Page 21 of My Ex’s Dad

No matter how boldly she’s already captured my attention while we’re stuck here.

9

LILIANA

Anton doesn’t come back after he takes a call. From the sound of it, he’s fielding one after another. The reception’s clearly better on his end. I can use my phone too, but there’s no hope of getting a ride out of here.

Before I can take off, I’ll need to figure out how to compensate Anton for hitting his car.

“Is your neck all right?”

I glance up at Viktor, who’s still eating the breakfast I made while I begin to handle the dishes.

“Oh. Yeah. It’s feeling better.” I clear my throat, glad Anton’s assistant is here. “While I have a moment to speak with you, could you please tell me who I should contact to arrange the car repairs?”

Going through Viktor makes more sense than having to deal with Anton directly. As soon as I can get out of here, I’ll never see him again.

“I’ll make sure to provide you with whatever Anton wants.”

I glance up, frowning at his wording. He makes it sound like Anton is going to have the final say in if I pay for the damages. I will. There’s not a chance in hell I want to be indebted to Anton. Or Roman. That’s part of this clean cut I want. Why I came here to get my things and never have a link to Roman Sokolov again.

But I do.

I have this connection with his father now.

I cringe, feeling so awkward about how of all the men on this planet, Anton Sokolov is the one I met here last night.

Done with the dishes and not in the mood to hunt down Anton while he’s holed up in that huge office on the phone, I grab my phone from upstairs. It needs charging, so I take it to the massive kitchen where the wireless dock can bring it back to life. While I wait for the bare minimum of power, I dig out my notebook and review the notes I made a couple of weeks ago, when I wanted the logistics on what it takes to start an official delivery service for the bakery.

With my phone partly charged, I pick it up and call Jenni. A long line of notifications waits for me, but going through her spares me my parents’ worried messages. She’s probably at the bakery now and can tell them I’m okay.

She picks up on the first ring.

“I’m alive,” I greet.

She heaves out a deep breath. “It’s about time you called!”

I smile, even though I hate to have them so concerned. It’s nice that she does care though. Losing my bestie to my ex stings. It’s good to remember that there are other people in this world who care about me and value me.

After I hurry to explain to Jenni that the car skidded off the road and that I’m snowed in at the Sokolov vacation home, she relaxes more.

“Are you hurt?”

“No.” Yes. But this pain between my legs is a good one, a naughty reminder of how Anton stretched me. “I’m fine.” Skipping the part of how I crashed my car. For them to know that I’m alive, unharmed, and safe, is enough for now.

“Well, I hope the roads are cleared soon. We need you back.”

I frown at her tone. “What’s going on?” I wince. “I haven’t even been out of the city for a full twenty-four hours.”

“This morning, that damn loan shark came by again,” she says, heated.

Oh, shit.

So far, I’ve been the one to handle Markus. The loan “officer” from the company Roman pushed on my parents to keep them from going bankrupt is not a polite man to deal with. He’s rude. Strict. Unforgiving. Every time he’s contacted us at the bakery, I’ve run interference and stood up to him. All those constant mentions of the contract. How he supposedly wants to renegotiate the terms.

“What did he say now?”

“Don’t worry,” Jenni says, exasperated. “I didn’t sign anything.”