All In

Шесть

The next morning, I awake to bright light coming through the small slats between the shades, and the sound of a coffeemaker in the kitchen. 

I pick up my phone and call Alexei's phone. "Yes, it's me", he answers.

"I figured", I reply. "But I was wondering if you had any sort of clothes I could wear for now."

"I already laid them on the floor next to the door." I look over, and a small pile of clothes sits just in the door. "I promise I saw nothing."

"I'll be out in a minute."

I open the shades on the tablet, revealing a beautiful mid-morning sun, then get up to dress myself. In the pile is a black t-shirt and a pair of jeans. I bring them into the bathroom, do my business, get dressed, and brush my hair. Before leaving the bathroom, I cover my face the best I can with the makeup in my purse.

When I open the door, Alexei's voice echoes through the huge open space. Though he talks in fast Russian, it's of course easy for me to listen in. However, I do my best to not eavesdrop. 

When he sees me come from the hallway, he stops the person talking on the other side. "I have to go".

"Good morning", I go over and take a seat at the kitchen island. 

"Hello", he leans over the island closer to me. "How did you sleep?"

"That is the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in". 

"Wonderful" Alexei smiles. "Would you like a cappuccino?"

"Please". He immediately turns around and starts to make it. Russians love their cappuccinos. 

His fancy machine makes the whole drink itself in the mug, and then he hands it to me. 

"Did he contact you last night?"

"Yes", I take a sip of the coffee. "I told him I'd be home, and to go to sleep. Then I blocked his number, and my mother's".

Alexei nods. "We'll go shopping for clothes, and for your new phone today."

"I have work at three."

"Your manager knows you won't be in today. Volkov talked to him last night."

"I don't have money to pay for my new clothes, or my rent, if I don't go to work."

Alexei rolls his eyes. "I'm paying. And when your rent is due, I'll take care of it."

"No", I argue. "I can't let you pay for that stuff, it's mine to worry about. It's nice enough you're letting me stay here"

Alexei is not pleased with my reaction. He balls his fist in anger, but slowly unclenches it, like he thinks he will scare me. "Please do not fight with me, Aleksandra. Let me take care of everything."

"Okay", I say quietly. 

"So, are these clothes of your past mistresses?"

"They're my sister's. She's here sometimes", he says flatly, like he gets asked that all the time. "I don't have mistresses. I fuck women, and they leave."

His words course through me like a ton of tiny knives. I figured he would be a man like that, but hearing that out loud sort of tells me what my future would look like. I'm not looking for a hookup, and to be fair, I'm not looking for anything. I needed a break from relationships after Carson. But it still hurts. 

We sit in silence for a moment until his phone rings again. "Sokolov", he puts his phone up to his ear, just as he did last night. "I will not be in the office today. I have business to take care of."

Alexei's accent is clearly from St. Petersburg, just like my mother's accent, and mine. I always think of it like someone from Alabama as opposed to someone from New York. He listens to the person on the other end of the line, then hangs up. 

"Are you ready to go?"

"Yes", I gulp down the last tiny bit of my coffee. "I just need my shoes."

Alexei fumbles with the keys in his pants pocket to reassure himself that they are there, and then he heads for the door. I run into my room, find my socks from last night that I reluctantly put on, then slide my clogs on. 

I head back out after putting my phone in my pocket, and he stands at the door. 

He motions me to come close. "How's your eye today?"

"It got a lot better over night. They always healed pretty quickly."

Alexei shakes his head in disgust, but doesn't say anything. 

We head down the elevator to the parking garage in silence. Alexei walks one step in front of me in the garage, and goes to my side to open the door for me. 

The silence in the car is comfortable, not awkward, though I feel like it should be. He drives us through the city towards the city center where a lot of malls and shops are. He parks in one of the garages, and together we walk out to the city street. 

"I don't want you to think you can only buy horrid, cheap clothes", Alexei tells me as we walk. "I want you to buy clothes you want and need. You could be at the apartment for awhile."

"I like cheap clothes." I look up at him. Sun hits him just right, and his dark eyes sparkle like amber. 

"You don't need cheap clothes. You're not going to be living off a server's wage anymore."

"Are you telling me that I have to quit my job?"

"I told you earlier", Alexei's tone is always so stoic. "Volkov took care of Fredrick. Fredrick has worked with Volkov for years."

"But what happens when I don't live in your apartment anymore?"

"Then you'll probably live in The House"

"What's the house? Some sort of mafia hideaway."

"We prefer calling it home base, but that too, I guess. I'll bring you to The House probably tonight". 

I tense slightly. Everyone has hinted at the Volkov's being a mafia, but why would Alexei be so casual to reveal that to me?

Alexei turns to walk into a department store I would never think of going into, mostly because it is way out of my budget. A security guard opens the door for us, and Alexei gently pushes me in in front of him. 

"Go on", he suggests. "I'll be right there."

He walks one way towards a group on lounge chairs. I look around, and to the back of the store is where I think I would find what I need.

I gather a couple pairs of pants, shorts, shirts, and shoes. I try for some things a little fancier, knowing I would now be spending time with a Russian-Greek God who probably sleeps in suits. 

Every once in a while, I glance over at Alexei, who is either scrolling or typing on his phone, or talking on it. 

I try everything on and go back to find Alexei on the phone. "I'm ready to go". 

He nods as he finishes up the conversation. 

Alexei shoves his phone in his pocket as he stands, towering over me once again. "we'll have to make at least one more stop."

I cock my head in interest. "I'm taking you to a gala tonight."

Though terrified I now will have to actually step foot into the mafia world, I keep my cool. "We'll need one more stop after that, too." He cocks his head this time.

"I need underwear."