The hair braiding scene in the last chapter is 100% my favourite.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter!


The next day, I was back on Dimitri's horse with him; my clothes were dusty from laying on the ground all night, but at least they were dry. I had woken to them folded and placed beside me. Dimitri even went as far as to tie a spare blanket up between a windy tree and Elizabeth's saddle to give me privacy to dress.

I felt exhausted; my dreams filled with either a gun aimed at me or the caress of Dimitri's hands—waking to said man's hand on my shoulder and his face leaning over mine hadn't helped.

He hadn't lied about us making up for the lost time; the pace we went was unrelenting, and my body ached by the time we stopped for a break.

"We will need to stop at the next town," Dimitri reasoned, standing beside Ivan and looking into the distance. If I squinted, I could see a cluster of buildings. "If we get supplies, we can avoid stopping again until we reach Reno."

I stood nearby with Elizabeth's reins in hand, brushing her mane and offering her an apple. Eddie remained close by, giving me an apologetic look each time our eyes met. I understood why he threw me into the water; it gave him the chance to take the shot—I just didn't appreciate being the bait.

Spiridon remained at the back of the group. I had thought the stares he received the night before were suspicious, and they continued throughout the day. Each time Dimitri had to address him, I noticed him tense.

"I have a friend in Austin that could help," Ivan offered.

"Marcas?" Dimitri's tone dropped, a hint of a frown on his face.

Ivan shrugged, "He will have room for us to stay, and he has connections. If anyone is digging around, he'll know about it." They looked back towards the town, voices hushed.

Part of me wanted to demand to know the plan but stopped myself; it wasn't like I could add to it. I'd never paid much attention to the geography of the American desert and had no idea where we actually were.

I used to believe I wasn't as sheltered as most thought but learned I was. Surely, I was if I was falling for Dimitri. How could I possibly have such strong feelings for someone I had only known for five days? A man who was tall and handsome and so far, had no issue with how I acted. Men didn't like an outspoken woman, but Dimitri never appeared aggravated by me.

"Rose." I jumped at Eddie's whisper, surprised he stood so close. He glanced around briefly and stepped closer, ducking his head, "I don't know if they told you."

I gave him a look, shifting to whisper back, "What are you talking about?"

He glanced at Dimitri's back and then behind us, a frown on his face when he focused on me again. "He probably doesn't want to worry you, but I think you should know."

"That I should know what?"

"Castile!" Dimitri's voice startled us both, and we turned to see him marching towards us. "Get ready, we'll leave soon. I want you to scout ahead." He came to a stop beside me, fingers brushing against mine as he took the reins.

It was a harmless gesture—not even a second thought should be given to it, and yet it felt like sparks travelled up my fingers and my arms. I quickly pulled back, crossing my arms behind my back. Suddenly all I could think of was Dimitri's hands in my hair.

Would his touch always be so gentle when he touched me?

What would it feel like if he was being passionate?

I quickly shook that thought from my head, but I could already feel the warmth seep through me and settle heavily between my legs. A heat flushed my cheeks, but it wasn't from the sun.

Dimitri's eye caught mine, and he studied me with a look of concern. With a light touch, he tapped the brim of my hat and angled it down to better shade my face. "You should drink some water."

I swallowed despite the dryness of my throat. "I'm fine," I argued, willing all of my inappropriate thoughts and feelings far from my mind.

His lips twitched but didn't relent. "Drink, Rose." The canister was placed in my hand and watchful eyes didn't leave me until I took a sip.

I was never one to comply. If I had to be described with one word, it would be stubborn, or wilful. I never easily gave in to the request of another, even if it was from my own parents. Yet, each time, I gave in to Dimitri. The hold he had on me was dangerous and strange.

Before, I would have fought tooth and nail against every request, even if the request was reasonable. I simply hated to bow to anyone's will. For whatever reason, I didn't have the same need to fight with Dimitri. I wanted him to like me.

A surge of irritation shot through me. I returned the canister and stepped back when Dimitri's hand moved to help me onto his horse. His eyebrow rose in question as I bluntly explained, "I'm riding with Ivan."

Confusion pulled at his features, adding a set of lines on his brow, "Why?"

I lifted my chin, the closest I could get to looking down on him. "Because I want to," I replied with a sneer and turned. I could tell the others were a little stunned, and Spiridon was annoyed, but none knew what to say. Ivan spluttered a few incomplete sentences before he agreed and helped me onto his horse with a helpless shrug in Dimitri's direction.

Dimitri didn't mount his horse straight away, his eyes at his feet. When he did finally pull himself onto the saddle, his expression was stormy. "I'll take the rear. Stay aware." The order was growled but not directed at anyone in particular.

I wasn't sure why he was put into such a dark mood from my choosing Ivan over him, but it had the opposite effect of putting me off. Instead, I felt more drawn to him.

I truly was in great danger of my feelings for that man.


The town was larger than the previous ones; the streets were bustling with people going about their everyday lives. It was lively, loud, and unnerved me; after weeks of being secluded, it was unsettling to be back around so many.

