I am panicking. Ex-girlfriend. Not gorgeous relative. Not harmless cousin. This woman, this vision who looks like she walks on hearts, is his ex.
The thought loops and loops in my brain. I can’t even take in the man I meet next, the Pakhan, Aleksei’s father. I’m almost in a daze. He doesn’t speak a word of English and I can’t absorb a thing.
As we step out of the elevator, yes, there’s an elevator in this house, Aleksei watches me carefully.
“Are you alright?” he asks.
I inhale deeply, trying to anchor myself.
Don’t spiral, Claire. It’s just his ex. But it’s crazy. Why would he dump that? Or did she dump him?
Wait, what is she even doing here?
It’s like me showing up at Austin’s parents’ place after we broke up. I didn’t even visit them during the relationship, why would I go after
