“Fucking gruesome,” I tell him, laughing and shaking my head.
He smiles and pats the top of the head, pushing the stake in just a bit deeper. Satisfied, we start the long process of joining up with the others and making sure all the buildings around here are empty and that all our men are accounted for.
By the time we’re back in the SUV, I’m tired and hungry and more than ready for a shower. Pulling my phone out, I look to see if Maddie’s texted me, but there’s nothing and I have no idea what to make of that.
“I want a hamburger,” I tell Vasily, pointing up ahead at a fast food place.
He looks at me. “Are you fucking kidding me right now? You’re covered in blood.”
I shrug. “I’m really hungry. I haven’t eaten all day.”
“I could go for a hamburger too,” Valeri says from the back.
“Me too,” Andrei says, followed by Ilya’s, “I mean, I wouldn’t say no to one.”
“It’s like being in the car with a bunch of kids. Does anyone need to go potty while we’re here?”
“I do, but I think someone might call the cops if I do,” I say with a laugh.
“You can’t just use a gun like a normal person,” he mutters, pulling into the drive thru.
“I chopped a head off for you,” I remind him, and then say, “Go ahead and get me a large meal, and I want a sweet tea with it.”
He groans but places the order and then does the same for everyone else, nearly losing it when Valeri keeps changing his mind about what he wants. In the end, he orders both meals for Valeri and tells him to shut the hell up when he mentions asking for extra sauce.
Once we’re back on the road and I’ve already eaten half my hamburger, I ask, “Maddie hasn’t texted me. What do you think that means?”
Vasily takes pity on me and doesn’t make a joke. I ignore the laughs coming from behind me. He steals one of my fries and says, “What kind of note did you leave her?”
“Note?”
He can’t hold back the laugh this time. “You fucked her last night, and then she woke up to an empty bed, no note, and you’ve been gone all fucking day?”
“Shit,” I mutter, because when he puts it like that, I can see how shitty it must’ve looked to her. It hadn’t occurred to me that she might think I just left because I didn’t care. I’m not used to having someone else around that I need to leave notes for or give updates to. I’d been so caught up with everything going on that I hadn’t taken the few seconds to send a text. I’d just figured I’d wait until I got back to the house and we could talk in person.
I finish my meal, but I barely taste any of it. When Vasily pulls in front of my house and I see that her Jeep is gone, I realize just how badly I fucked up.
“Just call her,” Vasily says. “Tell her you’re a jackass and that you fucked up.”
“Yeah, just tell her the truth,” Valeri says and then laughs while he gets to work on his second meal.
“I got eleven today,” I tell him, and then smile when his grin falls away and he mutters “Fucker” around his French fry.
I laugh and give a wave before walking inside. The dogs run up to me, greeting me with the excitement that only animals seem to be able to accomplish with complete honesty. I give them some love and then immediately take a shower, scrubbing off the blood and grime from the day. Throwing on a pair of joggers and a T-shirt, I grab my phone and try to figure out what the hell to say. I scrub my hand over my face and sigh. I killed eleven fucking men today, but sending a text makes me nervous.
I settle onWhere are you?
While I wait for a reply I kick myself because I’m pretty sure that’s going to come across wrong.
At my mom’s.
I read her text and sigh.When will you be back?
I’m staying here tonight. She has an early appointment. It’s easier if I just stay here.
I’m surprised by how much it upsets me to know she won’t be here tonight and that I’ll have to wait until tomorrow before I can see her again. I pour a very large vodka and send her another text.
I’m sorry I didn’t leave a note, kiska. I got called away very early and just now got back.
