Page 25 of Mistaken
The dark, gravelly voice behind me makes us both turn and look. It’s Lurch. That’s what I’ve named him since he’s never spoken a word in my presence. Lurch is a bundle of muscle slowly turning to fat with a nose that has clearly been broken sixty times or so. Scarred knuckles and a mean little face, he’s got to be a former boxer, I’m thinking. He’s usually in Maksim’s security contingent.
He nods at Karida, “Go.” Fixing his gaze on me, he points to the open door of the SUV. “You wait.”
My cold, narrow-eyed glare clearly will not cow him, so I spin on my heel and head for the SUV, thumping ungracefully into the back seat and slamming the door shut.
“This is how you look after a spa day? I would demand my money back.”
This cannot be happening.It’s Katya, that crazy Russian girl who lost her mind when Maksim told her we were engaged.
“What are you doing here?” Yeah, not my most clever response.
Katya gives a high, tinkling laugh. It’s adorable. She’s wearing a bodysuit made of the delicate skins of unicorns or something and it fits her perfectly. Not a single lump or bulge.
“You remember me, don’t you.”
I’m eyeing the door, and as my hand reaches for the handle, the automatic locks click closed.
“You’re not leaving until I give you permission,????.”
I am unreasonably pleased because I know this word, thanks to our old lab supervisor, a misogynistic prick and also, a Russian.
“I think you calling me a bitch is a bit out of line, kitten. I’m not the one you should be mad at.” Aaand, there’s my big mouth again.
I almost immediately regret this statement, because as she leans closer, I can see the crazy stewing in her dilated pupils. She and Maksim reallyaremade for each other.
“You,????,are in my way. Ordinarily, I would simply have you kidnapped and placed in one of the Sokolov whorehouses.” She checks her Cartier watch. “Unfortunately, I have to hurry home to change for Maksim’swedding.”Now, she’s hissing like a viper and it’s really freaking me out. “You won’t be there.”
“I won’t? I’m pretty sure I’m on the guest list.”
My big mouth has no preservation instinct.
She pulls a gun out of her Birken bag and points it at me. I hear the click of the safety releasing as she says, “You have two choices. Take this bag of money-” she thrusts the Birken bag at me, “-and get the fuck out of this city. Disappear and I’ll let you live.”
“What’s the other choice? You have no idea how cranky Maksim gets when I’m not on time.” I know I’m pushing my luck, but I’m hoping to drag this out and give Lurch time to come back with my purse and save me. Unless… is Lurch actually helping this lunatic?
Her right eye is twitching and I know I’m about to die. This somehow feels even worse than when Maksim kept threatening me with murder and ruin.
“The other option is I shoot you, right now. Not to kill. Just to sever your first cervical vertebrae, which will make you a quadriplegic for the rest of your life. And then…” she smiles dreamily, like she’s discussing her best orgasm ever, “I will come to visit you in whatever disgusting care facility you are placed in. I will have terrible things done to you.”
My lungs are compressing under my ribcage and I can’t draw a full breath. There is a huge ‘thud!’ against my door and the window shatters, Lurch’s giant paw reaching in to tear the door open while his other holds a Desert Eagle, pointed at… the empty space the psychopath had occupied seconds earlier.
“Are you hurt?”
I screech and jump, knocking my elbow painfully against the partition between the front and back seats. “I’m o- okay. She was going to shoot me, or- or- or put me in a family whorehouse which doesn’t sound right but-”
“Move over.” Lurch shoves in next to me and slams his gun on the partition, yelling at the chauffeur. “Drive!”
“What do you mean you didn’t see her!”
We’re parked in front of the Four Seasons and I’m still yelling at Lurch. “How could you possibly not see her? She had a gun pointed at my face, dude!” The hotel doorman is resplendent in his fancy suit, moving uncomfortably from foot to foot but hanging on to my car door, politely ignoring the broken window.
“I did not see Miss Sokolov. The door was locked and you would not let me in.”
A cab pulls up behind us and Karida storms out of it and she ispissed.“Why did you leave me? Do you know how behind schedule we are?”
That hulking Slavic douche just folds his arms and leans against the car, smirking, and then it hits me. I never gave him the demented chick’s name.
“You aresucha liar!” I shout over my shoulder as the lobby’s golden revolving doors swallow me up.
