I suppress a snorted laugh. Don’t worry—that’ll be the freaking day. I’m gonna be worrying about Uri Bugrov for the rest of my natural life.
Soon, we get to the farthest corner of the south side of the house, which happens to be one of the living rooms that overlook the same lawn where I used to spy on Uri and Lev playing football. Polly has me duck so that security can’t see me through the large bay windows that dot the walls.
“I’m gonna leave you here, okay? Stay out of sight until you hear the signal.”
I grab her arm as she walks past me. “Polly, I can’t thank you enough.”
She gives me a heavy-hearted smile. “I love my brother, but he doesn’t get to imprison women in the basement. No matter the reason. Not on my watch.”
“You’re amazing, you know that?”
She blushes as she runs out the door. I duck down and wait for the fireworks to go off. The queasiness rears its ugly head again like the life inside of me is as scared as I am.
It’s okay, little one, I think, beaming my thoughts down toward my womb. I’m doing this for you. We’re going to be okay.
But the silence stretches on for what feels like an eternity. Every so often, I peek out the window. There are two burly security guards on either side of the lawn. They cross over at regular intervals, scanning back and forth as they do their rounds.
More seconds tick by and I start to wonder if something’s gone wrong. Did someone stop Polly? Is she okay? Have I gotten her into trouble already?
The door slides open and I’m sure it’s going to be her, coming back to tell me that she couldn’t make the fireworks go off and the whole plan is kaput. Except it’s not Polly. It’s—
“Lev?”
His eyes are wide and curious when they land on me. “What are you doing? Why are you sitting on the ground?”
All I can think is, I’m so screwed.
58
ALYSSA
“Lev, why don’t you go back to the game room?”
He shakes his head. “Not unless you come with me.” His hands are trembling and he’s got that pinched lip expression that usually means he’s in one of his stubborn moods. Which, obviously, is the last thing on earth I need right now.
“I can’t right now, Lev. I’ve got something I have to do.”
“What do you have to do?”
“It’s, er… complicated. Could you just go back to the game—”
“No!” he shouts aggressively. “No, no, no. You want to get rid of me!”
I spring up to my feet without thinking. “Hey, now, shhh, calm down, Lev. I don’t want to get rid of you. I just—”
BOOM. BANG. POP. BANG.
Lev slaps his hands over his ears, drops to his butt on the floor, and starts rocking everywhere. “No! No! No!”
“Lev,” I beg. “Lev, calm down! They’re just fireworks, honey. It’s okay.”
But it’s not okay. Because he’s losing it and I want to help—but I’m also gonna miss my window to escape if I stay any longer.
I look outside and see the security guards running in the direction of the explosions. The lawn is empty—but I know it won’t stay that way for long.
“Lev, please. They’re just fireworks. You’re gonna be okay. I promise!” But I doubt he can even hear me. He’s still got his hands clamped hard over his ears. I twist around on the spot, trying to figure out what I should do.
Stay and deal with Lev?
Or leave and hope that he’ll be okay?
If it were only me, I’d choose the latter. Despite Polly’s efforts, I just wouldn’t have been able to justify leaving Lev in that state.
But it’s not just me anymore. I have my baby to think of.
“I’m sorry, Lev,” I say with a heartbroken hitch in my voice. “I’m so sorry.”
Then, biting back tears, I turn and sprint out through the door. Down the stairs, out the side exit, across the lawn as fast as I can, the wind drying the tears on my cheeks. When I reach it, I scale the fence the same way I did the first time, what feels like an eternity ago. I’m at the top of the fence when I realize that Lev has followed me outside.
“You can’t go!” he wails. “You can’t go! Come back.”
“Lev, please go back inside,” I cry out, perched with one leg toward freedom and the other toward him. “You have to stay with your brother and sister.”
He doesn’t seem to be listening to me as he starts scaling the fence after me.