Free Hero by Julia Sykes

the menu.
    “I don’t know,” I responded coyly. “What’s good here?”
    “Everything is good here.”
    Cocky. Oh yeah, definitely perfect hero material.
    “I don’t know much about Russian cuisine,” I said, wanting more information for my book. “What do you recommend?”
    “We make the best pelmeni in the city,” he replied, proud.
    “I’ll try that, then.”
    “Matvei!” he called out suddenly.
    A green door behind the counter swung open, and a slightly older man poked his head out. His doughy features were drawn with irritation, his forehead wrinkling all the way up to his buzz-cut brown hair.
    He barked something in Russian, glowering at the younger server. I caught the name “Leo,” but I couldn’t understand anything else.
    Leo gestured toward me and answered in the same language. Matvei’s eyes turned to me. They were the same dark shade as Leo’s, making me wonder if they were related.
    He studied me for a moment, then his sour expression lifted into a smile.
    “You are not from around here,” he surmised, his accent even heavier than Leo’s.
    “I’m not,” I confirmed genially. “Actually, I’m in town for research. I’m an author. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions about the area?” I pulled out my notepad and pen before he could answer.
    “You write books?” Leo asked, intrigued.
    I nodded. “Romance novels.”
    Matvei laughed, but it was a delighted sound rather than derisive. “Grigory!” he called over to the older man sitting at the booth. He said something else in Russian.
    To my surprise, Grigory scowled at me, his gaze fixing on my pen where it was poised over my notebook. “You want to ask questions?”
    “Didn’t you hear?” Leo asked in English. “She writes romance books.”
    “You should not talk to strangers asking questions. She doesn’t belong.” His equally dark eyes bored into me, and I knew he was speaking in disapproving English for my benefit.
    Leo chuckled. “You are being paranoid, old man.” He glanced up and down my body again, his gaze lingering on my breasts a little longer this time. He said something else in Russian, his eyes dancing with amusement.
    I kept my smile in place, staying focused on him. Leo was my ally, even if he was being a little sleazy. If he could convince Grigory that I was cool, I could get the answers I wanted.
    I opened my mouth to reiterate that I only wanted information for my novel, but the chime of the entry bell interrupted me. I swiveled on my stool to face the open door. My jaw dropped when I registered the familiar, hulking form that filled the threshold.
    “Dex? What are you doing here?”
    His angular features were fixed in a scowl. “I was going to ask you the same thing,” he said, his blue eyes like chips of ice. “Come on, Chloe. We’re leaving. Now.”
    “I told you,” Grigory growled. “She can’t be trusted. She brought a cop with her.”
    “I’m not a cop,” Dex said smoothly. “I’m her boyfriend.”
    My jaw fell further. What the hell was he doing?
    Grigory spat a Russian curse. “You walk like a cop.” He pointed at me, turning his attention to Matvei. “She is a spy.”
    The atmosphere changed instantly, growing heavy with tension in the space of a second. I looked back at Leo to find his full lips curled with anger.
    “Is this true?” he demanded, his voice low and dangerous. “You come here to spy on us?”
    “No!” I insisted, alarmed. Leo’s muscles flexed with barely-contained violence. Matvei stepped out from where he’d lingered in the kitchen. I’d thought he was overweight, but the bulge of his belly didn’t diminish the intimidation factor as he fisted his hand and cracked his knuckles against his palm.
    Dex was suddenly at my side, his arm curving around my waist as he hauled me off the barstool and tucked me close to his body.
    “We’re leaving,” he declared.
    The sharp click of a knife flicking open echoed through the small café. The blade glinted