Page 33 of Darkest Sin

All the lessons my mother gave me on how to shoot will come in handy. I check that the safety is on for now and get dressed in a simple blue sundress and head for the door. I stuff the gun in my purse. Mikhail doesn’t even know I know how to use one and I see no point in telling him. That’s a secret I can keep just for myself.

Mikhail keeps two guards stationed outside the front door. But I’m not a prisoner. I’m his wife and he never said I wasn’t allowed to leave the house.

Going into the large garage, I see that Mikhail has multiple cars. There’s a set of keys on the wall, each one labeled so it’s easy to figure out which key goes to which car. I choose a simple white one. I want to blend in right now.

I drive out of the garage but am stopped by one of the guards out front.

“Mrs. Novikoff?”

My eyes fall onto the ring on my left ring finger. Mikhail made sure to put it on me the day of our wedding, claiming me as his. “Yes?”

“Where are you going?”

“Am I not allowed to leave?”

“You are but… we need to know where you’re going. You should take a guard with you. It’s not safe out there.”

“I’m going out shopping,” I lie. “To fifth avenue. Is that ok? I don’t want to be cooped up in the house all day.”

“Yes. That’s acceptable. I just have to call Mr. Novikoff and ask him.”

I roll my eyes. “I’m his wife. I don’t need his permission to leave. I’m not a prisoner here.”

“He would want to know where you are.”

I remember Mikhail hugging me last night when I cried. I felt so safe then but now his grip feels stifling.

The guard calls Mikhail and Mikhail gives his ok for me to leave.

“But you have to take a guard with you,” the guard says after he hangs up.

“Fine. Get in the car.”

He does as I say and I quickly drive away from the house. “I’m Todd.”

“Nice to meet you, Todd. I don’t mean to sound rude right now but I’m in a hurry.”

He frowns. “To go shopping?”

“Yes. I love it.”

We’re silent on the drive, for which I’m grateful. He doesn’t ask any questions until I pull up to my old house.

“What are we doing here?”

“I need to see my sisters.” I rush out of the car before he can stop me and head to the front door. There are no guardsstationed outside which means they’re inside. Uncle Denis wouldn’t leave the house unguarded when he knows he lost me.

“Mrs. Novikoff,” Todd hisses, running after me. “We need to go. Now. You can’t be back here.”

The door opens and I’m confronted with the sight of a guard. I pull out my gun and point it at him. “Lower your gun and let me into the house.”

Todd gapes at me.

The other guard slowly lowers his gun. “But not him,” he says, nodding at Todd.

“That’s fine.” I walk into the house and the guard shuts the door behind me. I keep my gun trained on him. “Where are my sisters?”

“Upstairs. In their rooms.”