Sixty-Five

Maria

I sleep through the night, maybe for the first time in weeks since Mikhail last touched me. It feels normal here, and for a brief moment, I pretend I'm home again as I listen to nature outside my window—birds chirping back and forth and leaf-blowers in the distance.

The morning light barely illuminates the sheer curtains pulled across the Juliette balcony, and I get up to look outside. From the window, I see the driveway stretching beneath the window toward the street. Though the room is on the second floor, I could easily drop down onto the lawn. Without thinking about it, I try the glass door, but it's bolted shut.

I tug at it again but quickly stop when I see one of Rurik's men walking down the driveway toward the main road.

I hurry back to bed, and that's when I see a box on the bedside table. I stare at it, slowly comprehending what must be inside. Grabbing it, I pull at the matte black cardboard, tearing it open by the seams. Inside is a new phone.

Larissa kept her promise