Dimitri and the others travelled close together, Ivan and I in the middle of them. We drew the eyes of those on the street, and I heard a few whispers caught by the wind—a lone woman travelling with a group of men, and I looked like I had been rolling on the ground. I kept my head held high and tried to ignore the judgement in their eyes.

If they wanted to assume I was a loose woman, it wasn't my job to prove otherwise. I learnt a long time ago that people would believe what they wanted despite the truth.

"Have you been to Austin before?" Ivan asked, his voice startling me. I had been rubbing my hands along the folds of my skirt; I knew it was a futile attempt to rid myself of the dirt that stained the cotton.

"No," I mumbled. "Will we be here long?"

"Maybe a couple of hours. Might be for the night," Ivan responded with a shrug of his shoulders. "In a rush to return home?" His smile told me he was trying to tease and lift the dark cloud that had settled.

I tried to smile, but it was more a press of my lips together. I used to be filled with the need to return home just for the safety and normalcy I once had—I wanted to be far from the ranch. Yet, as we travelled, I remembered why I wished to escape from home.

The reason I had wished I had ridden along that night. I planned to run before they took me.

Ivan dropped the small talk when I didn't respond; we rode through the streets until we reached a sizable tavern. Music and loud cheers drifted out onto the street with drunken men leaning against the wooden posts outside. The sun was still high in the sky, yet it seemed half of the town's men were drunk there.

"Feeling thirsty?" I mocked when Ivan helped me to the ground. He smirked and gestured to the tavern.

"An acquaintance owns the establishment—the barkeep. If anyone knows information about the search for you, it's him."

It felt risky, especially after we had been avoiding the larger towns in case we were followed; though they had found us anyway. Whoever was after me didn't want me to make it back to San Francisco.

The men secured the horses and then strolled into the tavern; Ivan held the swinging door open for me and followed closely behind. Dimitri led the group, his eyes never met mine when I had gazed at him. Clearly, I had upset him. Maybe Dimitri wasn't protective of me, but instead possessive. Had I hurt his feelings when I chose Ivan over him?

The interior was sophisticated and reminded me of the city more than a town in the middle of nowhere. The furniture was made with dark wood with plush red seat covers; fire raged in two fireplaces despite the warmth not being needed, though the flame did provide light by the bar and a place to cook meals. The majority of the consumers were gathered by the grand piano in the corner with a man in a top hat playing a tune as scantily clad women danced beside it.

A set of stairs led up to the next level with more women charming men up the steps with flirtatious smiles and a slow crook of their fingers.

I crossed my arms once we reached the long wooden bar and side-eyed Ivan. "You've brought me to a brothel. Wonderful."

"It won't be for long," Dimitri replied in a gruff tone, his long fingers curled around the metal-lined edge of the bar. He searched the people moving about serving drinks before waving one over.

A tall man approached, dressed in a white linen shirt and suspenders, his thick black hair was greased back, though a strand did fall into his eyes. His chin and cheeks were covered with dark stubble, making him appear more rugged and older than the men I travelled with. His height and broad shoulders reminded me of Dimitri, but the sinful smirk the man directed at me instantly ended the comparisons.

"Ain't you a pretty thing? Much too kind on the eyes to be travelling with this lot," the server purred at me, leaning his elbows on the bartop so we were at eye level. "What's your name?"

"None of your business," I shot back with a sly smile of my own.

Dimitri placed a hand before me, drawing the attention of the server. "Don't pay him any attention, Miss Hathaway. We won't be here long."

The server rolled his eyes and stood back up to full height. "Stoic as always, Belikov. What brings you here?"

"We need information."

"Don't we all?" He eyed me again. "Miss Hathaway? I would love to know your name; mine is Marcas." He held out a hand for mine. I moved out of habit; the manners of society drilled into me from a young age.

Our hands never touched. Another took my wrist and directed me away from the bar. Dimitri's chest blocked my sight of Marcas as he ordered Ivan to get the information we needed. I was encouraged forward; a laugh bubbled up my throat once Dimitri had me back outside by the horses.

"I didn't realise my life was in danger. How kind of you to protect me from the deadly barkeep," I scoffed.

Dimitri glanced at me before he waved to the row of stores opposite us. "I believe our time would be better spent."

I was taken aback. "You want to shop?"

His eyes flicked to my skirt. "Unless you would rather continue to wear what you have?"

My fingers brushed the stained skirt, and I looked towards the stores again. "You're right, but I'm not getting another dress."


The male shopkeeper's face was scandalised, his cheeks beat red, and his lips turned down in a deep frown. At first, he assumed I was looking for clothes for Dimitri and then for a brother, but when I took the selection of clothes to the back room to change, they all realised what I intended.

Even Dimitri had been astonished when I emerged in a white yoke and woollen trousers. My boots didn't come up as high as I would have liked, but it worked well enough. I examined myself in the cloudy mirror in the corner of the store, flipping my braid over my shoulder as I turned.

"Miss, I don't believe this is proper," the shopkeeper started again. I rolled my eyes and stared at him through the mirror.

"I'll be paying for the clothes. What does it matter how it's worn," I rebutted. I scoured the collection of leather coats that hung along the wall, searching for one that was small enough.

