Emilio gestures to her. “Liliya, this is Maggie. She’s the home caretaker.”
I smile awkwardly at her. “Caretaker?”
“Chef. Housekeeper.” Maggie shrugs. “I’m here for whatever you need, dear.”
Before my father’s death, we had live-in staff. But then when he was gone, Uncle Yaroslav cut our monthly allowance, claiming Aleksy wasn’t worth the same salary.
Maggie tucks a pen behind her ear and clasps her hands. “I’m off to the grocery store. Anything you’d like me to pick up? Do you follow any special diets?”
“I’ll go with you,” I quickly offer, sounding almost a little too desperate.
“No,” Emilio immediately says. “You can make a list for Maggie.”
I slump my shoulders. “Anything is fine. I’m not picky.”
“Emilio will give you my number,” Maggie offers. “Text me if you think of anything.” She circles the island, stands on her tiptoes to kiss Emilio’s cheek, waves goodbye, and leaves the kitchen.
Emilio motions to the two-person table. “Sit.”
I don’t move. “Where have you been?”
“That’s not your concern.” He pulls out a chair and gestures for me to take a seat.
I reluctantly sit.
He takes the chair across from me.
“If you can come and go as you please, then I should have the same freedom,” I say.
He leans back, stretching his legs under the table. “No.”
“How’s that fair?”
“You’re a runner. Just like your sister.”
I glower at him.
He snaps his fingers before knocking his knuckles against the table. “Speaking of your sister, where is she?”
I shrug. “No idea.”
He narrows his eyes skeptically. “Have you heard from Dasha?”
“Nope.”
“Why are you protecting her?” He draws his head back. “She fucked you over.”
“No,Aleksyfucked me over.” I bite back the urge to add his name to that as well.
He scratches his jaw, probably thinking of all the ways he’ll murder her.
“Don’t hurt her, please,” I plead. “She ran because she was scared for her life.”
He’s quiet for a moment, running his tongue along his front teeth. “Are you scared for your life, Liliya?”
“Does someone run through the woods barefoot in the middle of the night if they’re not?”
His shoulders relax an inch. “You don’t need to fear me.” He levels his elbows on the table, erasing the distance between us. “But like I told you last night, if you try to run again, that’ll change. Am I understood?”
