Page 102 of Caged

I don’t know what I was thinking. Coming to Russia was a mistake.

Did I think she’d change her mind?

I don’t understand what is going on here, but I have the diamonds.

Why was she acting like she cared for me, but then telling me to go? I had everything in this small velvet pouch that she was sent to find.

“Mikhail said our flight is scheduled to leave in an hour. I’m glad we’re getting out of here, this place makes me itchy.” Alexei clicks his hard candy behind his teeth.

He sounds like Jax rattling the tongue piercing.

It’s irritating when they’re both in the same room tapping their mouths.

Or, maybe, I’m more on edge.

There’s something I’m missing.

Why would she give me the diamonds, and still tell me she loves me?

“Niki, check this out. Lara just sent me a picture Elena drew.” Alexei flips his phone around to show me the scratched screen.

Crayons on a white paper show a group picture. She’s labeled every figure. Me. Melissa. Elena.

And, there’s a smaller shape where she’s scrawled in her blocky letters, “Can I have a brother?”.

“Does Elena know something I don’t?” Alexei grins wide enough to showcase his silver tooth.

“No,” I growl. “She’s been on this kick that she wants us to be a family. I’m guessing that’s the next step in her plan.”

It could have been, if Mila hadn’t shattered everything I thought we would be.

My knuckles turn white from squeezing the steering wheel.

“You should give her a brother. I never had one. Do you like having one?” Alexei prattles toward the window.

“Yeah, I do.” Mikhail has sacrificed so much for me, I’d do anything for him.

Anything.

Fuck.

Slamming on the brakes, we both surge forward as the car lurches to a stop.

Alexei braces himself on the dash before glowering at me. “What the hell?”

“She has a brother.” I say the words low.

My stomach knots.

And, it isn’t that Tyler guy in the black leathers. It’s obvious they weren’t related.

“Who? Lara? Yeah, she has you, Mikhail, and me.” Alexei’s thumb digs into his own chest as he settles back.

“No. Mila. She let it slip early on. His favorite color is green.” I remember that moment. It was when I realized that Melissa, well, Mila would be a threat to my heart when I saw how patient and kind she was with Elena from the beginning.

Was that a show? Would it be different if she came back?

I don’t know if I could ever trust her again.