“Couldn’t sleep?”
“I got a call from my brother,” she said.
She sat in the chair in front of his desk. She wasn’t good at asking for help. This was hard.
“And?”
“Two men visited him and threatened me if I testified,” she said.
“You do know that you are safe here.”
“I know that. I’m worried about Deion. They were able to track him down in Massachusetts. They went all the way there to get to me.”
Viktor rubbed his chin. “I see. That’s an issue. I’m guessing that this killing was not random. That it was an organized killing.”
“Guess they didn’t expect anyone to be walking by at that moment.”
If only she hadn’t looked that way. They might have waited until she was past and she’d have never known what happened. On the other hand, she would never have met Viktor.
“No, they didn’t. Now they’re trying to tie up that loose end.”
“By going through my brother. I’m scared for him, Viktor. He has an internship in Jersey, but I have nowhere to put his stuff. I can’t trust the apartment anymore.”
Viktor walked around the desk then leaned on it. “We’ll figure this out. I have a friend who has a storage facility. We can put your brother’s stuff there. I can have it moved there when he’s done.”
She let out a breath. Of course, Viktor would jump in and save the day. “What would I do without you?”
He leaned closer to her. “I’m hoping you don’t find out anytime soon.”
She laughed. “I’m sorry to bother you while you’re working.”
“My door is always open to you, Alia. It’s fine.”
“Thank you, Viktor.”
He pulled her to her feet and embraced her. She felt safe. Warm. Loved. Her silver lining. Now she had to get her brother safe and she’d be happy.
“You want a drink to help you sleep?” he said in her ear.
“Pour me some of your vodka.”
“Yeah?”
“Let’s try this stuff.”
He let her go then pulled two shot glasses out of his desk. He poured from a bottle into the glasses before handing one to her.
She sniffed it. “Smells potent.”
“It is, but we drink this from a young age so we are used to it.”
“They put it in your bottles?”
He chuckled. “Something like that. Drink it slowly at first.”
Not wanting to be a wimp, Alia drank the whole shot. It burned. All the way down to her stomach. She was sure she’d probably feel it in her intestines, too. She coughed. Then coughed again until it was a full grown fit. She couldn’t help herself.
Viktor put a hand on her arm, but there was nothing he could do. She had to cough it out.
“Damn,” she said finally.
“I told you to drink it slowly.”
“I know, but I didn’t want to be a wimp.”
“You were rewarded by coughing,” he said.
He took her glass from her. “Refill?”
She put up a hand. “One was enough. I think I’ll sleep now.”
He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Sweet dreams, Alia.”
She didn’t stop smiling until she crawled back into bed. Even then she kept thinking about how wonderful Viktor was.
Then someone knocked on the front door. Alia hesitated before she walked into the living room. How had someone gotten up here? Must be a drunk who was lost.
She looked through the peephole. A woman stood there.
Alia couldn’t see anyone else. The woman pounded on the door this time. “Let me in.”
Alia opened the door. The woman pushed her way in, but she was alone.
“What do you want? Who are you?”
The woman gave Alia the once over. “Who am I? I’m Viktor’s wife.”
***
Sacha flew into Viktor’s office. “She’s here.”
Viktor looked up from the payroll he was doing. “Who?”
“Olga.”
Viktor stood. Olga Novovich was the last person he wanted to see right now. She was the last person he needed in his club or his life. Arkady had always had a soft spot of her. He must have let her in.
“Where?”
“I think she went to your apartment.”
“Did you see her?”
“No, Arkady told me,” Sacha said.
Shit. The last thing he needed was for Alia to meet Olga. The girl had no idea about boundaries and Viktor had broken up with her months ago. For the third time. Olga was his favorite mistake. He’d gone back to her twice.
The last time he left, he was sure it was his final time. Now she was back. In his apartment.
As if she owned the place. He thought she’d returned her key, but maybe she didn’t. Thinking of damage control, he hiked up the steps to his apartment. He found Olga and Alia in his living room.
From the look on Alia’s face, Olga had said something about being married. They weren’t. They’d been engaged. Nothing more. He’d broken that off.
“Olga?” Viktor said.
She spun around and put a huge smile on her face. She came toward him, but then he put up his hands. “You shouldn’t be here.”
She put her hands on her hips. “But, Viktor.”
“No. Leave, Olga. You do not belong here.” He looked around the woman to eye Alia. “Whatever she said is a lie.”
“She said you’re married. And that she’s carrying your child.”
“No, she’s lying. She does that.”
“I’m thinking I’d better find another place to stay tonight,” Alia said.
She stalked out of the room. Shit. Shit. Shit.
“Leave. Olga.”
“Let her go, Sweetie. We can get reacquainted then.”
She again tried to put her arms around him. He pushed her away. “Go, Olga. Go wait in my office.”
The woman pouted, but she nodded like an obedient Russian girlfriend. He stalked into his bedroom to find Alia packing. Her face held no expression.
“Stop, Alia. Don’t go.”
She finally looked at him. “I knew you were too good to be true.”
