“I learned something important about Pushka that day.”
I waited, but my eyes asked him to keep going.
“The one thing that sets Pushka apart from everyone else is his internal drive to protect others. Not many people have this gift, but he has it straight to the bottom of his heart. It drives him, it motivates him, and, frankly, I don’t think he knows any other way to live. He’s one of the good ones. And now whatever Pushka wants, Pushka gets.”
I thought about the dozens of different ways Viktor had stood watch over me in the last few days. Despite extraordinary circumstances, his focus had been to keep me safe. “I’ve experienced that about him.”
He gave me a shrewd look. “Is Pushka married?”
I shook my head. “No.”
“And how do you know that?”
“Because we were talking about his dating life.” I felt myself flush hot as I implicated myself.
Amusement colored his tone. “I see.”
I immediately protested his subtle suggestion. “It’s not like that, not even close.”
He smirked at me. “But you’d be okay if he got a bit closer.”
I should have answered with a resolute no, but instead I found myself floundering for the right words. “Trust me, he doesn’t think of me like that.”
“But you wish he did.”
How could I explain how I felt about Viktor when I didn’t understand my own feelings? “I just think….”
Tonko waited.
I hesitated. To be honest, I didn’t know what I thought. This whole situation felt upside-down to me. “He’s very nice.”
He burst out laughing. “Did you hear that, Pushka? You need to marry this one.”
“Oh yeah, why’s that?” Viktor’s voice rumbled behind me.
Mortified, I spun around in my seat. Viktor leaned against the door jamb, obviously listening to our conversation.
“Because she thinks you’re nice. How many times has anyone accused you of that sin?”
Viktor’s lips twitched, but he was a gentleman and he changed the subject. “Storm’s coming in. You sure this place is safe, Tonko?”
“Storms come and go, they have for years.” Tonko motioned for me to turn and face him. He took several photos of me, then he waved me away. “Come, Pushka, you’re next. Come and sit down. Time for me to take your picture.”
I shot off the seat and turned to watch Viktor get his picture taken.
Instead of looking at the camera, Viktor tracked me as I moved restlessly across the room. “This storm sounds like it might be different. I found an available hotel room that will be safer than here. Come with us.”
“Look at the camera and be quiet,” Tonko instructed before he took several shots. “I’ll work during the storm and then, when it’s over, everything will be ready.”
“You’re not going to have power, so you might as well come. Don’t stay on account of this job.”
“I have a generator and a month’s worth of supplies. I’ll be fine.” Tonko looked over his shoulder at me. “See, he can’t help himself, can he?”
“You need anything else from us?” Viktor asked.
“Just get out of my hair. Come back when the storm is done.”
Viktor stood up and ushered me toward the door. Tonko trailed after us and moved in to hug me goodbye. When he leaned down, he whispered in my ear, “You use his gift to your advantage, you hear?”
I gave him a shocked look, which sent him into a peal of laughter. “This one is adorable.”
Viktor ignored him and hustled me outside. “Come on, let’s move it.”
By the time we drove further inland to the hotel, the weather had shifted dramatically. The wind gusts shook the entire car and bent over the tops of palm trees, shaking them with an alarming fury.
I sat completely silent, my packed bag on my lap, my hand straying to my seat belt buckle. I was ready to take action as Viktor navigated through the empty streets.
Finally, ahead of us, a newer-looking hotel with bright lights promised sanctuary.
He parked the car and then looked over at me. “Okay, here we go.”
Neither of us moved.
“Looks bad out there,” I said, watching the trees get whipped in the wind. Rain pelted the windshield.
We both watched as something dark and black whipped like a missile across the street.
“It’s going to get worse.”
I looked at him in the dark of the vehicle. “Is Tonko going to be all right?”
“He said he would be.”
“Maybe we should have convinced him to come.”
He looked over at me. “Do you think you could change his mind?”
I thought about how resolute Tonko had been in his decision to stay. “Maybe I could. We should try.”
“If we go back, we might not make it back here.”
That scared me. “What do you want to do?”
Through the window, he watched the weather. I could tell he was torn about Tonko. He looked over at me. “You’re my priority. The risk of going back isn’t worth it.”
I still thought it was worth the risk to try and save him. “I’m no more important than Tonko.”
“Three other lives depend on your safety, so that makes you more valuable. Come on. Grab my hand and come out my side. We’re going to run together.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
VIKTOR
Running from the car to the hotel lobby confirmed that I’d made the right decision to get Blaire out of the storm. The bigger wind gusts made running difficult, and even the smallest windblown debris was becoming deadly at such high speeds.
I tucked Blaire against my body, shielding her as best as I could from the wind, and hustled her inside.
On account of the storm, the harassed-looking front desk clerk accepted my excuse that our passports had been accidentally lost, and he checked us in without incident. The fact that the building was built of concrete boded well for our safety. I worried about Tonko, but he had made his decision and now he would live or die by the consequences. I was unwilling to risk Blaire’s life in an attempt to save him.
When we got into the room, Blaire started to dance in excitement.
“There’s a shower,” she squealed before stopping herself and spinning to look at me. “Sorry, would you like to use the shower first?”
“Nope, this one is all yours. Go quick before we lose water.”
“Thank you.” She disappeared into the bathroom.
I decided to make myself scarce. I went down to the hotel lobby convenience store and bought a dozen bottles of water, Mars bars and Pringles.
I opened the hotel room door slowly and was rewarded with the steamy scent of jasmine soap and floral shampoo. She stood beside the bed, with her pack open in front of her.
She gave me a wide smile. “That might have been the best shower of my life.”
I dumped the bag of snacks on the end of the bed. “In case you get hungry.”
She peeked in the bag. “Typhoon supplies. How long do you suppose a storm like this lasts?”
“Three to eight hours.”
She looked alarmed. “That’s a long time.”