Page 119 of Unexpected Prejudice

Shrugging, I swallowed my meds and wondered what made him look so worried. Maybe something had happened to Miles again?

“Your hair.”

Finishing the remaining juice from my glass, I looked at him. “What about my hair?”

“You… you shaved it.”

“It’s actually a short buzz cut, but I don’t expect you to know the difference. No offense, of course. You just don’t know much about hair.”

Stepping closer, Andrei examined my head again before looking me in the eyes. “But you love your hair.”

“I don’t love my hair.” I put the empty glass in the sink. “My hair is fun. I like it, but I don’t love it. I love Levi. Get the difference?”

“Jess…”

Stepping away from him, I shrugged. “No, it’s okay.” I looked at both of them. “Don’t you think it’s bizarre that you care more about me getting a haircut than Levi not spending Christmas Day with us?”

“Of course, I care about that. We all do.”

“So why did you mention my hair instead of Levi not being here? It’s Christmas morning, and Levi isn’t here, while he should be since we’re his family.”

Andrei pressed his lips together and looked at the floor.

“You don’t need to be upset, Jessie. I’m sure Andrei didn’t mean anything by it.” Chief offered me a smile while placing his arm on my back.

“I’m not upset. Not at all. It was just an observation.” Pulling out my phone, I checked the time. “Anyway, I need to go now.”

As I tried to move past Chief, he stopped me. “Where to?”

“To bring Levi back. Where else?”

Standing before the Spanish-style house, I checked my phone to ensure I got the address right. I did. Looking down at my choice of clothes, I confirmed they were decent before I took a deep breath and walked to the front door. Knocking three times, I stepped back and waited. Soon, a dark-haired man in his early fifties opened the door.

“Can I help you?” he asked, fixing the glasses to sit higher on his sharp nose.

“Yes,” I answered firmly while trying to peek over his shoulder and get a glimpse of the inside. “I’m Jessie, and I’m here for Levi.”

“Levi?” The man seemed even more confused, but then I heard a woman speaking from inside the house.

“Robert, who’s at the door?”

Recognizing her accent immediately, I walked past the man, allowing myself in.

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?” he yelled after me, not that I gave a shit, as I continued to walk, only stopping when I reached the kitchen and was met with her. Yelena.

Standing by the stove, with an apron around her waist, she looked the same as the last time I’d seen her, the first time we’d met.

Levi looked nothing at all like her. While her hair was blonde, his was dark. While she had dull blue eyes, Levi had the most unique stormy gray. While Levi was the sweetest soul on earth, she was a bitch. The list of their lack of similarities could go on forever, but I didn’t have time for that.

“If you don’t leave right now, I’ll call the police,” the man warned from behind me, but I didn’t bother to look back. I was too focused on Yelena and the two kids, who stood hiding behind Yelena’s skirt, peering at me with big eyes.

“Jessie,” she said.

“You know this hooligan?” the man asked, and I wished he’d shut up. And a hooligan? In what world did I look like one? I was a punk at best, but a hooligan? And who the fuck uses that word?

“Yes. He is Levi’s boyfriend,” she explained. “What are you doing here, Jessie?”

“I’m here for Levi. Why else would I be here?”