“You’re thinking, can I get away? Can I just jump out and run?”
“I’m not—”
“You definitely are. And if you’re not, you’re a moron.”
“Hey, asshole.”
“I’m just saying.” I shrugged a little. “Don’t try it. I’m going to grab you and kiss you again if you do.” I smirked and tilted my head. “Unless that’s what you want. Then you can skip the struggle and come sit in my lap.”
“Jesus, you’re a fucking psycho.”
I laughed and Pavel rolled his eyes in the rearview mirror.
He drove down Broad Street toward the stadiums. Robin kept her eyes on the window. I saw her twitch toward the handle a few times but she never made a play for it, which was for the best. I didn’t feel like having to restrain her again if I didn’t have to.
Pavel turned into a neighborhood with brick front row homes smashed close together. Trash was heaped on the sidewalk. Only one of the streetlights worked. He parked halfway up on the curb and killed the engine.
“Remember, she’s your fucking problem,” Pavel said and jumped out.
“Come on,” I said, climbing out.
Robin frowned at me, looked at her door, then got out my side. She walked next to me as we followed Pavel to one of the row homes with a black door and no numbers. Pavel knocked twice and waited until the door swung open.
Hedeon stood outlined in the doorway. The mostly empty safe house behind him was lit by two floor lamps and nothing else. He looked at Pavel, nodded, then stared at Robin.
“What’s that?” he asked.
“Hedeon, meet Robin Volkov,” I said. “Cousin of Vlas.”
“You’re fucking kidding me.”
“What’s what I said, boss.” Pavel grinned. “Hey, boss, I gotta hit the head, you mind?”
Hedeon glanced at Pavel, grunted, let the guy inside. He blocked my way. Robin stepped closer to me and I thought she might be afraid.
Hedeon was a tall guy, broad shoulders, dark hair, light eyes. He was probably handsome, at least if he didn’t have that murderous glint in his eye at all times. He was smart and violent, which made him the perfect crew boss.
But he was also ambitious, which made him dangerous as all hell.
“Why is she alive?” he asked.
“She’s worth more alive,” I said.
“She’s a witness to a murder. Explain how she’s worth anything at all.”
“She’s a Volkov. Her uncle’s going to want her back. We can bargain with her. And shit, if that doesn’t work out, then we can kill her.”
Robin stared at the ground and said nothing.
“This is a problem,” Hedeon said.
“You want to talk about it out here where the neighbors can hear, or should we go inside?”
He hesitated. “Neither,” he said. “If you want her, you can have her. But she’s your problem.”
“What’s what Pavel said.”
“Pavel’s a fucking idiot.” Hedeon stared death at me. “But you’re even stupider for taking her alive.”
I shrugged. “Think what you will.”
“She’s your problem,” he said. “You clothe her, you feed her, you make sure she doesn’t run away. You babysit her.”
“Fine,” I said. “I got it. No problem.”
He snorted. “And you do it at your own goddamn apartment. You’re not bringing that into my safehouse.”
I took a deep breath and slowly let it out. I knew he was just being petty because I took some initiative without asking him first. It didn’t matter if the girl stayed in the safe house at this point considering she’d already seen it.
Making me take her to my own apartment was just his way of taking back some power.
“Fine,” I said. “Pavel has my keys.”
Hedeon held up a finger and disappeared back inside.
“Your boss is pissed,” she said.
“Yeah, well, you should be happy that I don’t give a shit.”
She gave me a weird look then stared at the ground again.
Hedeon came back with my keys. “If she makes any noise, you kill her. If she makes any trouble, you kill her. Do not let this come back to bite us, Leonid.”
“Sure thing,” I said and took my keys from his outstretched hand. “Anything else? Maybe a ‘thank you for killing Vlas for me’ or something like that?”
“Fuck off, Leo. Go home and tie that girl up.”
He slammed the door in my face.
“Asshole,” I muttered.
“Why are you working with him again?” Robin asked. “He doesn’t seem to care much about you.”
“Shut up,” I said and grabbed her arm. I dragged her back to the car and put her in the passenger side. I got behind the wheel and locked the doors.
We drove in silence back to my apartment.
I had a little place on the third floor of a row home near Fairmount on Green Street. It was a family neighborhood, but the rents weren’t too expensive and there was decent food nearby. I found a spot, parked, and dragged Robin over to my building. I unlocked the door and took her up the steps, unlocked my apartment door, and pushed her inside. I shut the door behind me and flicked on the light.