Page 13 of His Prince

He eyes me and then focuses back on the horizon.

“I know things won’t be the same as where I grew up, but it seems there’s no one around…”

“Mr. Ivanov likes things to be inconspicuous. Doesn’t mean he’s not watching.”

I feel my chest tighten, my nerves starting to ping.

“What do you mean?”

“It means you’re being monitored. You may not realize it, but he sees it all.”

I swallow and rub at my neck, feeling like a butterfly caught in a bell jar.

“I see.”

“Yes, you will.”

My hand falls to my side and I straighten up. “Well, thank you for telling me this. Do you happen to know where Mikhail is?”

He peers at me as we stop at the front steps of the house.

“I don’t. Just that he left.”

My heart drops, and I bite my bottom lip to keep myself from crying.

“I see.”

“Good luck, varo´bushik,” George replies and then brushes his hand along his shirt, turns on his heel, and walks away, leaving me alone.

I inhale deeply, trying like hell not to let the tears fall.

Mikhail left me here, in a cavernous mansion, with only Casey as a familiar face. Everyone smokes and drinks and speaks Russian, calling me names I don’t understand.

My fingers swipe at my eyes and I straighten my shoulders, glancing around, trying to find the damn cameras, but unable to detect them.

If he left me here all alone, I’ll make this place my home.

And if he doesn’t like it, well, then he can fuck all the way off.

Because he sure as fuck isn’t fucking me.

2

MIKHAIL

I’m furious, pissed that my work is taking me away from my home, preventing me from keeping my eyes on him.

Fuck, I left my husband on our wedding night. And even as a man used to killing those who wrong me, who does his best to focus only on myself, I realize what a mistake that was.

He is Anthony Costello’s son, after all.

I don’t know what he’s capable of, deep down.

I’m certain that under all that sweetness lies a formidable opponent, and I fear that perhaps I’ve unleashed the monster.

But I have things I need to attend to.

Fuck, I hate my job. Fucking loathe it. It’s brought nothing but pain into my life.