Lily falls asleep against my shoulder in the back seat, thumb tucked near her mouth, breathing soft and even. I keep one arm around her, the other hand pressed flat against my knee to hide the shaking.
We leave the city lights behind and turn down a narrow road. No big terminal, no glowing signs. Just a tall fence, a gate, and a couple of low buildings with a few scattered lights. A small private airport, quiet and almost empty.
The car stops near a hangar. I can see a jet on the tarmac, smaller than a commercial plane, sleek and waiting.
I swallow. “Where are you taking me?” I ask.
Aleksander gets out first, says something low to the driver, then opens my door and takes the bag from my hand. He looks tired, but his eyes are steady.
“Wherever you want,” he says.
I blink. “What do you mean?”
“You wanted to disappear, remember?” His mouth twitches, not quite a smile. “I’m giving you that.”
He shifts his weight, glances toward the jet, then back at me. “I’ve transferred a substantial amount of funds into your account,” he says. “More than enough. You can do whatever you want with it. New name, new country, new life. No strings.”
“Where does the plane go?” I manage.
“Canada,” he says. “From there, you can fly anywhere you choose. Separate booking, under whatever name you want. I won’t know where you end up.”
I hug Lily a little tighter. She stirs, mumbling into my shoulder, then settles again.
“So that’s it?” I ask quietly. “You drop us off and…that’s it?”
“That’s me keeping my word,” he says. His voice is calm, but his jaw is tight. “You and Lily out of my mother’s reach. Out of this mess. With enough money that you never have to look over your shoulder again unless you choose to.”
All I can think is:I don’t want to walk up that staircase without him.
“I don’t even know where I’d go,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper.
He looks at me for a long moment. “Anywhere that isn’t here is an improvement,” he says. “Someplace quiet. Cold, maybe. Lily would like snow.”
The way he says it makes my throat close. Like he’s picturing it and already knows he won’t be there.
He nods toward the jet. “The crew is vetted. They don’t ask questions. Once you land, you’re free. No one is waiting for you on the other side.”
Free.
I adjust Lily in my arms, her small fingers tightening in my sweater even in sleep. There’s a nagging sensation in the back of my mind—something missing, something I forgot—but I can’t drag it forward. Bunny. The hospital room. Nikolai’s limp. It all blurs.
“Bella,” Aleksander says softly.
I look up.
“This is the only way I know to keep you safe,” he says. “You don’t owe me anything. You don’t have to wait for me. You don’t have to think about me at all, if that’s what you want.”
“That’s not how it works,” I say, and my voice cracks.
For a second, the mask slips. Just a second. His eyes go dark and pained, like he wants to say something and bites it back.
Then it’s gone again. He straightens a little. “They’re ready for you,” he says. “I’ll walk you to the stairs.”
I nod, even though my legs feel like they might give out. I shift Lily to my hip and take a step forward, toward the plane, toward everything I said I wanted.
Away from him.
“I need to pee,” Lily mumbles against my shoulder, voice small and sleepy.
