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Large maroon splatters stained the trousers. “Is this blood?”
“Might be,” he said, scratching the back of his head. “This is the smallest thing I could find in there. It’s only for a short time until we find something better on the road.”
“Whose clothes do you keep in there?” I asked curiously.
“Stuff that people left behind.” He said with a shrug and walked away, leaving me with more questions.
While he gathered helmets and gloves from a nearby cabinet, I pulled on the jeans.
The fabric was coarse and itchy against my skin. Wearing them without panties worried me about infections but I fastened the button and pulled the zipper. This was my first opportunity to step out of the manor and I wasn’t going to waste it.
Coming closer, Mikhail placed a helmet on my head and secured it. “Let’s go.”
My excitement waned as I suddenly realized we weren’t going to be taking a car. Feeling apprehensive, I followed Mikhail until he chose a yellow-bodied motorcycle.
“You’re going to be cold,” he said, sweeping his gaze over me.
“I’ll be fi—”
Shirking off the leather jacket he wore, he handed it to me. “Roll up the sleeves and it should be fine,” he said.
“What about you?” I asked, inhaling the scent of leather and fresh citrus.
“I’ll sneak out Leo’s jacket,” he said with a wink.
The gesture made my heart pound heavily. My cheeks warmed and for the first time, I felt like I’d been transported to the past.
The fluttery feeling in my belly reminded me of a time when we’d all been happy. Mikhail and his brothers always made me feel good for no reason. Just being around them had me blushing and blurting funny, embarrassing things.
A sharp, whistling tune broke me out of my thoughts. Mikhail was back and securing the zipper on a tan leather jacket.
“Ready?” he asked, lowering the visor on his helmet.
“Uhh—”
He grinned, his silvery eyes shining with humor.
“I’ve never been on a bike before,” I muttered.
“It’s no big deal,” he said, gracefully mounting the bike. “Hop up and hold onto me tightly.”
I mimicked the way he climbed the bike but ended up realizing my legs weren’t long enough to mount it in one graceful swipe. Mikhail held the bike steady as I clumsily sat behind him. My fingers tightly gripped his broad shoulders.
“Hold me like this,” he said, breaking my grip on his shoulders. He brought my arms around his waist and made me clasp my hands. “Hold tight.”
The bike hummed underneath me as he maneuvered through the rows of cars and bikes. A shutter in the distance automatically rolled up, bringing in gusts of cold air inside the garage.
Mikhail sped up, shooting through the gap in the door.
My arms tightened around him as a cold breeze whipped past me. The helmet and jacket protected me against the chill. Through narrowed eyes, I watched the barren empty grounds pass by.
It was quite a distance from the manor to the main gates of the estate. There were thick woods surrounding the property, concealing the Volkov home from the world.
Gazing ahead, I caught the first glimpse of the gates. They were tall, thickly enforced slabs of steel. The walls on both sides were several feet tall, making it impossible to climb over.
Armed guards patrolled the area. Escaping this part of the estate would be impossible even under the cover of night.
I thought of the three men in the underground cellars. They were among the guards who worked here. Bribing these men was the only way to enter the Volkov estate without their invitation.
