Welcome to the Hotel Russia
The plane landed in Orenburg early in the morning. Rome had arranged for each of them to get to a hotel far away from the airport by different means. He didn’t like the idea of having his eyes off of Ella for even a few minutes, but it seemed like the safest thing to do. He’d arranged for her to take the bus, so she would at least be in public. Likewise, Mary would take a hotel shuttle. Both Rome and Gus would take cabs, but not together. In fact, he waited until he was sure Gus had already gotten into a cab before he even got in line. Once again, he was thankful Bart had managed to get all of his money into an account that would be untraceable to his father so he had plenty of money to make it happen.
They all had separate rooms at the hotel, too, on different floors. That wouldn't stop him from sharing a room with his wife, but he didn’t need to alert anyone who was looking for four people, or even more than one person, traveling together.
Rome got into the cab and told the driver the name of the hotel. He nodded and pulled away from the curb. Rome sent Ella a text. “Are you okay?”
“Yes. I’m on the bus. Everything seems fine.”
“Good. Just be careful. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Of course, he got to the hotel before she did. Gus had already sent him a text that he was checked into his room before Rome approached the check-in desk. He got his room key and headed to the elevator, but he waited to go up until he saw Ella walk in the front door.
He almost didn’t recognize her at first, she looked so odd. He’d forgotten that he should be looking for a middle aged woman with a large mole. He smiled to himself. She didn’t even notice him. Deciding she was safe now, he headed upstairs. Mary sent a text that she was in her room. He hadn’t noticed her at all. Had she been in the lobby at the same time he was?
Rome got to his room and carefully removed his costume. He had watched with interest when King had applied it, and he had the tools to put it back on so he could look like his passport again the next day when they flew out of Russia.
He sat down on the edge of the bed, his phone in his hand. He was waiting for Ella to text him. Instead, he heard a knock on his door. He went over and checked the peephole. It was her. “Well, hello stranger….”
She still had her disguise on. She came in, laughing, and he quickly shut the door. “I’d kiss you, but I’d feel like I was cheating on you,” he said, wrapping his arms around her.
“You’d better kiss me,” she said, making a face at him that made her look even more odd.
He couldn’t help but chuckle, but when he closed his eyes and found her lips, it was almost the same as usual--except for the gap between her teeth.
Ella pulled back and they stared at each other. “Okay… you gotta take that off. I just can’t.”
She giggled at him. “Are you sure you can put it back on me tomorrow?”
“I'm not sure I want to, but yeah, I think so. I’ve had my makeup and enough prosthetics put on me over the years, I’m pretty sure I can.”
“Okay,” she said, going into the bathroom to take her fake face off.
Rome went back to the bed and called Bart, not even sure what time it was there. He answered. “Hey. You okay?” Bart asked.
“Yeah.” Rome didn’t tell him where he was. Bart didn’t want to know. “You?”
“So far. Some guy came over to talk to my dad yesterday. He was from your father’s staff. He wanted to know if I’d been out of the country recently. My dad told him no, I’d been there, but he didn’t see why that was anyone’s business. Dad seemed to think he’d bought it.”
“Shit,” Rome muttered. “I’m glad your dad was willing to lie.”
“Dad doesn’t know about Ella, but he knows I went to help you get out.”
“Be careful, Bart. The last thing we need is for something to happen to you.”
“I’ll be okay. Have you called Donnie yet?”
Donnie was the lawyer. “Not yet. I was waiting until it seemed safe to do so.”
“All right. I’ve heard some rumors that the police are wondering where you are. They haven’t come to talk to me, though.”
“Great.” That wasn’t good news at all. He hoped that wasn’t because they wanted to question him about Tim’s death. “Okay. I’ll give him a call.” He let out a loud sigh. “Thanks, man.”
“Yeah. Just… be cautious, all right?”
“I will. Thanks.”
Rome hung up just as Ella came out of the bathroom. She was herself again. And all she was wearing was a T-shirt and a pair of panties. Rome forgot all about the phone call he needed to make.
Ella came to him on the bed and straddled him. He pulled her close, and she leaned down and found his lips. Losing himself in her kisses, Rome let everything else go and concentrated on this woman he loved. At the moment, nothing else mattered.
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