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Anastasia Lenkov wants to live a normal life as a nurse after escaping her old, brutal life. But her past keeps catching up with her. She is on the run from the Russian mafia, because her father, the boss, will n...
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Rosa was chewing on her food across from me. Her thick Italian accent was clearly audible without much thought, "So your name is Anastasia, right?"
I hummed while poking my fork into the grilled potatoes. Antonio and Iwan left about an hour ago and haven't come back since then. Servants brought lunch in the meantime, but I haven't touched anything yet.
"So, a lot of people call you Nasia?"
"No." I muttered, piercing a potato with my fork without putting it in my mouth.
"Ana?" A slight shiver ran down my spine and I slowly moved my head up to look at her.
Her excited eyes met mine and her face paled before she started giggling unsteadily and clearing her throat.
"Okay, I'll just call you Anastasia." She brushed a strand behind her ear and brought another spoonful of soup to her mouth.
I cocked my head sideways. Something felt strange, I was being watched.
"Can I ask you why you're here?" Rosa's eyes beamed as she asked more questions. Raffaele groaned beside me and placed his silverware on his empty plate.
I took a deep breath and turned the pierced potato around on my plate, "I'm sorry, Rosa." I smiled at her, hoping to come across a little more polite. "I'm not very talkative as it seems to me."
The woman shrugged and turned slightly to Raffaele and joked, "Non me ne sono nemmeno accorto." [translation: I didn't even notice.]
Raffaele tensed next to me and Luca, sitting next to him, choked for a moment before looking at me with widened eyes.
I put the fork on my plate, the cutlery clinking a little as it touched the porcelain, and looked around again. Who was looking at me?
My gaze finally fell on a tall man. He didn't look at me, but simply stood leaning against the wall next to the double door. Blond hair fell over his forehead and blue eyes stood out under the strands.
Rosa's voice drifted into the background as I looked at the man. He was acting strangely.
"Anastasia?"
I tore my gaze away from the man and looked to Rosa.
She smiled, "I was just asking why you're here anyway?" She stared at my neck for a moment and her eyes narrowed.
"There's some stuff I need to take care of. With Antonio and a few others here." It's really none of her business. I don't trust her.
"Oh yeah? Where are you staying while you're here?" She also put down her silverware and looked at me in bewilderment.
An abrupt movement from Raffaele next to me briefly drew my attention to him. He sent me an apologetic look, "Excuse me, please." Luca also stood up and nodded to me before they both left their seats.
