Page 160 of Sexting the Pakhan
I unlock the phone, then hesitate again when the home screen opens. It feels too personal to hand it to him.
Ruslan takes the phone carefully, like he knows exactly why my fingers are stiff around it. He dials from memory. That bothers me too. He puts the call on speaker only after I give him a look.
A man answers on the second ring. “Yes?”
Ruslan says, “It’s me.”
The man goes silent.
Then, “Boss?”
Ruslan’s face doesn’t change. “Don’t take any names.”
A pause. “Understood.”
“I need status. Short.”
The man answers quickly. “The van was lost near river road. Malik is alive. Pavel is alive. Stepan is searching. No one knows where you are.”
“Good.”
The man hesitates. “They think you were taken.”
“Let them think.”
I stare at him.
“If Stepan asks? Same answer?”
Ruslan’s eyes harden. “Especially Stepan.”
That makes my stomach drop.
He ends the call.
For a moment, nobody speaks.
Mila whispers, “Who is Stepan?”
Ruslan answers without looking away from me. “Someone I trusted.”
Nadia hears the past tense. Her eyes narrow.
I take my phone back. My hand is cold.
“All right,” I say, forcing my voice steady. “Enough serious conversation. Mila, Nadia, go wash your hands. Lunch.”
Mila doesn’t move. “I’m not hungry.”
“You said that yesterday and ate two cupcakes.”
“That was emergency sugar.”
Nadia slides off the couch. “Come on. If we go now, we can choose plates.”
Mila looks at Ruslan. “Don’t leave while I’m gone.”
He says, “I won’t.”
