I shake my head. “I don’t think I can eat. Maybe I’ll have something later. You didn’t answer my question. Are you going to force me to marry one of them?”
He heaved a sigh, and I was terrified that he was going to let me down. “No, I won’t force you to marry one of them. I didn’t know they were monsters.”
“Thank you,” I say.
He pulls me close to his side and kisses the top of my head. “No thanks needed. I’ll find someone worthy of you.”
I stiffen at his words, but he doesn’t notice. We continue the ride in silence as I contemplate how to get through to him. I don’t want to marry someone of his choosing. I chew on my bottom lip as I consider how to approach him. However, by the time we reach home, I haven’t figured out what to say. Dejectedly, I enter the front door to find Nadia waiting with a tray.
“Igor called and said you could use something hot to drink and something light to eat. I put together a tray. I’ll follow you up.”
“Thank you, Nadia. Our girl was spectacular tonight,” my father beams at me. I manage a small smile, but I can’t be excited about his praise. His insistence in marrying me off is creating a wedge between us.
When we reach my room, Nadia places the tray on my desk before turning to me. “How are you feeling after the performance? Was it everything you hoped?”
I smile at her as I sit on the bed to remove my shoes. “It was amazing. I loved every minute of it.”
“I can’t wait to see you. Your father has arranged for half the staff to attend the next performance, while the other half will attend the following one. I bought a new dress for it.”
Rising, I hug her and thank her. “I will think of you while I’m on the stage,” I promise her. “Did Skylar call?” I ask, wondering what happened to my friend after she disappeared from the party.
“No, I thought she would be with you.”
“I thought so, too. She must have had something to do. I’m sure I’ll hear from her tomorrow.”
Nadia leaves me so I can change. I pick up the cup of hot chocolate and take a sip before carrying it into the bathroom and placing it on the counter. All I want to do is take a nice hot bath. Movement in the mirror has me crying out in alarm. I expect to see Artem, Pavlov, or Oleg, but the person moving from behind my door is someone I never expected to see. Someone who could be a ghost.
“Alexi?” I whisper as he crosses the room and pulls me in for a hug.
The tears fall as I weep at how good it is to hug him again. I never thought I’d see him again. But here he is in my bathroom.
“How?” I ask, pulling back to stare into his eyes. He’s changed his appearance. He’s gaunter than he was, and he looks more rugged with his beard and longer hair.
“It’s a long story. I had to see you. I’ve missed you so much,” Alexi says, crushing me to him again.
“Does father know…?”
“No, not yet. I wanted to see you first.”
“You were at the theater. I thought I saw you.”
“I saw your performance. You were amazing. I’m so proud of you.”
“Where have you been?”
“It’s a long story. I promise to tell you everything, but I don’t have much time. I need to get back to the hotel…” he stops talking when his phone rings. He pulls it from his pocket and curses. “It’s Vladimir. I have to take this.”
“Vladimir?” I ask as he accepts the call. He nods.
“I’m heading back,” he says. “I had a stop to make. Anya? What about her? They did what?” His eyes lock with mine, and I see the anger burning inside him. If it’s the same Vladimir, and I’m fairly certain it is, he’s likely telling my brother about the attack in my dressing room. “I’m with Anya now. I’ll bring her with me.”
When he ends the call, he grabs me gently by the arms. “Vladimir told me about the attack. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Vladimir arrived in time to stop them. I take it we’re talking about the same Vladimir? Vladimir Zoloth?” Alexi nods. “How do you know him?”
“He’s the one who rescued me from Ukraine and smuggled me into the United States. If it weren’t for him, I’d be dead. He brought me here on a ship. We sailed for two weeks, which gave me the time I needed to heal.”
“How did he do it? Rescue you, I mean?”
