Page 78 of Arseni

He loves me.

I think I love him too.

“What possible reason could I have to lie?”Nikita asks, his confusion believable.Too believable.

I don’t know how to answer.

He pulls out his phone, his brow furrowed, and brings up a text thread that he holds up for me to see.

I squint at it, inching closer.Arseni’s name is at the top.

I carefully take the phone.The newest messages are from an hour ago, Nikita giving him a location, saying something about a camera being down.Above that are messages from last night.

Nikita - Have you let her go?

Arseni - Not yet.Tomorrow.

Nikita - Tomorrow never comes, son.

Arseni didn’t text back.

My throat pangs as I stare at the screen, trying to read the words in some other way that doesn’t make everything that Nikita said make sense.

Oh my God…

I put my hand over my mouth, tears blurring the words on the screen.Nikita gingerly takes his phone back and rubs an unwelcome hand over my back.I don’t jerk away like I want to.I’m not sure if this man is as evil as I’ve dubbed him.Everything I know about him came from Arseni.

“I have friends in the police department.I called in a favor for you to get that porn situation cleared up… They want you at the station to answer some questions, but I promise you aren’t under arrest.It’s a formality.”

A tear falls to the mattress when I blink, darkening a circular patch on the white sheet.

I should be thrilled at what Nikita is saying, but I’m too numb.

The police know I didn’t do it… I’m not under arrest…

“You should go now.I told them you’d be there by six at the latest.It’s 5:45.”

I still don’t move.

“Margot, you need to leave before Arseni gets back.”

Tipping my head toward Nikita, I blink away tears, trying to push the sadness away with them.

He’s right.I need to leave.

Slowly, I climb to my feet, though I know I should be running.I should be happy to leave and never look back.

As I climb into a car Nikita lends me and pull away, I burst into tears, never feeling more conflicted in my life.

I’m halfway to the police station when I notice the black SUV following close behind.

27

ARSENI

My eyelids feel heavy as I pull into Nikita’s driveway.The sun is barely waking up, a sliver of yellow and red peeking from the horizon.If I wasn’t so exhausted, I would be annoyed.No, scratch that, I’m definitely annoyed.

Slamming the door to my car, I walk the silent path to the house with my teeth gritted.I don’t know whose house I was just at or why Nikita could possibly need to be watching it at three o’clock in the morning, especially considering the owner wasn’t even home.The owner being some broad I’ve seen before on his cameras and only on his cameras.I’m almost certain she isn’t important or someone who remotely needs surveilled.I’m pretty sure Nikita’s a creep.