“Who cleans your room?” Even I could hear loud and clear the jealousy in my voice, and his brows rose in amusement.
“You’re cute when you’re jealous.”
Not in the mood for his jokes, I folded my arms and tapped my foot. “It’s not an answer to my question.”
“It's not?” Suddenly, all the humor vanished from his eyes as he traced my chin, raising it. “I haven't touched another woman since the first time my eyes landed on you. I thought I made that clear.” Butterflies erupted inside me as happiness slipped into my bones at the idea he had stayed faithful through all this time. Even though he said as much during sex, I didn't know if I should believe him. Just the idea of someone else touching him killed me, and even though it was unrealistic to expect fidelity from him during the last five months’ separation, I did.
A hard knock on the door burst the bubble around us, as Kostya yelled, “Your kid woke up and is asking for his parents.”
“Oh no, he is probably scared.” Without thinking about the whole plan thing, I rushed outside and hugged Kostya. “Hey, man, long time no see.”
He stood there stunned and then muttered, “Hey, Vi.” Then he asked Radmir, “What’s going on?” I dashed back downstairs and found Jake with trembling lips and hugged him close. “Shh, honey. Mama’s here.”
“I woke up alone.”
Wiping the tears away, I kissed his forehead. “I’m sorry, honey. We thought you would sleep longer.” No more of those plans if they stressed my child like that. I should have thought about it before.
“Vivian, can we have a minute?” Radmir joined us and ruffled Jake’s hair. “One second, little buddy.” Then he grabbed my elbow, moving me to the far corner, and hissed, “I told you to stay put.”
“Jake was crying. I won’t just blindly follow some plan when my child is alone.”
“He wasn't alone, damn it!” He tugged his hair. “He is a boy, not a girl. He can handle it. You are babying him too much.”
Too shocked to even say anything, I opened and closed my mouth a few times before taking a deep breath.
But fuck it.
“Are you out of your freaking mind?” Some members stopped what they were doing as I shouted at him.
“We need to find him, Vi. Or he will hurt Jake.”
“Why would he hurt him?”
“Because he binds us together forever.” Now this psycho was after my son? “Rosa is going ice-skating at the Kremlin. Let him go with them. It’ll give me enough time to see everyone's reaction.”
“Absolutely not! She is a stranger. And besides that, it’s a new country for him, and you want to send my baby God knows where?”
“Please trust me, Vi,” he asked and then took the decision from me as he addressed Rosa, who had Jake plastered against her leg, and asked if he could go with her. “Could you please do it? I don’t want him to hear all this.”
Rose glared at him, but without another word, she urged Jake outside as the car waited for them while he waved at me.
As they left, worry didn't leave my gut as I rubbed my hand above my heart. I hoped Radmir was not mistaken and nothing would happen to my baby.
I wasn't sure I would forgive him if Jake became collateral damage in this.
“Better be right, Radmir.” I hit him in the chest and sat on the couch, hoping this worry would fade away into nothing.
But life had a funny way of proving me wrong.
Radmir, 10 years old, October
The blazing fire spread around me as the flames ignited everything they touched. Curtains, carpet, and my bed. My scream tore from my mouth right at the moment my dad entered the room. The door banged against the wall as it opened wide. “Radmir, son!” he shouted and then ordered, “Jump into my arms.” Too shocked to even think, I rose on my bed and, grabbing my favorite stuffed animal, I did as he commanded. He caught me just before the fire touched my pajamas.
He hugged me close, pressing my face into his neck. “Shh, don’t be afraid, honey. Just don’t look anywhere, and Daddy will get you out of here.” I felt his chest move and heard the sounds of various objects crashing while my lungs filled with smoke. I tried to breathe in the smell of my daddy as much as possible.
“Ludmila!” he shouted for Mommy. “Ludmila, where are you?” She hadn't replied and fear ran through me, knotting my stomach while I desperately wanted to hear my mother’s voice.
“In here,” she answered weakly. I covered my nose with my hand as Dad moved in the direction of the kitchen, where my mom lay on the floor under the massive kitchen counter, which had fallen on her and trapped her in place. She wiggled and tried to push it away, but it wouldn’t budge. So far, the smoke wasn't as strong here, maybe due to the window being open, which allowed a bit of fresh air.