He didn't stand down. The man turned to Dimitri, "Sir–"

Dimitri produced a collection of notes from inside his duster; the green colouring gave away what they were. The shopkeeper's eyes widened at just how many he had stacked together. "I believe I have enough to cover the expenses."

I was grateful Dimitri didn't try to persuade me to choose something else. I was still searching for a coat when Dimitri held up a dark leather duster in his hands, stepping behind me to place it over my shoulders. "This will work. It should keep you warm at night."

I ran my fingers over the soft leather; it was of a similar colouring as his. "Will we be sleeping outside more?"

His face dropped. "It's likely. I would prefer not to, but it would be safer."

I shrugged, freeing my braid from under the coat. I thought of how it felt when he touched my hair and wished he would do so again. His fingers twitched, and for a moment, I hoped he would, but Dimitri stepped back.

I hid my disappointment. "I don't mind sleeping outside," I replied and turned to the mirror, "As long as I'm not forced to swim again, it's fine with me."

A smile played on Dimitri's lips. "I'll make sure that doesn't happen." Piercing brown eyes met mine in the mirror, and I warmed under his gaze. "We should get you some new shoes while we're here," Dimitri offered with a soft smile.

And again, I felt myself fall for him.


Dimitri continued to follow me as we wandered the stores; he would have a hand ready with money for me before I even considered asking to purchase an item. I decided to buy two shirts and a new undergarment. I couldn't find anything to better bind my chest and decided to continue wearing the stays Rebecca gave me; they were comfortable enough.

I bought a comb and ribbons to tie my hair with, so I could return Dimitri's tie to him. I eyed the soap when we passed it but felt that it would be a useless item to carry with me when we needed to pack light. Dimitri disappeared from my side for a moment and then returned with the soap wrapped in a cloth and slipped it into the pocket of my coat.

"My sister would like that one," Dimitri mused beside me as I looked over the table of jewellery. His finger brushed over a bright blue stone.

"Viktoria?" I asked. His eyebrow rose. "Eddie mentioned her," I explained, "he said she likes to throw knives."

The corner of his lips quirked up. "She does. The first time they met, she threw a knife at him," he pointed to his shoulder, "Eddie has a scar from it."

"She sounds very interesting."

"You would get along with her. My other two sisters are also as spirited as you, though are less likely to attack a stranger." Our eyes met, and I smiled.

"Are you still upset that I aimed your own gun at you?" It felt like a lifetime ago since I met Dimitri while trying to escape. At the time, I believed him to be the enemy, and now I had improper thoughts of him whenever our elbows so much as brushed.

"I'm just grateful you didn't pull the trigger."

"Me too," I breathed. I turned so he wouldn't see the soft look on my face. I felt he would scoff if he knew I thought fondly of him; it wasn't like we were characters in a romance novel. We weren't destined to fall in love and beat the odds against us.

Dimitri and I were from different worlds, and once we reached the city, those differences would be all the more obvious.

I almost turned from the table of necklaces when one caught my eye. It wasn't the same, but it held a strong resemblance to the one my mother wore. It was a light blue stone with a smaller, darker blue colouring in the middle, with a silver backing. The similarities to the Nazar my mother wore were too much for me to ignore.

The rock fit nicely into my palm, and the silver felt cool to the touch. I was mesmerised by the deep colouring.

"Would you like it?" Dimitri's voice whispered against my ear, sending chills down my spine. I didn't lift my eyes from the necklace but nodded. He paid for it quickly and then led us back onto the street with a hand on my lower back. His touch didn't linger, but it still made my stomach do flips.

"Thank you, Dimitri," I smiled up at him, and he returned it.

I hadn't noticed the dark clouds covering the sky until a clap of thunder rumbled; the skies opened, and rain fell like a biblical flood. Dimitri pulled me to his side and lifted the front of his duster to cover my head; we ran back to the tavern, pressed tightly together.

We were both soaked by the time we reached cover. Luckily, my coat and Dimitri's kept my new clothes from becoming wet. My hair clung to my neck and cheeks, and I noticed the ends of Dimitri's did as well. He removed his hat and ran a hand through his hair; a deep chuckle rumbled in his chest. "The monsoon is holding on."

I watched the rain hit the ground, quickly turning the dirt into mud. "Do you think it will last long?"

"Hopefully not, but it's hard to tell." He eyed the horses and sighed, "I'm going to move them to the stables. Go inside and get dry."

As I turned, Dimitri's hand latched onto my wrist again; his fingers were so warm compared to my chilled skin. His thumb rested over my pulse, no doubt able to feel my heartbeat speed up.

"Be careful in there, Rose."

My mind flashed back to the warning that Eddie had tried to give me. I stepped closer to Dimitri, "Is there something I need to know?"

An emotion flicked over his eyes before they pinched in the corners. He released me and put space between us. "No. There's nothing."

Again, irritation surged through me. I hated to be left in the dark. I pursed my lips and narrowed my eyes. "Fine," I snapped. Dimitri had noticed the change in my demeanour, but I had already marched into the tavern before he could say anything else.

There was a world of differences between us, and I kept forgetting—Dimitri reminded me each time.