A Stranger In Moscow: A Russian Billionaire Romance (International Alphas Book 7)

by Lacey Legend

  Chapter9

  Olivia had trouble resisting looking at the note Ruslan had slipped her on their way out of his apartment, but she had to in order to ensure that no one would get the idea that the two were sneaking around behind everyone’s back. It wasn’t a long drive from Ruslan’s apartment back to the cabin, but it felt like it took ages, squished between Vera and Margot in the back seat of the cab they took. When they finally made it back, she ran into the bathroom to read the note.

  They had managed to make it home by 10 p.m. and the note asked for her to meet him at the same tree at 11. Olivia was excited to get out again but a little afraid about what might happen if anyone knew that she was leaving. Margot headed to bed right away, allowing plenty of time for Olivia to get ready and await the date. Vera was keeping to herself in her room as per usual, a common occurrence that might make Margot upset but made things much easier for Olivia.

  When she was sure that everyone had gone to bed and no one would know that she was gone, she slipped out of the window once again, still managing to fall into the snow. She had decided to keep the dress on this time. It wasn’t every day that she got to meet up with a billionaire, so she wasn’t about to wear the same clothes she had every other time that they met up. The walk to the red tree was much easier this time, as Olivia knew exactly what would be waiting for her under it. She saw the same blue car sitting and waiting and grew anxious thinking about what the night had in store for her.

  He got out of the car again as he saw her approaching and embraced her passionately once they met again.

  “You still look incredible,” he told her.

  “I figured I’d stay a little nicer this time than last time,” she teased.

  “Well good. As much fun as I had last time we met up in the car, I figured I might have the chance to take you out on a real date, no matter how late it is,” he explained to Olivia.

  “Sounds perfect,” she said, planting a big kiss on his cheek before heading to the passenger’s side. Last time, nothing had happened while Olivia was gone. She figured it’d be the same boring night again, though she still had fear in the back of her mind of what might happen if they needed her. Margot had a great night and you could barely even tell that she had cancer at all. Unfortunately, these good days were usually followed by bad situations later on, so Olivia knew she didn’t want to stay out too late.

  Still, she had to see where Ruslan might be taking her. Though it was the time when most people were heading to bed, Olivia didn’t care that it was late that they had to meet. She would take whatever situation she had to in order to kiss Ruslan once again. Nothing made her feel as good as touching him, and there was nothing else in the world that made her feel as excited as she felt when she saw him. She could picture his face when he wasn’t around, but something about actually seeing those deep brown eyes looking right at her filled her with an indescribable emotion. She would risk anything to get more.

  They pulled up to a large building in downtown Moscow, and there were very few people outside on the streets. Olivia was relieved that they weren’t headed for a loud club again. They both got out and a valet driver took the car away. Ruslan grabbed Olivia’s hand and they headed through wide golden double doors.

  “I wanted to take you somewhere a little quieter this time,” he explained. When they walked in, it looked like a hotel lobby, and Olivia got nervous thinking about where he might be taking her. Of course, they had managed to hook up in the car, so Olivia wasn’t that picky of a girl. Still, she felt a little strange at the idea of him taking her to a hotel room. Did he just see her as an easy score?

  They started walking towards the front desk, but just before they reached the counter, they took a right turn down a hallway. Ruslan led her through a door and she realized they were actually headed for a quiet lounge. There were tables and booths dotted all over the large dimly lit room, though less than 10 people filled the seats. They were all turned towards a piano player in the center. Olivia was relieved that they weren’t headed straight for bed this time, though she can’t lie, she probably would have been fine with that as well.

  “This is one of my favorite places. Much quieter and more relaxed,” he explained to her.

  “Do you own this hotel too?” she asked, mostly joking.

  “Yes actually,” he replied, not realizing she was just teasing. He motioned for a server who brought over two glasses and a bottle of champagne. It was clear that he had a specific order that the staff was well aware of. Olivia was relieved that she was still wearing Vera’s dress. She thought about slipping back into some leggings and a T-shirt but was tired of looking mediocre for Ruslan. She imagined the embarrassment she might have felt if she had decided to wear something more casual.

