I walk out of the office and downstairs, leaving the club and standing on the curb. It doesn’t take long for my car to pull up, and I climb into the back. “Take me home.”
“Yes, sir,” the driver says.
I remember the night that Penny and I fell into bed together. It was a delicious night and a lot of fun. I do hope she’ll get over this silly little fear of hers and see that we could make quite the power couple if she is willing to take my advice.
My phone goes off with an email, and I check it. It’s from Danil. He already has information about Penny from her work. I read through her HR file and note she’s quiet but diligent. She’s clearly a good employee because she’s making the company a lot of money. Yet that night, it seemed as though she was having a terrible time at work.
Possibly just a bad day? I try to recall what we talked about. It was something about working hard and not being appreciated. Maybe she didn’t get an increase she applied for or didn’t get a promotion. Or perhaps they’re just taking advantage of her. Thank fuck I don’t have to work for a boss. My personality type would not do well with being fucked around like that.
Maybe as a wedding gift, I’ll pay her company a little visit. I smirk at the notion. I dive further into the HR files and see a note made that she has been unhappy after being passed for the promotion. Ah, so it was a promotion.
The driver pulls up to my house, and I walk out. She didn’t get to appreciate my home when she was here. When she’s living here, I’m sure she’ll be happy with the large mansion and the several acres of land surrounding it. Maybe I’ll build her a stable with some horses. Girls love horses, right?
I walk in and close my emails. They need to find her before she does something drastic. I doubt she’s gotten further than a state or two away, and if she thinks my power is limited to Vegas, she’s sorely mistaken.
Chapter 6 - Penny
It’s been two days, almost to the exact hour, since we left Asher’s house, and I am sick with worry. I feel terrible that Asher has been dragged into this, even if she sees it as her fault. I don’t think it is. I could have left with her when she left, and this wouldn’t even be an issue. I have been doing more research on Kervyn, and he is an exceptionally dangerous man linked to various crimes. We picked up a basic laptop, and I’ve been using it to research Kervyn.
We’re a few miles outside Vegas, hiding close enough not to be noticed. Asher is right. They’re probably looking further out for us, thinking we’re trying to put as much distance between us and Vegas as possible.
We’re still too scared to leave our cabin, though. We take our meals in here through room service, and we don’t ever go out. I don’t know what the cabin owner thinks, but I don’t really care. These are our lives we are talking about. I’m scared we’ll be seen if we set foot outside of the cabin, but I also know logically that we can’t sit in this cabin for the rest of our lives.
I stare at the wall as I rest on the bed we share. It all feels so hopeless, and a part of me wonders if I shouldn’t surrender and just go to Kervyn so that Asher can continue on with her life.
Asher nudges me. “Hey. I know that face. Stop blaming yourself.”
“I can’t help it,” I say as I sit up.
“Yes, you can. I’m tired of hiding in this cabin. We’re going to book a flight out of state because I assume they’re mainly watching the roads. Plus, the airport will be a safe public place. We’ll take the next available flight, and from there, we will decide where we go.” She smiles. “You and I are having an adventure. Look at it that way.”
“Except our adventure is that our lives are upended completely,” I pout.
She smiles and pulls me into a hug. “It’s okay. We’re going to be okay.”
She gets up and grabs the laptop, turning it on. She pulls up a list of flights and scans through them. I sit on the edge of the bed, watching her. “Anything good?”
“In three hours, there’s a flight leaving for New York. We can get there and immediately book another flight out of the country using cash. I packed our passports so we could pick somewhere that we could easily hide. I mean, the Caribbean sounds like a dream place to raise a kid.”
I smile. “You just want to tan with all those hunky men around you.”
She smiles back at me. “Men is how we got into trouble. I don’t think I’ll be engaging with the opposite sex for a while.”
“Let’s get packed then. Book the flight so we can check in and get going. Once we’ve landed, we’ll find the first available flight out of America.” I get up and start packing up our suitcase.
After a few moments, Asher shuts down. “It’s booked. We can print tickets at the airport.”
