“Varya Markov,” the man says again.
“Yes?” I answer without realizing it.
The man is looking at my face. The same face that is sporting a bruise from Sergei’s last hit on me.
“What happened to your face?” He questions with intensity.
“Uh,” I sputter not really sure how to answer this question. My body is charged with something I haven’t felt in a long time, if ever. Something I would never know how to express until this moment.
“What happened to your face? We will get along a whole lot better once you start answering my questions when I originally ask them. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes,” I retort quickly.
“Do you know who I am?”
My man starts to search every part of my brain and memory to see if I know who this man is. I know the man is a large guy… Just not sure how big.
Then it hits me. All of Sergei’s mistreatment of me, his anger towards everyone else. His inability to be kind towards me.
“You’re Maksim,” I whisper quietly from fear.
“Yes, I am.”
