I didn’t know whether she meant the mess on the floor or the absolute ruins that my life was about to be, but I didn’t wait around to find out. Clutching my stomach in one arm and with the other over my mouth so everyone would think I was sick, I ran as fast as my swollen feet would take me.
I didn’t stop at the bathroom. Instead, I pushed my way into the storeroom and then out to the bright sunlight at the back of the building. Taking a second, I tried to get my heart to slow down, but I could have counted to a million, and it still would be going a million miles an hour.
I didn’t know how the hell he had found me, but that had been close. Too close. My arms curled around my stomach so I could move more freely. I wobbled forward. If I could just get to my room, I could hide away until he left again.
No one knew my name, and even if they did, the staff here weren’tthe kind of people to give information out to strangers. I would be safe, if I could just get to my room.
“Amy?” A man stepped in front of me. One second, the space was clear, and the next, it was taken up with a tall extremely handsome Russian in a navy suit. Fuck.
“Excuse me?” I wobbled closer and tried to move past him. “Sir.”
There was a pause as I brushed past him, and he tracked and blocked my path. “Are you really going to pretend you don’t know me, Amy?” His hand curled around my arm, and I froze, staring down at it before lifting my eyes to meet him.
It was stupid to think I could pull off not knowing him, but it was the only thing I could do.
“I am really sorry, sir,” I snatched my arm back. “But I think you have the wrong woman. My name isn’t Amy.”
Moving as fast as I could, I walked away from him, trying not to rush because that would give me away. I had taken five steps before he was in front of me again.
“Enough of this, Amy. I would recognize you anywhere.” He reached for me, sliding his fingers down my cheek and smiling like he had missed me more than life itself. “Even if your hair isn’t the same.” His eyes darted from my face and dropped lower.
I knew the moment he took notice of the huge beachball-size bump because his eyes widened, and his mouth fell open. It was like he had just noticed, which was just silly. It was impossible not to notice my massive bump.
“Amy,” he breathed. “Amy! Are you still pregnant? Oh, Jesus Christ, I thought I was seeing things, that it was just wishful thinking, but you really are.”
“For the last time, sir.” I couldn’t help it. My voice shook. This was all wrong. He couldn’t find me now. I settled here. I was happy. “My name isn’t Amy, and yes, it’s pretty obvious that I’m pregnant.”
“You’re still pregnant.” He crushed me to his chest. His arms were like two steel vices around me as he knocked the wind out of me. “Oh, Amy, I’ve been looking for you for so long. I thought you had lost the baby. I thought you were dead. Why didn’t you call me?”
I shoved at his chest. “Please let go of me.”
“Did I hurt you?”
He seemed genuinely concerned, but I had been down this road with him before. Nothing was ever what it seemed. For a brief moment, I remembered what I had seen last week with Violet and Kristoff, and I felt sorry for him, but it was short-lived. Alexei didn’t deserve sympathy.
“Are you?” he stepped back, his eyes moving over me. “Are you and the baby alright?”
I heaved one last attempt at pretending I didn’t know him, and then I would need to think of a different plan.
“Fine, thank you, sir. If you’d like something to eat, you can go in.” I pointed to the diner. “The apple pie is particularly good.”
Even as I spoke, the door to the office opened, and my boss appeared with a baseball bat swinging against his leg and his bald head glinting in the sun. “Everything OK out here, A?” He eyed the man blocking my path like he wanted to take a swing at his head.
Exasperated, I sighed. The game was up. I couldn’t deny who I was any longer. It was stupid to even try anyway.
“It’s fine. I’ll be back in a second. I’m almost done here. “Defiantly, I lifted my eyes to meet my husband’s. “What are you doing here, Alexei?”
A triumphant smile spread across his face. “I knew it was you.” He reached a hand out, not to touch my face, but to press it against my stomach, and I stumbled backwards.
“Don’t touch me,” I snapped, my voice rising. Protectively, I crossed my arms. “What are you doing here, Alexei? I’m trying to work.”
Dark eyebrows slammed down. “I’m not allowed to touch my child?”
“No.” I didn’t know where this new-found strength was coming from, but I kind of liked it. Arms still crossed, I stamped away from him, knowing full well he would follow. “No, you don’t get to touch me without my consent, Alexei. Whether I am carrying your child or not. You made your choice.”
My door was in view now. And I let out a sigh of relief. Of course, a thin wooden door would not keep Alexei out, not much would, but my little room was home, and I would feel better with a wall between us. Or maybe a continent. The thought made my lips curl up in a smile.
“Is that smile for me?”