I nod. “Okay, we need to check out and get to the airport. If we get there with time to spare, we can just check in and find a restaurant to hang out in until it’s time to fly.”
“I’ll be packed, refreshed, and ready to go in the next hour. We’re going to be okay,” she keeps reassuring me, but I don’t know if she’s comforting me or herself more.
I get freshened up so I don’t look like I’ve been living in a bed in a cabin for two days and then help Asher take our bags to the car before we go to the reception building to officially check out and thank the owner for letting us pay in cash.
We shiver as we walk in. Three guys are sitting near the window, but we don’t pay them any mind, keeping to ourselves instead. Asher puts the key on the counter.
“Thank you for having us. We’re going to go ahead and check out now.” She smiles.
The owner looks at her thoughtfully. “Thank you for being such amazing guests. I’m sorry you’re not staying longer.”
Asher smiles, turns around to face me, looks past me, and freezes. “Oh no.”
I turn around slowly. The three guys who were sitting near the window are now lined up behind us, and walking through the door is none other than Kervyn’s brother Luka.
“Ladies. You have been difficult to track, but the Milov family always finds the people they’re looking for.” He smiles at Asher specifically. “If we hadn’t already been using more advanced means to track you, the flight booking would have sealed it anyway.”
“We would have been out of here before you tracked that.” Asher is defiant, and it makes me worried. I take her hand and squeeze it.
I look at Luka pleadingly. “Please, don’t hurt us. Please, I’m begging you. Leave Asher and take me. Don’t hurt her.”
“I’m going to have to insist that you both come with me. Kervyn wants to see both of you.” Luka gestures for us to walk out, and I shake my head.
“Please, no.” I turn around to the owner. “Please, he’ll kill us. They’re going to kill us. Please call the police! Do anything.”
The owner looks at us sadly. Luka walks forward, and I flinch, expecting him to manhandle us, but instead, he slides a thick brick of notes across the counter. “Your cooperation is duly noted and appreciated by the Milov family.”
The owner looks at us and shakes his head. Taking the money, he walks into the back office and shuts the door.
“Now, if you do kick up a fuss, I am going to have to do something about it.” Luka first looks at me, then at Asher. “I really don’t want to do that since I like both of you. So, Leon and I will drive with you in your car to Kervyn’s home. The other two lads will follow us in their car. Got it?” He raises an eyebrow.
Asher nods. “Swear you won’t hurt us though?”
“I swear. Kervyn has no intention to hurt either of you. Especially not Penny because of her current state.” Luka holds his hand out. “Keys?”
Asher reluctantly puts them in his hand, laces our fingers together, and leads me to our car. We get in the back, squished with the luggage. Luka and the guard both put the child lock on the door so we can’t get out. When Luka gets in the driver's side, he locks the windows as well. “Just a precaution,” he comments.
We are silent while we drive, but Luka and the guards speak a lot, quickly, and in Russian. I don’t know if they’re talking about us or something completely different, but it makes me scared.
I hate conflict and seldom stand up for myself. I need to this time, though. I need to say no to Kervyn. I need to protect Asher. Asher is still holding my hand in the car and squeezes it as though she senses my feelings.
Once we’re within the walls of the estate, Luka drives us to the front door, where more guards are waiting.
As soon as Asher gets out of the car, two guards take her by the arms and start leading her inside. I quickly try to follow, but Luka stops me. “You’re parting ways here temporarily. Don’t worry, it won’t be for long.”
I follow Luka, looking around as we walk in. This is not the apartment where we made love that night. What might have been a mysterious but inviting home, feels ominous to me, and I am hesitant to continue when a guard gently takes my arm and starts leading me upstairs. I am taken to a room, escorted in, and then they leave.
Just like that.
The door is shut, and I hear the lock click into place. I immediately rush to the window, but they are barred. There is no exiting through them. I pace around the room, looking for a weapon of some sort, but even if I find something to club them with, they probably have guns. Oh shit, what if they have guns and take us out and shoot us. Isn’t that what Mafia people do?
