"You don’t, but I knowyou. This is going to sound unhinged, but please hear me out.”
“Uh, okay? Sorry, if you’re trying to sell me something, it’s way too late. Maybe you can call me?—“
Gabe steps closer and puts one hand on my door. My heart thuds rapidly. There’s nothing outwardly threatening in the gesture but I feel like I’m peering into the open mouth of a very handsome, very hungry lion. I want him to snap his jaws shut—if only so I get to taste his mouth.
His eyes hold mine.
“Nika, listen to me. This is important. I know it sounds impossible, but your life is in danger, and I’m here to get you to safety.”
I let out a strangled grunt of confused terror. What the heck is going on right now? I step back and the door shudders as he pushes against it, but the chain holds. “What do you mean, my life’s in danger?” Panic threatens to overcome me.
“Please, let me in and we can talk.”
I shake my head, though he can’t see me now. He’s looking in through the slit in the doorway and I keep waiting for him to break it down. This can’t be happening. Why is there a stupid gorgeous man on my doorstep holding a wedding dress and telling me that my life’s in danger?
“Sorry, but no. This isn’t funny. Did Catherine send you? I know it was wrong to hit Jason, but she doesn’t need to?—“
“Nika, this isn’t about your old job. This is about you. It’s about your aunt and your family. Please, I can explain, if you let me inside.”
I hold a hand up to stop him. Isn’t that what they always want?Just let me inside. But I’ve seen enough movies to know, you never invite the stranger in, especially when they’re making vague threats while holding a wedding dress.
“Sorry, but I can’t. I don’t know you. I’m going to close the door now.” I lean against it, but Gabe doesn’t back down. “Please go away. I’ll start screaming if you don’t.” Although I really doubt anyone’s going to hear, considering the noise next door.
“I know this is strange, but Yelena sent me. She said to tell you it’s happening. What she warned you about. Please, I can explain everything.”
I let out a low groan and close my eyes. Aunt Yelena warned me about a lot of things. She said,never leave the windows open atnight, the temperature change will make you sick, and she said,without effort you might as well be crawling on treadmill, and she loved to say,you’re too pretty to wear that, cover up. But most of all, most nights, she’d stand in the doorway to my room and scowl at me and say,one day this is all going tits up, my love, be prepared to run.
I don’t keep a packed bag anymore. Not since I moved out and Yelena left me.
“No, I’m sorry, but no.” I push harder against the door. “I don’t know who you are, but I don’t believe anything you’re saying and I’m really not interested. Please, go away now.”
Gabe still resists. “Nika, your father’s enemies are coming. You knew this would happen one day, didn’t you? Yelena must have warned you. That’s why I’m here. Please, open up before it’s too late.”
“No, thank you!” I kick the door, trying to jam it closed. “Go away now! I don’t know anything about my father and I definitely don’t have enemies. I’m boring! Please leave!”
A hand jams in through the crack. I yelp and leap back, terrified he’s trying to grab for me, afraid he’s going to get the chain and slide it off?—
Except a necklace dangles from his fingers.
It’s a plain silver chain. Yelena never did like anything fancy. A simple silver cross hangs at the end alongside a very basic, very beat-up key. I remember asking her one time what the key unlocked, and she looked me dead in the eye and said,the safe where I keep my gun, keep asking and I’ll show you, now go clean your room.
Aunt Yelena wore that necklace every single day, right up until the afternoon she disappeared.
Which means one of two things.
Either Gabe really does know my aunt, really does know my family, and is telling the truth.
Or he killed Aunt Yelena and now he’s here to finish me off.
But why wear a suit? Why bring a wedding dress? If he wanted me dead, he could’ve just pointed a gun at my face and pulled the trigger.
It’s a decent building, but notthatnice. It’s not like we have cameras.
He’d definitely get away with it.
I screw my eyes shut. This can’t be happening right now. I got groped and fired from the only job I ever liked. I’m artistically blocked, which makes me super crabby. And I got my period this morning.
I don’t know what to do. All my life, Aunt Yelena’s been there to help, her or the men that always lurk nearby. But they’ve been gone since she vanished. I’m more alone now than I’ve ever been, and it’s not like I’ve ever had friends. The second I’ve gotten close to anyone, boys or girls or even teachers, they pull away like I’m contagious.
