Grace sat in the small bed, the covers undone, and she beared an unruly appearance. Her grey eyes narrowed as a couple of t-shirts landed inside a small suitcase, her brows furrowed just as she pursed her lips.
"Do you have to go?"
Grace couldn't hold herself any longer, her grey eyes widened, watching Vitaly pleadingly.
It was Vitaly's turn to frown, he avoided her eyes, while he took in a breath.
"He is my brother."
He drawled, his brown hair covered his eyes. Grace's jaw dropped, she watched Vitaly incredulously, shaking her head Grace crossed her arms.
"That's different." Grace snaped.
Vitaly, exasperated, placed a hand on his hip as he looked at the fan on the ceiling.
"Different how Grace? He asked it as a favor. Besides it's the last deal, it's not as if I'm going to do it again like all those years back." He looked down at Grace, who's fists were clenched on the bedcovers. He sighed, walking towards the edge of the bed, he knelt before her. Taking her hands in his, Vitaly glanced at the interlaced fingers as he spoke again, this time in dulcet tones.
"Look around you Gracie, is this the place you want to live?" smiling softly he shifted on his feet. "Yuri said that when the deal is done I could get my own restaurant going, we could live in better conditions."
Grace chuckled humorlessly, she squeezed his hand in return.
"There's nothing wrong with the way we live. It's better than what your brother has right now, have you seen Ava lately? She is miserable."
Crossed, Vitaly stepped away from Grace, letting her hands go as he did.
He began to pace around, lightning a cigarette. Grace watched helplessly, she knew he was torn between his fears and his dreams. She was glad Vitaly had told her the whole truth, instead of a lie. After all, she was the only one who knew about the arms dealing—besides the police obviously.
"I'll be back in a couple of days or so." Vitaly announced weakly, huffing the remnants of the smoke.
Grace felt her stomach dropped, she didn't feel alright with his decision.
That night she only felt a kiss on her forehead, drowsily she heard the front door clicking shut.