  Though there weren’t many people there, they all had on fancy dresses and outfits similar to her and Ruslan’s. Olivia sipped champagne and looked around, taking in the gorgeous architecture of the lounge. Candles on the center of all the tables helped create a warm glow, and the soft piano playing made her melt. She felt like she was in a dream. She looked back at Ruslan, who was staring directly at her.

  “I hope you like champagne. I’m sorry, I didn’t even ask,” he told her.

  “I do. It’s fine. It’s all perfect,” she told him. She was feeling a little nervous and it was showing. Normally, she was pretty good at hiding her nerves. She kept a cool and relaxed demeanor most of the time, but something about Ruslan made her a bit nervous. Not the bad kind; she still felt comfortable. But she actually worried what he thought about her and wanted to be someone he desired.

  “It would be more perfect if we could dance right now,” Ruslan said, standing up. There was no one else dancing, so Olivia was a bit confused. He reached his hand out and she grabbed on, allowing him to pull her towards the middle of the room near the piano. The player seemed excited someone was actually enjoying the music. He switched from classical music to a more upbeat romantic tune. Ruslan grabbed Olivia’s back, pulling her in close. They danced again, this time more in Olivia’s style. She had fun at the club, but the grinding and sweaty people surrounding her could take her out of the moment.

  She felt as if she might melt right inside of Ruslan.

  “You have the most incredible eyes,” he told Olivia, looking deep into her gaze. She felt her stomach jump, feeling him look so deep inside of her. “I could stare at them all day.”

  “I could too,” she responded. Ruslan reached down and kissed her, lingering in front of her face for a moment after. She leaned in and rested her head on his chest, forgetting about everything else that had happened so far on this trip.

  She forgot that someone might be after Ruslan, wanting to kill him. She forgot that Margot was dying, getting closer to death every breath she took. She forgot that Vera was being mean and nasty to her and the rest of the family. None of that mattered as she swayed to the music, resting on Ruslan’s chest.

  The piano player announced something in Russian and Olivia didn’t quite understand.

  “It’s the last song for the night,” Ruslan told her. She felt as if they had just gotten there and didn’t want to have to go back to that cabin. She didn’t want to sleep in bed alone that night or wake up next to a cold pillow. She didn’t want to have to serve that family breakfast again in the morning or help Margot take a bath anymore. She just wanted to stay right there, wrapped inside Ruslan’s arms.

  “I could stay here all day,” he told her. He managed to take the words right from Olivia’s mouth. She felt so connected to Ruslan that she almost forgot he was an entirely different person. The way they stared at each other, the things they thought—it all amazed her that she would have never met this man if she hadn’t traveled with that family to Moscow. Would she have ever met someone like Ruslan back in the U.S.?

  She was approaching 30 and was yet to have a serious boyfriend. She dated other men for a few weeks at a time, but no one compared to the way she felt when she looked Ruslan in the eyes.
She felt more for him in one kiss than she did for all of her boyfriends combined. She squeezed him tight, wanting to crawl deep inside his body instead of returning to the real world.

  ****

  Olivia stepped off the elevator and into Ruslan’s apartment. He had asked her to come back to his place after the lounge closed, and Olivia didn’t need much convincing. She’d checked her phone, and no one tried to call. She figured they were all sound asleep and would never notice that she was gone. Although she was only in that apartment hours ago, it all felt very different to her now.

  Without the staff or other partygoers, she could really get a sense of the intimate place he managed to create. He walked over to the fireplace and turned it on with a switch. He held out two wine glasses, silently asking if Olivia wanted a glass. She shook her head, slipped off her shoes, and headed over to a couch in front of the fireplace.

  “So how much longer are you here for?” he asked.

  “Just a few more days, then back to Chicago,” she replied.

  “Well then, I guess I’ll have to fly to Chicago,” he responded. She hadn’t thought about what their relationship would be like after the trip ended. Of course, she fantasized about the distant future with him, like she did with most crushes. She thought about what their kids might look like or what a Saturday morning would have, but that was stuff she would also envision when she saw a cute stranger on the train. Was he trying to suggest a long-distance relationship already?

