AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She sits on one of the many chairs in the room, staring at the bookshelf as though it’s not there. It’s like she’s watching her own private horror show. “I have to get him out of there, poor Drake…”
“I hope you don’t mind me saying, but that’s a really interesting and surprising name for a Russian.”
“It’s not his real name. Drake is ten, and already he can see through Dad’s crap. He wants nothing to do with him.”
“How can you get him?” I ask. “Without me… I mean.”
“I don’t know,” Mila mutters, rubbing her face. “I don’t even know if he would’ve given Drake up if I brought you. He scares me so much. It’s like I can’t think. It’s like I don’t even know who I am. He can twist me up so easily.”
“Not anymore,” I say. “You’re here now. You’re safe. You’re protected.”
Mila sighs. “MaybeIam, yeah.”
“I want to help,” I tell her, “but it’s like you said. Your dad wouldn’t even give Drake up.”
“Maybe…” Mila bites the inside of her cheek, looking lost. “Could you ask Dimitri? He might listen to you.”
“If they go to war with your dad, even more people will suffer.”
“Is this you speaking or Dimitri?”
I don’t take the bait. “It makes sense.”
“Please,” Mila says. “Can you try?”
I know I made a logical point, but I can’t ignore the emotion in her voice and her eyes. Maybe this is a good example of the deficiency inside me. I can’t put my own sibling in Drake’s place because I never had one. I can’t imagine what it’s like.
“Okay,” I tell her.
I find Yuri on the back porch reading a book. When he hears me, he springs to his feet with his hands behind his back. “Yuri, would you be able to call Dimitri for me?”
“Certainly, miss, though he may be busy.”
Part of me hopes heisbusy. I want to help Mila, but I also remember how brazenly those men attacked us in public. What if Mila’s dad takes over, and they do that to more people? Whatif some of those people are orphans and don’t have a sister or a Dimitri to look out for them? What then?
Trying to force these doubts down, I follow Yuri into the main entranceway. Mila is waiting in the library for me, probably biting her fingernails. Yuri makes the call. “Sir, Miss…” He raises an eyebrow at me, a look of complete embarrassment on his face.
“Meadows,” I tell him.
“… Meadows would like to speak with you.”
He nods, then hands me the receiver, an ornate golden piece. When I first walked past it, I was sure it was an ornament and wouldn’t actually work.
“Don’t sweat it, Yuri,” I tell him. “It’s not like I’ve been here long.”
“It won’t happen again, miss.”
“Lia?” Dimitri says.
“Hey, I’m here.”
“Is something wrong?” he asks sharply.
“I just… I wanted to speak with you,” I reply, chickening out.
“This is a secure line,” he replies. “Say anything you need to.”
“It’s just…” Again, it’s chicken time. “What are you up to?”
