Unsuspected

"Gabriel!" Katya screamed from her unwilling sleep. Her dress was damp with sweat, her heart was racing, and her breaths were coming out in quick pants. 

"My brother—" Her sight was foggy and she could barely make out anything but darkness and blurry images moving in front of her. 

"Breathe, Katty. I'm here." Zoey's voice was comforting to hear, but that didn't help her get rid of her worry at all. 

She blinked repeatedly. 

"Ga—Gabriel," she finally said when she could see properly. Zoey hovered over her, trying to press a glass of water to her lips. 

Fuck the glass of water! Yes, she was patched, but fuck that. 

Zoey forced the glass to her lips once again, giving her no choice but to drink, and Katya gulped it down like a drowning cat. 

She pulled away, trying to catch her breath. "Enough!"

The sound of the explosion was still ringing in her ears. Guilt filled her "non-existent, selfish and cold heart", as her father's pleading words played over and over again in her head. 

…he has a bomb in Gabriel's teeth!…

"The explosion—" 

"Gabriel is fine. He wasn't the one that exploded, it was your parents' car." Zoey provided, and that made her feel at ease a little until she remembered something.

"Freddy, my goodness—"

"Freddy is alright." Zoey said once again, flashing her a smile this time. 

A strained smile. 

"He drove us here, but he left a couple of moments ago to take care of his back."

Katya frowned. "He was shot. If he is dead—" her voice cracked with tears that threatened to strangle her. 

She knew little about Freddy except what Freddy had told her, and that was close to nothing. She didn't know if he had a family, didn't know where he was from, knew nothing because this man wouldn't spare any of his words on discussions about his personal life despite her persistent questions. He was very professional… too professional. 

What Katya was certain about, though, was that Freddy cared about her a lot, in his own way, his special way.

Her fists balled against the bed and she bit her tongue to distract her from the pain that was slowly wrecking her heart. 

"Don't lie to me."

"No! I'm serious. He drove us here, also—" she rushed out of the room, then she came back with her phone. "I knew you would do this, so I made him record a message for you."

She hit the "play" button on the phone's scream. 

'I'm alive, ma'am. I'll be back.'

Well, that was Freddy. 

A smile stretched across Katya's lips and she wiped away her tears. 

Ewww.

She would have to take extra measures with her skin care routine tonight to get rid of the likely wrinkles that brief moments of crying and major vulnerability might bring to her expensive face.

Freddy was worth it anyway. 

"Call him," she said as she got off the bed. This wasn't Zoey's apartment. In fact, she had never been here in her life. This place looked expensive, with windows that were carefully concealed. 

Freddy had a good taste. 

Nice. 

"I can't." Zoey rushed after her as Katya tried to find her way to the kitchen. 

"Why?"

"This place has a very bad reception."

Katya frowned. "Have you seen my phone? I need my handbag. I need a bath, a cigarette and a shot of vodka, or the whole bottle. Why aren't you calling him already? I need to know if his back is alright. Call him, Zoey." She turned to her.

"I can't. This place has a terrible reception." Zoey held up her phone to show her just how terrible the reception was. 

"Oh, you said that already. I must have hit my head pretty badly, uh?" Katya chuckled while she rubbed her fingers against her temples, only to find out that her hand was now bandaged. "Thank you."

Her stomach rumbled lowly and without a word, Zoey held her hand and took her to the kitchen. 

The fridge was full. It didn't take Zoey too much time to make a quick meal. Katya rambled on about how worried she was about her Gabriel and at a point she wanted to confirm if they were still alive or the last member of the Circle had gotten rid of them because she didn't let him whisk her away in marriage as another addition to her unlucky grooms. 

She also wanted to call Freddy. It had been over an hour and he wasn't back yet. She was absolutely worried about him. 

But once again, Zoey reminded her that there was no reception here to make any calls or search the internet about the present state of her family. 

Alive or dead; the Press would have a field day with that. The only one Katya felt absolutely guilty for was Gabriel. If death embraced Lily and her husband, it would be for the best, but Gabriel would be so lonely. 

Maybe they could live, because of him, and because they were once— fuck this!

"Where is my bag?"

"For your phone?" Zoey asked, pushing back the dining chair. 

"No. I need a cigarette and a shot." 

"I don't think we were able to bring your bag with us. But Freddy showed me where to find those. I'll get them for you. You just stay here and don't stress yourself."

Zoey went to a different section of the large kitchen. 

This place was so luxurious and so hidden. Why was Freddy even working for her at this point? On his return, she would have a long conversation with him and he would be forced to answer all her questions. 

There must be some big secret somewhere.

Maybe he was working for the government as a spy, a detective.

Maybe he was a robot— no, scratch that. An alien that came undercover, to report back and bring about world domination.

Katya chuckled to herself.

How ridiculous. 

"Here," Zoey handed her a cigarette and a glass of wine.

"Thank you."

"You are welcome."

"I mean, thank you for everything. You didn't have to get into this mess, but here you are because of me. When this is over, we will fly out of this country, go to a nice strip club, then we will find you some worthy men to whisk away your virginity."

"Katya!" Zoey gasped, biting back a smile. 

"What?" She chuckled. "It will be fun. At least yours won't be some fucking old dicks forcing themselves on you. Passing you around like a fucking ball." She laughed again and gulped down her glass of wine before placing the lit cigarette between her lips. 

Zoey's smile disappeared.

"I'll go get a bottle and something that might help with the mood." She headed out of the kitchen and Katya yelled after her. 

"And call Freddy if you get any bars. Say Katty misses him, tell him to hurry back."

"Sure." 

Zoey didn't return as soon as Katya wanted. After a while Katya decided to find her… and she did. 

Zoey had her back to the doorway, and a phone pressed to her ear.

"...I'm sharing my location with you already. Be here soon, Katya isn't very patient, she'll catch on soon." 

Katya sent her wine glass flying in the air. Zoey moved out of the way in the last second and it shattered against the wall instead.

"You fucking bitch!" Katya screamed, anger boiling in her veins. "I trusted you?"

Zoey turned to her, her eyes bowls of fear. 

"It isn't—" This time around the object Katya threw at her hit her right on her forehead. She staggered to the floor in pain. Katya pulled her by the collars of her shirt, forcing her to stay on her knees while blood drizzled from her forehead. 

"How much did they offer you? How much was it that I wouldn't have given you?! Is Freddy even alive?!" she yelled as she slapped her, her long polished nails drawing blood. "Tell me—"

A sudden dizziness hit her, and she fell back, hitting the floor with a thud. 

The wine... fuck! 

This bitch was even worse than her father. 

Zoey's laughter echoed in her ears as she felt her body go numb. 

"Don't worry, Katty. This will be your last wedding. Pinky promise." With a final hit, Zoey knocked her unconscious.