t believe I’d actually done it. “Marco! Are you serious right now? Put me down!” Her fists immediately started beating into my back—hard little punches that were more annoying than painful. Her heels dug in, knees knocking against my ribs as she kicked.
