Chapter 4
700 Words
Later, I act sleepy so she’ll leave me alone. I know her routine, she’ll go with some guards to pick up Jayden from school in a few hours. Niko usually goes with them when he’s around. Why is he even here now? I thought he and Aleksei left yesterday.
He saw me at my most pathetic.
What am I even saying? I’ve always been pathetic. Crying my way out of trouble, using tears to win, pretending it’s strength. Maybe I became what I pretended to be.
The money Silas sent me for a “job well done” still sits untouched. I’ll use it to get to Oman and from there, I’ll figure the rest out. I wish I had the time, or the courage, to seduce Niko and make him protect me, but he’s clearly in love with Claire. That will never happen.
I mean, look at her. She used to call herself the ugly duckling, but she’s long outgrown that lie. Aleksei loves her, worships her. And now there’s Niko. I never stood a chance. He’s too good for a fraud like me.
Soon my bags are packed. I can’t afford a flight, so I’ll take a train, and once I reach the border city, I’ll catch a plane from there. The money should be enough. Silas paid me for my life, after all. I almost laugh. That’s what it’s worth, a one-way ticket out.
The guards at the gate see me dragging my bags through the rain. They don’t ask questions, just wave me through. The cold, damp air hits my face as I step into it. A hateful part of me looks back at the mansion I’m leaving behind, warmth, security. Luxury I’ll never see again.
If Craff wasn't hunting me, I might have wanted to stay. But this is it. I refuse to become a burden, to be pitied. Especially not by Claire. Maybe it’s just pride, but it’s all I have left.
Tears well in my eyes, and I want to slap myself for it. Are they real? I can’t even tell anymore. They keep falling anyway, sliding down my cold face as I walk toward the bus station.
It takes almost an hour to reach the train station. By the time I get there, I’m so drained I could fall asleep standing. I buy a ticket and board the train.
When I find a seat, I collapse into it and close my eyes. The train lurches forward, rumbling beneath me. I run a hand through my hair, only for it to snag in the tangled mess. I didn’t even brush it. I must look a fright.
When I turn my head, there’s a man sitting across the aisle, staring straight at me.
I blink back at him, but he doesn’t look away.
An admirer? Even when I look like this? I get admirers all the time, but–my gaze drops to the bulge in his jacket.
No. Crap. Crap.
That’s not an admirer. That’s someone dangerous.
Don’t tell me it’s Craff’s men. My breath cease, cold pours over my skin like someone dumped ice water on me. I turn my face away, clutch my bag close, and try to act like I don’t know what’s happening.
What do I do? Am I overthinking?
There’s no way Craff knows what I’m doing. He can’t possibly know I’m on this train.
God, what do I do?
My fingers start shaking as I reach for my phone. That’s when something cold presses against my back. A knife. My whole body goes rigid, blood draining so fast I feel dizzy.
“Don’t do anything. Pass me the phone. Now.”
The gruff voice orders, and my trembling hand reaches behind me with the phone. He snatches it away, his long nails dragging across my skin.
“Just do as I say and you’ll be fine.”
“Who are you people?” I whisper, knowing they won’t want to alert the other passengers, otherwise they’d just start shooting.
“Who we are isn’t important. You’re part of the Drognov family, right?”
Drognov?
My mind blanks for a split second. Craff’s men wouldn’t know that…Would they?
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