Page 139 of The Harbinger
She was everything and nothing.
ButIwas the supermassive black hole that swallowed her whole world.
She could notescapeme, and I could notavoidher.
“I’m sorry.”
Her apology crawled under my skin like an unscratched itch. “Imagine never having to say those words again.” I dragged her out of the dilapidated room and paused in front of the old woman.
“Your reward for your loyalty.” I dug into my inside jacket pocket and placed a yellow envelope filled with enough Rubles to sustain her for the rest of her days and then some.
We exited before the woman could refuse my gift or offer me tea and dragged Mia down the stairs, her feet fumbling as we approached the vehicle.
I wasn’t gentle, despite her injury, as I tossed her in the backseat, my men scattering out of the way. Let it be a lesson to her the next time she considered running from me.
Because knowing her, therewouldbe a next time…
“You’re taking me back home?”
I turned my gaze her way after shutting the vehicle door with me inside. “I am.”
“But…” She paused and exhaled, running her hand over her forehead, winced, and grabbed her shoulder. “I thought you’d take me back into the woods and bury me alive or something.”
I turned in my seat, my jaw clenching at her ridiculous portrayal of me. “What part of our binding didn’t you understand?” I asked her sharply. “Why would I kill you for running away, Mia? Why would you even think I would have your blood on my hands?”
I’d given her no indication I was a murderous man other than my altar in the woods, but I could’ve sacrificed animals on it for all she knew.
“Because of why I ran.”
She shrunk in on herself, her hand pressed over the deep gash in her arm.
“And why is that, Mia? Did you not like your food today?” I adjusted my suit jacket as I settled back into my seat—Dmitri driving us home.
“H-he didn’t tell you?”
Her body quivered as she wrapped her arms around herself, her teeth chattering, no doubt from the damp clothes hugging her body. Her fingers twitched, and her legs bounced up and down. Her nerves became more pronounced as I narrowed my gaze.
I leaned forward. “Hewho?” I pointed a finger at her. “Who knew you were missing and didn’t say anything?”
My body tensed as I balled my hands into fists, the sound of my knuckles cracking filling the silence between us.
“Ivan.” Her trembling fingertips covered her mouth. “He didn’t tell you?”
My gaze met Dmitri’s in the rearview mirror as we pulled onto the interconnecting streets. I would’ve never known if it weren’t for the old woman calling Dmitri.
It must’ve taken hours to run through the vast forest to get to the small mangy village on the outskirts of my family’s property, meaning he’d sat on this information for just as long.
“Why did you run? Did he do something?”
It was no secret he held a standing animosity towards her because of the incident on the plane, but if he’d laid hands on her in any way other than for her protection…
Mia closed her eyes, her breaths elevating into an uneven staccato as she wrung her hands in her lap, her thumb rubbing against the deep scar set across her wrist.
Did those scars comfort her, or was it a contemplation she mulled over every time she hit a sticky situation?
“I didn’t mean too… dark shadows… it was open…”
“Stop mumbling and say what you mean.”