Page 22 of The Fixer

Four years.

After four years, I couldn’tnothave Ophelia with me. She was young, but I was the immature one in this relationship, I thought. I had to coax her to have a little fun when she was stressed. I had to get her hyped to try something new. In some ways, Ophelia was like a crotchety, old lady to set in her views and her ways.

I love experiencing it though. I love watching her face light up when she eats something she thought she wouldn’t like. Listening to her blab about a movie she expected to be boring. Trying on a new outfit and asking my opinion…

“I want to experience you, Ophelia. If there’s one thing I know, it’s that there’s so much left of you that Ihaven’texperienced, and I want to.”

Finally, she glanced over at me—obviously involuntarily.

I managed a small smile at the redness around her eyes. “Don’t be afraid of me or what I might think. I’ve scratched that surface. You won’t be an entirely different person by comparison.”

“I’m not afraidofyou, Sascha… I’m afraidforyou. There’s a difference.” Flopping her head back, Ophelia sighed heavily through parted lips. “This— this reorganization… it’s not going to be quick or seamless. Aleksander took everyone but me, why? Why make you come? Does he know his sister met with you and if so, what are her intentions? Does this summonsonlyhave to do with the assassination attempt, or is there more? Most importantly… what are the odds I walk into that mansion and never walk out?”

“He has more information than you, so that’s what’s been bothering you this whole flight.”

It wasn’t a question, but Ophelia nodded curtly anyway.

Rubbing the back of her palm with my hand, I couldn’t help my smile growing wider. The tension didn’t leave her face, as her cheeks didn’t tinge pink, but her fingers flexed in mine.

“You’re smart, perceptive, and intuitive. You don’t need to be fed information to figure out what’s going on. I have the utmost faith that you’ll have an almost complete picture by the end of your meeting with him, Ophelia. You’ve worked better with less, after all. Your father was a bumbling idiot, but you expected Aleksander to call on you when you handed over that report.”

“I’m sorry about earlier. Did I hurt you?” she asked in concern.

The tip of my nose tingled wildly at her apology, even as I shook my head.

Ophelia sucked her bottom lip between her teeth, shame coloring her cheeks as she slumped deep into the seat. “I don’t know why I did that.”

“I have a feeling you were going to ask me why I couldn’t just fight with you.” Tender amusement flooded my chest as some of her misery and uncertainty panned out. “Why am I so supportive? Why don’t I ever disagree with you? Why am I such a pushover? Why can’t I just give you a reason to take it out on me?”

“Mmm, Probably…”

For a fraction of a second, the world around us calmed as her grumble caressed my ears. This was a first, for sure.

“We don’t really argue… that makes me madder sometimes,” she admitted.

“Cool. I’m going to paint your apartment neon green when we get back.”

Ophelia started to nod, my calm, assured tone lulling her until her eyes widened. In a fraction of a second, all the color returned to her face; if she wasn’t so stressed, she’d be bright red. Taking her hand from mine with a faint gasp, her brows furrowed sharply.

I had to physically stop myself from smiling as I watched her.

“Are you serious?Why?”

Pursing my lips thinly, I shook my head in denial. The answer to this was obvious, but she was in too much strain to realize it.

In a sane world, I wouldn’t want to deliberately make Ophelia angry or upset. I wouldn’t intentionally push her. Clearly, though… I couldn’t just hold her hand and listen when she needed me to.This is going to be an insane few hours.

15

Sascha

Aleksander Makovich’s mansion wasproperstately, but to me, it looked like one of those creepy places in horror movies. Everything looked perfect despite the mustiness in the air. Thick clouds hung overhead sending a chill through the atmosphere. Running my free hand through my beard thoughtfully, I glanced over at Ophelia.

The hardness in her features was devastating; it took mere minutes to put in place, but the effects lasted forever. This hard, cautious creature wasn’t who Ophelia was and my heart ached for her. Squeezing her hand lightly, I cracked a reassuring smile when her guarded eyes flickered to mine.

“Youcanhandle this, Oppie.”

My murmur softened her eyes just a smidge and she nodded curtly.