Page 16 of The Breath Before Forever

Before long, Vera had kicked off her shoes to the light-colored hardwood floors below while Hannah made a seat of her own on the nearby couch. She flicked the flatscreen off pause to resume the medical drama before replacing the remote on the coffee table where she’d also tossed Vera’s bags.

“So,” Hannah started, not looking away from the television, “who’s the babysitter for the weekend?”

Vera’s lengthy pause was made more awkward when Hannah turned to glance her way, clearly noticing. Her friend’s brow jumped higher in a silent question.

“Oh, you thought I forgot about my annoying little roommate who’s been missing for weeks?” Hannah asked as seriously as could be.

“Not really,” Vera hedged.

Hannah flopped back on the arm of the couch with a sigh. “Igor told me the shite got arrested, anyway. Doesn’t matter. Somebody’s watching you,” her friend pointed out, oh, so sure. “So, who is it?”

Not all that interested in the medical drama on the TV, Vera indulged Hannah’s prodding. “I don’t really know,” she answered truthfully.

What would it hurt?

“How do you not kn—”

“I’m heading right back to Dubna tomorrow night, and we’re not doing very much today,” Vera clarified quickly. “It’s not like I really needed someone. Besides, my mother and father have a guy on call from Igor’s side of things if they need somebody, so he’s sure to be there tomorrow when we take Ma to the spa.”

Hannah didn’t even try to hide the playful scowl she leveled on Vera at the news. Nothing could ruin her day like a babysitter. For good reason, sure. By now, Vera bet Hannah was entirely over being constantly watched by bodyguards and needing to always consider security. Not everyone wanted to live that life. Even if the bodyguards weren’t for her now.

“It’s hard to believe Vaslav let you out of the house without a friend to tag along, that’s all,” Hannah said.

“He’s got other things on his mind,” Vera replied even if it was a lousy lie. Really, with her parents in the country and shifts in power happening amongst men at the top of Russia’s criminal underground, Vera didn’t care to ask if someone was watching her or who it would be. She simply assumed the choice had already been made, and taken care of—if it meant she was safe, and could return to Vas tomorrow night in one piece, then she didn’t mind. The illusion of privacy was a sacrifice she would make.

Her father would love to see her swallowing that slice of humble pie.

“Where I am for a night and day is a minor detail,” Vera added after a moment.

“Well,” Hannah drawled, like she didn’t believe what Vera said, “whoever the babysitter is, they won’t be allowed in Lele’s. No men in the spa. Just naked ladies. You know I was lucky to get us those spots last-minute, right?”

“But you did.”

Hannah grinned. “I have my ways.”

More like she had good connections, and Vera had the cash to make it worth the elite spa’s while. Claire would love it, too. They needed the treat.

“Our appointment time is closer to the afternoon, right?” Vera asked.

“Yeah, like you said. Why?”

Hannah peeked over her shoulder at Vera who only shrugged in response.

“I might get up early tomorrow and take a run. It’s been a while since I jogged Noble Row.” The white lie slipped easily past Vera’s lips, but she tried not to feel too guilty about it. For one, because Hannah didn’t need to get dragged into Vera’s dangerous—maybe—curiosities. Secondly, because she wanted the chance to make a phone call in total privacy. Some things, she just couldn’t share with her friend.

“That’s fine, you do that,” Hannah said, not hiding the disdain in her words at all. “I don’t run. Especially not in the snow.”

5.

Drumming his fingers to the desk, and keeping his focus on the half-assed sketch of the property, Vaslav didn’t have to watch the clock too much. Nothing made time move slower than a pair of eyes nailed to the face of a clock. Not that knowing as much made a huge difference to his urge to look.

It wasn’t even like he had nothing else to do. The sketch of the property—with areas of interest marked out for a contractor in the spring—was a good example of better things he could be doing instead of time-watching. Even the tray of lunch Mira had brought into him over an hour earlier remained untouched on the side of his desk.

Frankly, his disinterest in the sandwich and rich red soup, no longer steaming hot like it had been at first, couldn’t be connected to his distraction. That nonsense went straight back to his new cocktail of medications, and he wasn’t very happy about it. So much so that he called Bogdan.

On the man’s private phone, too.

Something else for the doctor to bitch about the next time he and Vaslav stood face to face. Like it would make a real difference to the fact that not once had Vaslav promised the man to be a model patient.