Chapter 30

                                    

                                          
The sound of a ringing phone jolts me awake and I jerk in my seat, accidently startling Sebastien, who swerves the car slightly.
"Sandy? What's wrong?" he asks, his voice slightly panicked.
"Nothing." I reply, my voice groggy from sleep.
"Bad dream." I mumble, picking up my new 'temporary' phone - as Viktor called it.
I answer after clearing my throat. 
"Hello?"
Panting.
All I can hear is panting.
My brows furrow in confusion, so I move the phone away from my ear to look at the caller ID. The name makes me gulp as I suddenly become slightly anxious.
"Alek?"
"Oh, hey malyshka. Prosto nuzhno bylo uslyshat' tvoy golos." [Just needed to hear your voice.]
"Why do you sound out of breath?" 
"Hmm? Oh, I just uhhh- had an issue to sort out down here. Took a bit of me, that's all." 
"An issue?" I ask, mainly talking to myself as I think about what he said.
An issue, 'down here'.
Down.
As in the basement.
My eyes widen in realisation.
"Alek?" I suspiciously say.
"Da, malyshka?"
I swallow harshly before asking my next question.
"Did you just kill Vladimir?"
I can feel Sebby's gaze snap in my direction as soon as the question leaves my mouth, and I nervously fiddle with the bottom of my jumper whilst awaiting Viktor's answer. After a few moments, I put the phone on loudspeaker so I can put it down and grab my drink.
"Da, i pri etom boleznenno." [Yes, and a painful one at that.] he says, almost as though he's triumphant, proud.
Relief fills me at the knowledge that my rapist is dead, but a slight feeling of disappointment soon follows. I had my own plans on how I wanted him to die and suffer - by my own hand - by at least he's dead all the same.
"Anyways," Viktor says, breaking the brief silence.
"How far away are you guys?"
"Uhhhhh," I glance to Seb for an answer, as I have absolutely no idea.
"About ten minutes away, boss." he answers wearing a hateful expression.
"Good. I'll see you in a few hours, okay malyshka?" Viktor responds.
"Okay. Bye."
"Goodbye, my love." he says, then ends the call.
"Yeah, goodbye and good riddance." I mutter, stretching my kinked muscles out.
Sebby laughs at my response, happily agreeing with me while briefly fiddling with his phone.
"Sí, cuñado. Lo que digas. Si, Santini here?" [Yes, brother-in-law. Whatever you say.]
Me and Sebby both freeze, staring at each other in shock. Luckily, we're at a red light right now, so we're not moving. We then look at the phone, our shock still evident on our faces. We continue to stare at the phone until someone behind us beeps their horn, indicating that the red light is now green. Seb clears his throat and begins to drive, then he speaks.