Chapter 19

ELENA

I knew that the man was surprised to hear my voice. I could tell by his gaze, but I also knew that running away and hiding was not going to get me anywhere. He wasn’t going to understand that it was hurting me if I proceeded this way, and I didn’t know what game he was playing at just yet.

“I’ll go first,” Vladimir said, and I nodded, looking the man dead in the eye as I waited for his question. “Why’d you trust me enough to speak?”

“You kept your word,” I said, and he frowned in confusion. “You kept him away from me. I knew that he would have come if not for whatever you’re doing.”

“Fair,” he said, “your turn.”

“Why do you keep coming despite knowing the consequences?” I asked, knowing that it wasn’t something that he was going to want to answer. But I also knew that he expected the question.

“You caught my attention.” He said, “a spark, a bond, if I can call it that. And now that I’ve felt it, I grew addicted.”

“Your turn,” I said, s