Page 71 of Devious Obsession
“Nothing. He’s just been busy since we got back.”
Her eyes narrow. “Busy? You’ve only been back two days.”
I nod. “Work.”
“So you’ve been staying at his place all alone?”
“No. There’s always someone lurking around the house.” I add when she looks confused, “Security guys.”
“Maybe he’s just catching up on things. He’s been gone a while.”
“Yeah,” I agree quickly, realizing that once again I’m the cause of the problem.
He’s had to chase me across the country, gotten attacked by a rabid raccoon, had to ask his estranged father for help, all while having a bounty put on his head, because of me.
“I don’t know Artem, having only met him the other day when you came home, but if he’s anything like your brothers, he’s not going to like the idea of you finding your own place.”
“It’s not happening today. By the time I find somewhere, he’ll be relieved. Everything happened so fast, it makes sense to slow things down.”
She looks doubtful but is kind enough not to argue the point. “If you say so. But there is also the issue of your brothers.”
“I’ve been on my own before. This won’t be any different than that. I just need to find a new apartment.”
“Why the hell would you need that?”
Artem.
Of course he would show up at the exact moment, I don’t want him to be within hearing.
Sienna’s eyebrows raise as she twists to look at him standing in the doorway, blocking anyone from coming or going from the room. A plane flying through a tornado has less turbulence than his glare.
“Artem.” I smooth my hands over my hips. I hadn’t expected to see him until maybe late tonight, or tomorrow, or maybe, if the universe has any pity for me, not until I found a place of my own.
There is only so much humiliation a woman can stand. And being completely brushed off after saying those three little words that carry such heavy weight is about as much as I can take.
“Maybe I should?—”
I stop her before she can climb off the couch. “No, no. You stay. I’m going to go upstairs to my room. I won’t be long.”
“You should stay for dinner. Tommy will be home from school soon, and Kaz will be home by the time we sit down to eat.”
“No.” Artem answers for me, his eyes steady on me. “Thank you, Sienna, but we have dinner plans.”
“No, we don’t,” I retort, and Sienna surpasses a chuckle.
“We do. If you want to go upstairs to get some of your things, let’s go.” He turns to the side, offering me a path out of the room.
For a moment I consider telling him I’ll meet him later or telling him I’ve decided to stay here at Kaz’s. But he’s married now. This isn’t my place anymore. Or Alexander’s or Ivan’s. I’m an orphan with no home.
“I’ll talk to you later,” I say to Sienna, as I make my way across the room.
“We can discuss your comment about the apartment while you pack,” Artem says, his voice dangerously low.
He’s barely two steps behind me the entire way through the house up to my suite on the second floor. When I enter the room, I push the door closed, but he stops it from shutting and barges inside.
“What is wrong, Elana?” he demands as I throw open the closet door.
“Nothing.” I carry a suitcase to the bed and throw it on top, unzipping it and opening it.
