All In

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I sit on the plane, staring out the window, refusing to look at Alexei. My hand holds my head up on the armrest, and the plane is silent. Alexei sits directly across from me, and I can feel his eyes burning a hole into my cheek. May and Dina sit across the aisle, playing cards on the small table.

After Alexei showed up and scared away Dario, he went upstairs and made a scene in front of our new friends. Aella seems to be about ready to draw her gun and take Alexei out. 

"Can we help you?" Aella stands up to protect the table when she sees Alexei in front of me. 

"I'm here for the girls", Alexei stands his ground. "They've disobeyed our family."

"Why couldn't you just leave us alone, Brother", Dina scoffs. "We were perfectly fine here for a bit."

"Our father is trying to find us and kill us, Sister. We are all in danger. I'm here to bring you home and keep you safe."

May, Dina, and I all take a glance at each other. 

"Fine", Dina holds up her hands in surrender. "Girls, it's been fun."

And just like that, our fun was over. Alexei had the car bring us to the villa to pack, then immediately back to the airport. 

Though the sky outside of our plane is dark and getting darker the further west we go, I refuse to look back at Alexei. 

~

We land back at home around 7AM. We all slept for a little bit, but all of us are exhausted. The ride back to The House is once again silent, like the three of us girls are children in time out. 

On the front steps of The House, Artem, Volkov, and Irina stand waiting for us. Dina immediately gets out of the car and runs up to Artem, leaping into his arms. 

I feel Alexei's hand on the small of my back as we walk up to them, but I don't react to him in any way. Instead, I walk up to Irina. She holds her hand out for me. "Welcome back, Dear."

"I'm sorry I ran", I tell her as she gives me a light hug. 

"It's okay", she smiles. "I've done it a few times, too."

"Do not encourage her", Alexei mutters. 

Irina gives a look to Alexei a look, then her eyes go back to me. "You must be so tired, Dear. Let's get you guys inside to go to sleep."

"Can we eat breakfast first?" May asks Irina. Irina chuckles, but nods her head. 

Irina and Volkov lead us all inside to the dining room, where some small breakfast items are already set out. May and Dina are both quick to sit down and start eating. I sit over next to Dina, where I did the first time at this table, but Alexei sits in his seat near Volkov. 

Irina does her best to keep the tone up at the table, asking about Naples as though we were on a normal vacation. Dina tells her and Volkov about our new friends, and he seems to like the fact that we found a new ally for him. 

"The dress shop called yesterday", Irina says between bites of her oatmeal. "They want you to come in for your final fitting tomorrow". 

Alexei and Volkov talk about their plans for their work today. He denied the day off to sleep, so then they talk of their plans. I hope to hear something new from them, but they speak low, and also in very vague words. 

After they finish eating, Dina and Artem, and May dismiss themselves from the table so they can sleep. I play around with the food on my plate in hopes Alexei will leave me and I can go to our room by myself. 

I feel Alexei give Irina a look. "Mikhail", she wipes her mouth and starts to get up. "Let's take a walk."

Alexei and I are alone in the dining room, only the maid cleaning the table is left, but Alexei signals her away. 

"Who was your friend at the restaurant?" Alexei starts.

I start to get out of my own chair to leave. "It doesn't matter."

"Did he fuck you?"

I stop in my tracks. "You think I ran off to sleep with someone else?"

"You tell me", Alexei slides his own chair back and stands up. 

"What if I did?" I say just to wind him up. 

"Did you sleep with him, Aleksandra?" He balls his fists. 

"It doesn't matter", I start to walk out of the room. But as I pass him, he grabs my wrist. I stare down at his hand for a moment, then back at his face. "You are nothing to me". 

"You are mine, Aleksandra", he argues. "No other man should be touching you, except for me."

"I will never be the woman of a stubborn, narcissistic asshole." I rip my hand from his grip. Alexei sucks in an angry breath. 

"I am keeping you safe, Aleksandra", he says, just one level below yelling. "You do not understand this world. It's more than the evil Carson showed you. They could kill you in an instant, or torture and rape you worse than anything you could imagine."

I start out of the dining room, but unfortunately, Alexei is not far behind. "I know my strength, Alexei. I can handle myself."

"Stop walking away, Aleksandra". I decide to listen, so I turn to him.

There's something about his expression that makes me less angry, and I suddenly think of the real reason I'm angry. I was sad that I couldn't go. "I never said I was going alone. I knew you were there to keep me safe." 

"But keeping you here is the safest place for you. Out there, we still don't know how much control of the city they have. How many people work for them and watch them."

"I'm too tired for this to keep going in circles." I turn and start to head up the stairs. Both of us defeated and exhausted, he stays where he is. 

Just as I'm about to reach the top, his voice echoes quietly through the foyer. His words stop me in my tracks.

I turn, my hand on the banister. "What did you just say?"

"Damn it, Aleksandra. I love you."