Page 31 of Caged

I didn’t know pancakes could burn so quickly.

“Crap. I’m sorry. The next one will be better.” Scraping the black dough out of the pan, I pour the next one in, smaller.

His broad palm waves. “Don’t worry about it. We can order food. Get your stuff packed.”

It’s a struggle not to jump for joy.

“But, this mess…” I gesture over the countertop.

“Leave it. The cleaners need something to do.” He disappears back into his room.

I almost skip to mine and start throwing all of the clothes that Lara brought over into the bags.

After sending a quick text to Tyler about the change, I pull the battery out of the phone in case Nikolai has a signal tracker.

It isn’t long before we’re both loaded into his Hellcat, our bags poking at us from the tiny back seat.

An automatic gate opens and the long driveway reveals a big square house of steel and glass.

Why did I expect that? It fits him.

We pull up to the front step, but after he turns off the car, he sits in silence behind the wheel.

“I’m taking a very big risk with you.” He doesn’t look at me, but stares towards the building. “The most important person in the world to me lives here. If you hurt her, I hurt you.”

He gets out with a whoosh, leaving me blinking after him.

Who in the heck can it be?

He said no girlfriend.

I’ve read his dossier.

A dog?

Reluctantly, I follow him up the concrete stairs and into the front door.

An older, heavyset woman, maybe in her late fifties, glowers at me with her arms crossed over her ample chest.

His mother?

“You can go,” he says to the woman, in Russian.

Interesting.

She gives him a curt nod, and leaves without even acknowledging me.

Rude. I’m playing a poor, kidnapped, homeless woman who cooks badly.

I deserve at least a smile.

“Elena!” His deep voice echoes through the house.

That name. I heard him mention it to Lara that first night.

“Yes, Daddy!”

Oh, shit. A little girl?