Ten minutes later, he was back home. Maxim found Sofia, asleep in their bed. He approached the bed, tempted to kiss her, then decided he wanted to get rid of the stink of wearing a dead man’s clothes first. Maxim entered the bathroom, and after disposing of the borrowed clothes and gaudy jewelry, he took a long and luxurious hot shower.
By the time he emerged from the bathroom, waist wrapped in a bath towel, Sofia was up. She rubbed her eyes and slid out of bed.
Sofia wore a gorgeous black lace negligee, one he’d purchased for her recently. The nightwear highlighted the generous swell of her breasts and her curves. She studied him for a few moments, probably assessing him for injuries.
“Did I wake you?” he asked.
Sofia approached him, then rested her arms on his shoulders. “Not at all. I wanted to wait up for you but fell asleep. Are you hurt?” she asked.
“I’m fine,” Maxim assured her. He cupped her cheek, then kissed her long and deep. Sofia responded eagerly.
When he pulled back, she asked, “How did it go? Tell me all about tonight. Did your plan work?”
Maxim chuckled. She sounded like an excited puppy. He took off his towel. Maxim slept like he always did, nude.
He pulled his wife to bed, and once under the sheets, he said, “Tonight was a success. I admit I had my doubts, but the ruse worked. By tomorrow morning, the Fedorovs and the Rossis would no longer be allies.”
“What does this mean for us?” Sofia asked.
“It means, we’re no longer at a disadvantage, but they are.” Maxim kissed his wife again until she had no more questions to ask.
****
“How long do I need to keep this blindfold on?” Sofia asked.
“Just a little longer. Promise.”
She allowed her husband to lead her blindly down the stairs. Where were they going?
She tried touching the walls, surprised to feel hard rock, not smooth wallpaper or paint. They hadn’t left the house, she knew.
Her stomach lurched as it dawned on her that this might be the basement. The one place Maxim forbade her to go unaccompanied. He never said it outright, but Sofia suspected Lev and Maxim took enemies down here for questioning.
Then why was he bringing her here? Sofia stopped in her tracks. She didn’t think she’d done anything wrong. Maxim placed his hands on her shoulders and began to massage them.
“Why are you so tense? I promise you this gift will make you very happy,” Maxim said. He placed her long curls aside and planted a kiss on the back of her neck.
Just like that, her suspicions faded away. It was strange how much she had grown to trust him in such a short span of time.
Maxim getting shot had brought them a little closer. It made her realize she had genuine affection for her husband even if they started off as strangers.
“Hold my hand. We need to descend a flight of stairs,” Maxim said.
She fumbled for his hand, thankful for his firm grip.
He didn’t rush her as they went down the slick steps. Finally, her feet touched a flat surface. Maxim guided her forward, finally stopping. He undid the blindfold.
They stood in front of an imposing steel door without a handle on it. Maxim pressed a keycard on the number pad on the wall. The door opened, revealing a hot, windowless room.
A lone man had been strapped to a sturdy metal chair in the center of the room. He had a muscular build, dark hair and eyes, and was probably in his late thirties. The man didn’t seem to notice Sofia or Maxim.
His frightened gaze remained fixed on the other figure in the room. Lev wearing a plastic blue apron over his suit.
Lev stood by a small table that had a tray lined with gleaming knives and a variety of other torture implements.
“W-what is all this? Who is that man?” Sofia finally asked Maxim.
Lev looked up from polishing his instruments, then glanced at Maxim. “I can’t believe you would really bring her down here.”