“I’m not married. I swear.”
“That’s not what Olga seems to think,” Alia said.
“Where will you go?”
“Doesn’t matter. I need to be out of here. So your wife can move back in.”
“She isn’t my wife.”
“She showed me her engagement ring.”
She kept that? He figured she’d have hocked it by now. She had no means of support. She’d expected him to make all of the money.
“Yes, I was engaged to her.”
Viktor’s heart fluttered in his chest. He imagined all sorts of awful scenarios if Alia left his protection. He didn’t want her to go. He didn’t to lose her. He certainly didn’t want her to die.
What about her brother? He’d promised to help him also. He couldn’t go back on a promise. Viktor’s world was blowing up. All because of Olga.
A loose end which shouldn’t be loose. He’d made it clear he didn’t want to see her. Ever again. Now she’d come back and jeopardized his relationship with Alia. The woman who could be his future.
“Alia, please listen to me. We were engaged. I let her keep the ring. She had no money.”
“You didn’t give her any?”
“I’d given her a lot at that point. She’s a taker. She isn’t my wife. She probably isn’t even pregnant.”
Alia eyed him. She stilled in her packing. “You’re telling me the truth?”
“How do you say? Cross my heart, Alia. I’ll get rid of her. You stay. Go back to sleep.”
She blinked, then nodded. One fire out.
“I don’t know what Olga is up to, but I’ll get rid of her,” he said.
He left Alia in his bedroom, confident that Alia would be there when he returned. Now he had to face Olga. This was not going to be fun.
&nb
sp; She sat in his office, a glass of vodka in her hand. Sacha sat behind the desk. They didn’t seem to be happy to see each other. Viktor nodded at Sacha who left them.
He took his seat behind his desk. He sighed. He’d thought Olga was back in Russia. Not here in New York. She’d always been a thorn in his side. When he was young, the drama had been exciting. Lately, not so much.
He craved a little more stability, since he entered his thirties.
“Is that your flavor of the month? I’ve never known you do go for the dark chocolate.”
“There are many things you don’t know about me, Olga. You were only ever interested in my bank account. Not in the person I am.”
She shrugged. “You Russian men want someone to dominate. It’s a trade-off.”
He wasn’t going to explain himself to her. “You can’t be here. I’m not giving you any money.”
“Who says I want money? I’m with child. It’s yours.”
“Do the math, Olga. Even if you got pregnant the last time we had sex, you’d be showing by now.”
She flipped her hair over her shoulder. I’m tall. It’ll be awhile before I show.”
“I’m not buying it, Olga. You may be pregnant, but it is not by me,” Viktor said.
She wasn’t getting a cent out of him. She pouted. “I need some money, Viktor. Come on. For old times’ sake?”
He might not deny her in the end, but she was going to work for this. “The best I can do is give you a job.”
“A job? Russian women don’t work.”
“Take it or leave it.”
He knew she wouldn’t take him up on his job offer.
“Okay.”
His mouth fell open. Shit. Now he’d lose Alia for sure. “You actually want to work?”
“It’ll keep me close to you and I’ll have money.”
Sacha stuck his head into the office. “Bad news, Viktor. Alia just left the building.”
Chapter 8
Alia has had enough. Something rang true about Olga’s statements. Even if she wasn’t Viktor’s wife, Olga thought she was. Alia didn’t need that kind of drama in her life.
She had a place she could go. One that not even Deion knew about. She slipped out the back door of the club. She checked, but no one saw her. Whoever was looking for her didn’t know about this door.
She only discovered it by accident.
Now she walked the alleys to the subway to get to her volunteer job at a shelter. She arrived earlier than usual. Sometimes she helped them with their books. Sometimes she served food.
It was one place that was her own and no one could take it from her.
She opened the front door and was greeted by a few hellos. Some of the regulars had shown up early for the night. Dinner wouldn’t be served for a few hours.
Alia noticed a boy and his mother. She introduced herself to them before she went into the office in the back. She could stay there for a few days. She thought that maybe she’d bunk with her brother when he went to his internship.
She didn’t know. Her apartment was out of the question. Viktor had lied to her. Well, not lied. He hadn’t told her everything. He hadn’t mentioned Olga.
She was done. Tired. She would go back for some clothes when she knew Viktor was at the club. She had enough for a few days.
“Hey, girl, been awhile,” Kristin Maxwell, the woman who ran the shelter, said.
Alia sat down in front of her desk. “I know. I’m sorry. I’ve had some issues.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“I need to stay here tonight.”
The shelter provided beds for its staff in an emergency. If it were to snow or for some reason the staff had to stay more than one night, they could use the beds.
“There are several beds free. Is something wrong?”
She didn’t want to explain the last few days. They didn’t seem real to her. “Yes, but nothing I want to talk about. I haven’t seen that Jeffrey and his mom in months.”
“I know. It’s been great. The man who is the Big Brother for Jeffrey has been helping them financially. Guess he’s been busy and she couldn’t get a hold of him. He’s supposed to pick up Jeffrey. I’m sure he’ll help them.”
