Vladimir's POV
I sat at the table, waiting for Liza to come down, trying to calm myself. There was something about the girl that drew me in. I wanted to touch her, and more than that.
She was nothing particularly special—too young, too stubborn, too headstrong, and not striking in appearance. Just an ordinary girl. Yet I still wanted her. She lodged herself under my skin like a splinter I could not remove, giving me no peace.
And she had managed to get herself into serious trouble. Her neck was bruised and marked. Normally, I did not care about anyone else's problems, but I wanted to help Liza. She was not bad, greedy, or deceitful, which meant she deserved my help.
I heard hurried footsteps behind me and lifted my gaze to see her. She stepped into the kitchen, eyes downcast, wearing o
