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His cold tone was enough to put me on edge. Even if I wanted to use the opportunity to escape, it’d be impossible with him so close by.
My thighs felt a bit sore from sitting too long on the bike but walking felt good. We strode through the busy streets, hand-in-hand.
No one looked at us twice. We easily mingled among the crowd as a young couple who were out to enjoy an evening in the posh shopping district.
I suddenly grabbed onto his arm.
Mikhail came to a halt at once. “What’s wrong?”
“Since you’re buying me all this stuff, could you buy me one of those too?” I pointed toward a hot dog cart at the far end of the street.
“Hot dogs?” he asked, raising his brows at me. “Let me guess. The bastard didn’t allow you to eat that crap either?”
I shook my head.
“Fucking hell, Lucia,” he groaned. “How have you been living all these years?”
“I’ve wanted to kill myself many times but if I did that, Dad would be left all alone with him. There’s no way I’m going to abandon him like that.”
“Thank fuck the old man’s still breathing.” Tightening his hold on my hand, he pulled me toward the hot dog stand.
“Order whatever you like.”
I looked toward the man who was gazing up at Mikhail. “I’ll have one with mustard, ketchup, and relish.”
“That’ll be two dollars.”
Mikhail slapped a twenty-dollar bill on the man’s cart and muttered, “Keep the change.”
The man stared at the bill and then at Mikhail. “Thanks, I guess.”
After getting my hot dog, we moved to a quieter corner. Under his watchful gaze, I took my first bite of the hot dog.
“Good?” Mikhail asked as I took a few more gigantic mouthfuls with all my favorite toppings.
I nodded, my mouth too full of food.
“Where do you want to have dinner?” he asked.
“It’s kind of early but that’s fine,” I said with a small laugh. “How about that diner we passed by on our way here?”
“They serve fried chicken, steaks, and all-day breakfasts.”
“I love fried chicken,” I said with a sigh.
“I’m guessing fried chicken was missing from the menu at the mansion too?”
I gave a nod. “He didn’t like me eating junk food.”
“Why is he so twisted?” he asked me in a grim tone.
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “He doted on me when I was a child but something changed. My parents sent him away to keep a distance between us but they never mentioned anything to me. It’s only when he got back from Europe seven years ago that I realized something was very, very wrong with him. My relationship with Callum isn’t the same as you guys have with Lilja. You’d never hurt her.”
“Our dads would skin us alive if we hurt their precious baby,” he said with a roll of his eyes. “That’s the reason she’s grown up to be such a spoiled brat.”
“I love her.”
“Huh?” He stared at me. “You’re in love...?”
