Денис Седов – One step into Tomorrow (страница 4)

I lost count several times, recalculating the number of zeros.

"We will agree on the specific additional sum later. This will be deposited before your departure," he finished.

"Do I have time to think?" I asked, finishing the mors.

"You do—but not much. Until tomorrow. Here’s a number; call when you’ve decided. And don’t forget the non-disclosure," Makar said, emphasizing the last part.

After that, he paid and left the restaurant, leaving me alone in the hall, which was gradually beginning to fill up.

Chapter 3

What Comes Next

Stepping outside, I felt a strange pleasure from the touch of the raindrops for the first time. After standing there for a while, I couldn’t think of anything better than returning to the club.

The bar was nearly empty. Tosha, a young waiter who had recently started working there, was bustling between the tables. Nastya stood behind the bar, pouring something. Noticing me, she waved, beckoning me over. When I approached, she pointed to an empty stool.

"Want something?" she asked, wiping glasses.

"No, thanks. Nastya, do you remember when Kolya disappeared? Did you notice anything unusual?"

She looked at me with surprise, her brow furrowing slightly. One could hardly expect vital information from her, but still…

"Nothing unusual. He left one day—and that was it. I’ve stayed in touch with his ex-wife. She says decent amounts of money hit his account every month. Probably found a good gig somewhere. I wish he’d called, though; we were friends, after all… Can you give me a lift home? I’m finishing in half an hour," she said, abruptly changing the subject.

I could only nod.

Nastya was clearly pleased that I agreed. She hadn’t seemed to expect otherwise. She tossed her hair and began tidying up the counter.

"We could go up to my place; I’ll fix you some dinner," she said as soon as we got into the car.

My plans, of course, were different.

I liked Nastya. She liked me; that had been clear for a long time. I could have offered her something serious. But not now.

Although I didn’t want to admit it to myself, I already knew I would accept Makar’s offer. Maybe because Nikolai needed to be pulled out. Or maybe because something wasn’t quite right in my head. What sane person would agree to such a thing?

The money?

That wasn’t the main point.

But the sum Makar had shown me as a bonus was obscenely large.

Gradually, everything in my mind was falling into place.

I knew exactly what I had to do.

"Nastya, let’s go to my place instead," I said.

She turned, glanced at me, and, as if waiting for an explanation but not hearing one, simply nodded.

"You see, I’ll have to leave. I don’t know for how long. And the house will be empty. You’re renting an apartment, right?"

She nodded again.

"Well, there you go. There’s a house here. If you move in, you’ll be helping me out—and you’ll be more settled. You won’t have to pay; I’ll leave money for expenses and bills."

Silence hung in the car.

Nastya watched me intently, her gaze piercing through me like an X-ray.

"Well, are we going?" I said, breaking it first. "We’ll stop by my place, I’ll show you everything, and then I’ll take you home."

"Fine. But to my place first. Deal?"

The whole way, I felt her casting glances at me. But my mind was occupied with something else entirely. The feeling that I was missing something in this whole story still wouldn’t leave me.

"Kostya, brake. This is my house."

I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I nearly missed the turn.

While Nastya went up to her apartment, I dialed the number Makar had given me.

"Hello. This is Konstantin. I accept."

Nastya was gone for about forty minutes.

I managed to make a couple of calls and ordered a grocery delivery to the house.

She reappeared with two bauls—there’s no other word for those massive striped bags from the nineties.

"You make decisions fast," I told her, grabbing a bag and shoving it into the trunk of the jeep.

"There’s no point in driving back and forth. I’ll gather the small things later. Otherwise… I’d have to take a taxi or beg Tosha."

She shoved the second bag in and, looking at me with her big, beautiful eyes, added softly:

"And besides… what if you change your mind? I’d never forgive myself. Well, shall we go?"

Her question sounded unusually tentative. There was a slight shyness in her voice, which wasn’t like her at all.

"Of course, if there’s nothing else you want to take," I nodded, "let’s go."

We drove in silence the whole way. Only when we reached the house did I take out the key fob and explain how to open the gates with the remote. Then I pulled the car into the yard and led her around the house, showing the locations of all the security cameras.

Only when I was punching the code into the door lock did I notice it was pouring rain and she was in a light jacket.

While Nastya was saving the gate and alarm codes into her phone, a thought suddenly struck me—how strangely and quickly everything had begun to move. But to be honest, that wasn’t entirely true. We had known each other for a long time. Chance meetings, conversations at the club, coffee at the bar, rare trips to competitions…

The chemistry between us had always been there—quiet and unspoken—as if we were both waiting for life to put everything in its place. But every time, something got in the way.

Once, we ended up at a party after a shooting match. Everyone was relaxed, laughing, chatting; she was especially beautiful—hair slightly disheveled, bright eyes, a light flush. We sat together on the veranda for a long time. She was telling me something; I was listening and thinking: this is the moment.

But I froze.

I said something stupid, looked away, didn’t take her hand.

And then it was too late. Everything vanished into the air like smoke.

Since then, we had simply remained close, and the intimacy of that evening had always hovered around us.

And now she was in my house.

A bit lost, tense, as if she didn’t fully understand what she was doing herself—but staying by my side nonetheless.

"Alright, take over the household," I said. "You have a driver’s license, right?"

Nastya nodded. Her eyes grew even wider.

"Then I’ll add you to the insurance and draw up a power of attorney—though it’s not strictly necessary, just in case. And we’re going to the MFC right now; I need to officially register you at this address. Bring your passport."

I said all this as we walked from the garage into the house.

"I’m not going anywhere. Until you explain everything to me, I’m not moving an inch."

There was such tension in her voice that I realized if I didn’t defuse things now, the rest of the day and evening would be lost.

"Nastya, I have to leave. Look, I can’t tell you the details. It’s connected to Kolya. Just a good job I can’t turn down. And the house will go to ruin without someone watching it. So I’m very grateful to you for helping me out. Don’t worry, I’ll make it worth your while."