Page 42 of Arseni

Her eyes hold so much anxiety in them, they twitch.She’s rigid in my lap, and for once, I don’t think it has to do with me.

Just how traumatized is she?

“Margot… Your stalker did not break into my house.How would he even know who I am, let alone that I have you?”

“He was at the park the night you took me.He would’ve seen everything.And he?—”

“If he’d followed me, I would’ve noticed the tail.”

She shakes her head, flustered.“He wouldn’t have had to follow you.Arseni, please just listen to me… He isdangerous.What happened today is nothing compared to what he’ll do tomorrow.Or the next day.Or the next day.Or the next.”

Her worried expression is dead serious.I look over it for a moment, searching for some sign that she’s exaggerating.She sounds like a fucking nut.

“Okay,” I say in an attempt to appease her.“What do you suggest I do about this oh-so-dangerous man?”

More dangerous than me, apparently.

Still with a straight face… “You have to let me go.”

My eyes pop as a laugh launches from my chest.I hold her in place when she tries to climb from my lap.

“You are fuckingadorable,” I say, tears filling my eyes from laughing so hard.

She got me.Shereallygot me.

What an incredible actress.

“I’mserious, Arseni.He’s insane.He won’t see this as you kidnapping me; he’ll see this as betrayal.He willruinme, and he’ll do the same to you.”

“Okay, Margot.”I nod and wipe moisture from beneath my eyes.“I know I haven’t explicitly told you this, but… My boss is the former Pakhan of the Petrov Bratva, and technically, you belong to him.Do you think he’s going to be afraid of some freak who forgot to take his meds?”

“It’syouwho should be afraid.”She doesn’t even blink.She looks as crazed as the man she’s describing.

I open my mouth to argue some more, but I can see in her eyes, she doesn’t want to hear it.She’s delusional, but I’m certain she’s not actually crazy.Just plagued with the psychosis that comes with prolonged periods of fear.

“Why don’t you tell me who he is so I can be on guard then?Who knows, maybe I’ll even be able to use my mediocre skills to defend myself.”

I don’t think for a second he broke into my place.I don’t even think he knows who I am.I’m not even sure he exists.

But if he does, I’ll kill him.For no other reason than to put an end to this nonsense.

She bites her lip and looks away.“I don’t know his name.”

That’s a lie.An obvious one.

“Do you know what he looks like?”

She shakes her head.“I’ve only seen vague silhouettes at night.”

I blink at her, annoyance brewing.At first, this was funny, but I’m quickly getting over it.

“How long has he been stalking you?”I ask, now pretty fucking sure she’s making this up.I can’t believe she’d think something like this could work.It’s insulting, and the longer we sit here, the more I want to push her off of me.

She shrugs like she can’t remember.

For God sakes.

Rolling my eyes, I shove Margot off me.She yelps as her ass slams on the kitchen tile.“Well, this has been fun, but I think that’s enough bullshit for one night.”