“Nice to see such generous people here.”
“You look a little ragged. You want to talk? I’ll listen without judgment.”
She smiled at Kristin. “Might be nice to get it off my chest. I witnessed a murder.”
“Holy shit.” Kristin reached for the office door and closed it. “We need privacy.”
Alia nodded then continued her story. “The killers saw me. I hid out in a nightclub and the owner took me under his wing. We ended up becoming lovers and then this woman showed up insisting she was his wife. Seemed like a good time to get out of there.”
“Did you take any clothes with you?”
“Just what fit into a backpack. I’ll go back later for more. When I know he isn’t there.”
“Won’t someone see you?”
“They will, but hopefully, I can charm them into giving me a head start. I don’t really want to hear this man lie to me.”
“I’m so sorry, Alia.”
“What’s worse is he offered to pay for college for me. I would study accounting. I doubt he will now, but I don’t want to be beholden to him,” Alia said.
She already missed Viktor even though she was mad at him. Why hadn’t he told her he was married? She might still have gone to bed with him. She could have at least made an informed decision.
Men.
“I’m back to square one.”
“You should try to find financial aid again. If you aren’t qualified, then who is?” Kristin said.
Alia had thought about it, but the experience had been humiliating. She didn’t know that much about aid. She hope that maybe her brother could help her. That would have to wait. Hopefully, she could hang onto her current job.
“I guess. I need to find a better job, but I’m not qualified for anything. I only have experience bartending.”
“Let me think about this. There has to be a solution.”
The front doorbell rang. Later in the day, the shelter locked the front door.
“It’s early for our regulars. Was it getting cold?”
Alia shook her head. “No. Want me to go get it?”
“You okay to do it?”
“Sure.”
“Might be Jeffrey’s Big Brother. He was able to call him and tell him where he was,” Kristin said.
“I hope so. Then they won’t’ have to spend a night here.”
She left Kristin to her paperwork. She’d get to her own once this errand was done. She’d take solace in the numbers. Even if the bottom balance was never good. They needed an influx of cash. Badly. The state and city aid hadn’t materialized. Everyone was cutting costs.
The front door was actually two doors and there was a camera mounted, so that whoever opened the door could see who was there before anything happened. This was especially important at night.
Alia looked at the camera feed. She blinked. It looked like Viktor. How had he found her? No one knew about her work at this shelter. No one.
Did he have her followed? She hadn’t noticed anyone suspicious. Damn him.
She wanted to hide in the office and let Kristin deal with him, but she was no coward. She was pissed that he was going to invade this part of her life. Why? Couldn’t he just let her go? She’d be fine. She had this place if she needed to hide. Even if she had to get to work, she could still hide here at night. She would be safe. No one could get through the metal doors. No one. And cops came by regularly because they found homeless people who needed the shelter’s beds.
She yanked open both doors. “What are you doing here?”
***
Viktor couldn’t have been more surprised and relieved to see Alia. He’d been going out of his mind since he realized that she’d left. Damn Olga, claiming to be his wife. Viktor had sent everyone he could out to look for
her.
She’d disappeared. And now she reappeared at the shelter where he was picking up his Little Brother. Jeffrey’s mother had called and told him that they had been evicted. Besides looking for Alia, Viktor had to find a place for Jeffrey and his mother.
He’d secured a small studio apartment and he’d paid the security deposit and the first month’s rent. They would have a roof over their heads while waiting for subsidized housing.
“I’m here to pick up Jeffrey.”
“Jeffrey?” Alia glanced over her shoulder. “You’re Jeffrey’s Big Brother?”
“Yes.”
She stepped back to let him in, a puzzled look on her face. “So you didn’t find me here?”
“No, that is a coincidence. A happy one.” He took her hand. “I’m glad you’re here. I have to get Jeffrey and his mother into their new apartment, but I want to bring you back home.”
“Home?”
“Back to my place.”
She crossed her arms. “And Olga? Your wife?”
He stepped towards her, but she put up her hands. “Olga is not my wife.”
“She seems to think so.”
“Please believe me, she isn’t. When I was a younger man, we were engaged. I broke it off before we got to the altar. She’s never forgiven me. She’s desperate.”
“That’s not my problem.”
“No, it isn’t, but it doesn’t concern you. Or have any effect on us.”
“Us?”
“Alia. You know there’s something between us. Please, let me take care of Jeffrey and I’ll be back.”
He stared at her, wishing he could see inside her brain. He wasn’t ready to lose Alia. He had to see this thing through with her. Wherever they went. Some part of him knew this and he had to listen to it.
She relaxed her shoulders. “I have work to do. If you’re here when I’m done, maybe we’ll talk.”
She turned away from him. His heart went with her. A heart that he had never given to anyone. He wasn’t sure she wanted it.
He looked at Jeffrey and his mother, Rhea. “You ready? My car is outside.”
He gathered their things and led them outside. His mind was with Alia. Would she come back? He had to protect her. It was his responsibility. And the rumblings he was hearing from the street indicated that this situation was bigger than either one of them thought.
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