For the first time since the ceremony, I felt warm.
He worked in silence. His large fingers carefully applied the ointment to my purple bruise. It made me wince but I didn't pull away. He was surprisingly gentle and worked with incredible focus.
I watched him. He had sharp cheekbones, a square jaw and a faint scar just below his right eye. He looked like a man who'd seen to much.
"You're very good at this," I whispered.
He didn't look up. "I've had practice."
I wanted to ask him what he meant by that but a knock on the door interrupted our moment.
I froze and he did too.
Another knock. Louder and harder.
"Sir, hotel security. Sorry to disturb you. We are looking for a guest. A young woman with brown hair in a white wedding dress."
My breath hitched. I looked into Mikhail's eyes and clutched his arm with my shaky own. "Please." I mouthed.
He nodded and walked to the door. I scrambled off the couch and darted towards the bedroom, crouching beside the bed. I heard the lock click and the door open.
"What?" His voice was low and irritated.
"Apologized for interrupting. We are following up on a disturbance. A bride ran from her wedding and has been seen fleeing through the halls. She may be in danger."
He leaned against the door frame and cocked his brow. "I haven't seen anyone."
"She may be hiding. Can we take a look?"
"No." he said flatly. There was an awkward silence in the air.
"Sir- I paid for privacy," Mikhail interrupted. "And I expect to keep it. If I see your girl, I'll call reception. Goodbye." and with that, he slammed the door in their faces.
I peeked around the edge of the bed, he stood by the door.
"You owe me now," he muttered.
"Why do you help me?" I asked.
He blinked at my question. "I'm sorry, aren't you the one that asked for it?" I lowered my head at my own stupid question.
Then he said quietly. "Because I know what it's like to want out of something you never chose."
I lifted my head. In this moment, in his hotel room, wearing his clothes. For the first time in forever I felt that maybe, I wasn't entirely alone. He walked back to the bar and started rummaging.
I follow him there.
"They didn't come here demanding for you, which probably means they haven't checked the cameras… yet. Once they do, it won't take them long to trace you back here."
"Then what do we do?" my heard dropped at the thought of being caught.
He thought for a moment before grabbing my hand. "Come with me." he opened the closet and pulled out a black hoodie and baseball cap. "Switch out the t-shirt and tuck your hair under the cap."
He went to the bar and grabbed the room service menu. "You're not walking out of here, it's too risky. But lucky for us, hotels like this deliver dinner."
I scoffed at him. "Do you think food is what I need right now?"
He rolled his eyes at me. "I am not feeding you, I am delivering you." he picked up the room phone and dialed reception. "Yes, I'd like to order dinner for one. Send it up please."
There was a knock on the door fifteen minutes later.
"Thank you. You can leave the cart with me and come back for it later," the waitress eyed him suspiciously and he slipped her a few bills. "Just for a little while." she smiled and left with the money.
He pushed the service cart towards me.
"What is this for?" I asked, still not sure about what he's planned.
"You'll be under it. I'll cover you with a cloth."
My jaw dropped. "You want me to hide under a cart?"
"You want to get caught?" he asked flatly and I shut my mouth. "Yeah, I didn't think so." he picked the shirt I was wearing and put it on.
"We will use the staff elevator. I will bribe whoever I need to, once we are out of the service entrance, we disappear. I have a car nearby."
I looked at the space, then at him.
"You are sure this will work?"
He nodded once. "Only if you don't move. No matter what you hear or feel." I agreed and crawled under the small space. He took the bedspread and used it to cover the cart before replacing the food on top.
He crouched and arranged the cover, tucking it in necessary places.
"You got this." he whispered before wheeling me out of the room.
He headed straight for the staff elevator at the end of the corridor. He walked calmed and naturally, his face void of emotions so as not to catch attention.
The elevator dinged. The doors slid open and a hotel security guard stood inside.
Mikhail didn't flinch.
"Evening," the security muttered.
Mikhail nodded curtly and pushed the cart beside him.
The ride down was quiet. The guard looked at the cart.
"Late dinner?"
Mikhail shrugged. "She's picky."
"Aren't they all?" the guard chuckled to himself while he gave a small smile. He kept his hand loose on the cart just in case.
The doors opened to the lobby.
"Take care now." they both went in different directions. Mikhail headed towards the rear exit. This wasn't his first time in this hotel, he knows it all too well.
At the rear exit, there was a single security man standing by. He rolled the cart to him.
"Out of my way." he said coldly.
The man fumbled a little. "But that cart is-"
"Do I need to repeat myself?" he shook his head and opened the gate for us to pass. He rolled it into an alley behind the hotel where his black Chevrolet camaro was parked.
Only then, when the coast was clear, did he kneel down and crack the cart open.
I blinked at him. Wide-eyed and breathless
"Are we out?" I whispered.
He nodded. "Told you."
He helped me out, my legs were shaking so he steadied me with one hand on my waist.
"I- thank you so much."
He held my gaze for a moment before looking away.
"Don't thank me yet. Because you are not safe until they don't know where to look for you."