“Is he your boyfriend? Do you have feelings for him?”
I shook my head. Just the idea was laughable. Alex, the kid who used to pee on the playground and I’d call for his nanny. It was kind of hard to form romantic feelings, then. “No, we were just friends. I don’t want this marriage. I just… for once I…” Frustration laced my voice. “I’ve always lived by the rules, followed them religiously, thinking it was better than fighting… mostly they suited me. But this one… I can’t,” I finished lamely.
But how could I explain to this man, who probably lived his life as he chose, the meaning of obligation and the other things running through my mind during my growing-up years? Sometimes when you grew up in wealth, you felt like you owed your parents, even if it wasn't the case.
But I refused to give up my love life on the altar of their ambitions. The line had to be drawn somewhere to stop this madness.
“And you’re running away to Russia, because…?”
Was it amusement I saw in his gray eyes?
“To have some time to think about how to proceed… without my father constantly threatening me.”
“Is that all?” Why wasn't he satisfied with my answer? It sure sounded better than the truth.
“Fine. For adventure. My life is nothing but dull. I never break the rules. I’m tired of living like this.” Oh my God, who said stuff like that to a hot guy? He’d think I was freaking nuts.
Radmir chuckled, to my surprise, and then his hands slid lower as he placed them on my hips, raising me almost to my toes so that our eyes would lock and our lips were inches away from each other. “Russia is a good choice for that,” he murmured, and I closed my eyes, expecting something and not caring in the least that we had just met and how odd it was. After all, people didn't know much about each other during one-night stands either, but it was enough for them to have sex. Not that I knew it from firsthand experience, because in the past, I preferred a steady relationship.
But I’d make an exception for him.
“Come,” he suddenly said, breaking the moment and the mood. He opened the door, and for a second, bright light blinded me and I had to put my hand on my forehead to block it out.
Holding my hand in his, he moved toward the pilots’ cabin instead of the first-class cabin, and I stopped in my tracks, pointing at the back. “You’re going the wrong way.” He ignored my words, just tugged harder on our joined hands, and I had no choice but to follow.
He stepped inside, where one pilot sat pressing some buttons. He greeted Radmir with a smile and nod. The second pilot’s seat was empty.
Huh?
Didn’t two guys usually operate the commercial flights? Where the hell was he if the plane was about to takeoff?
“Oleg, this is Vi. She’ll be with us for the duration of the flight.”
The pilot saluted me, while removing his cap from his head, and picking up the radio. “Boeing flight 103 is ready for takeoff.” Then he pressed the off button, leaned back in the seat, and flashed me a wide grin. “Have you been in the cockpit before?”
“Umm, no.”
Radmir reached behind me, and in a second, a seat in the middle between the two pilots’ seats appeared. He pointed at it. “Sit,krasivoglazaya, and enjoy this beautiful flight.”
Too stunned to question it, I plastered my ass on the seat while wondering how he could decide something like this, when he ended up in the second pilot seat, putting on headphones and flicking some switches. He fastened his seatbelt and then raised a brow at me as my mouth opened and closed in shock.
He was going to fly this freaking plane?
The stewardess chose that moment to walk in. Her eyes widened noticing me, but she quickly covered it up and said, “The doors are closed. We’re ready when you are.”
Oleg nodded as she left. He was saying, “Ladies and gentlemen, this is the captain speaking. I’d like to….”
I didn't listen to what he said, because Radmir softly caressed my cheek and then whispered into my ear, low enough only for me to hear. “Get ready for your adventure.” And just like that, I ended up on a flight to Moscow with a sovietnik of the Bratva as my pilot.
But I’d learn all this later. Back in that moment, the only feeling rushing through me was utter happiness at finally doing something wild with a handsome stranger.
Logical and rational it was not.
But because it was not, I had freedom. And what could possibly be better than that?
Radmir
Studying modern New York from the window of my limo made me wonder one more time what the fucking appeal of this city was to everyone.