  “Have you been?” she asked. Ruslan shook his head. “I’d love for you to see the city. It’s beautiful.” Olivia really did love her city but got a sense of anxiety thinking about Ruslan visiting her hometown. Her apartment was nice, but much smaller than Ruslan’s. There wasn’t much in it either, as she did a lot of traveling with the Touhy family.

  “There’s this amazing science museum. And the art museums of course. The best part about Chicago is the food, though. You really can’t find better restaurants than the ones throughout the city.” Olivia realized as she was talking about Chicago just how homesick she was.

  “Well then, it’s a date,” Ruslan said, leaning in and giving Olivia a soft kiss. The warm glow from the fire and the small buzz from the champagne and wine were taking over Olivia’s body. She knew that she needed to take Ruslan in right there. She kissed him back harder, setting down his and her wine glasses after.

  He grabbed her shoulders, pulling her in close and kissing all over her neck. No matter how hard they pulled at each other, Olivia still didn’t feel like she was close enough to Ruslan. She needed to be as connected to him as possible. She lifted her dress up and straddled him, hopping on top of his lap. It was becoming one of her favorite places to sit.

  Ruslan held her shoulders, running his large hands up and down her smooth arms. He slipped the straps of her dress down over her shoulders, peeling the top layer down. Olivia had gone braless for that dress, exposing her breasts as Ruslan delicately took her dress off. They leaned in and kissed more, his mouth traveling from her neck down to each breast. He continued to kiss down lower and lower, eventually lifting Olivia off his lap and laying her down on the couch. He pulled her dress up over her legs, so it was like a large silk belt around her stomach.

  He slowly took her underwear off, kissing each leg slowly. She had longed for him to kiss her there since their first night and finally found herself in a situation to take him down there. He kissed her thighs, taking his time traveling towards her wet cherry, ready to be kissed by his smooth lips. His stubble tickled her thighs at first, a sensation she didn’t mind. She positioned her body to be a little more comfortable, realizing she was laying right on top of her purse. She grabbed her purse and snapped into reality when she realized it was vibrating.

  Olivia heard the buzzing of her phone and immediately got a sense of dread. She saw that Joseph had already tried to call her five times, and she had missed every one.

  “Oh no!” Olivia shouted. Ruslan emerged from between her legs.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “I have to go!” she told Ruslan, cutting their time short. She started to panic, thinking about why he might be calling.

  “I’ll drive you.”

  Chapter10

  Olivia gave a quick kiss to Ruslan as they pulled up to the cabin, feeling bad she couldn’t linger for more, but she knew that she had to get back inside. She ran to the front door and tried to open it, realizing it was locked. She went into her purse to grab the spare keys but couldn’t find them. Eventually, the front door swung open and Vera stood there, giving her an evil smile.

  “Well there you are. Still wearing my dress, I see,” Vera said devilishly.

  “Where’s Margot? What’s going on?” Olivia asked. She walked through the door and saw Joseph sitting on the couch looking solemn. Olivia’s stomach dropped. It had happened. The one night she tried to have some fun for herself Margot must have passed.

  “Margot’s fine. She’s upstairs sleeping,” Joseph explained. Olivia felt a huge sense of relief wave over her body. “Where were you?” he asked.

  “I just, I needed to go for a walk. I’m so sorry. I didn’t hear my phone going off.” Olivia couldn’t think of a better excuse other than needing to go for a walk. She wasn’t sure they would buy that. It had been 30 minutes since Joseph first called Olivia. Ruslan had sped back, making record time, but still, it was a long time for radio silence.

  “A walk? In my dress? In those shoes?” Vera asked, pointing to Olivia’s flats. “You smell like cigarettes and cheap perfume.” The lounge had certainly put its mark on Olivia. She really had no other excuse and didn’t know what to say. Did she really even owe them an explanation for where she was at midnight? Surely, they couldn’t rely on her 24 hours every single day, right?

  “I’m so sorry. What happened? Why did you call?” Olivia said to Joseph, fighting back tears. The guilt she felt was intense.

  “Margot had thrown up in bed. I think she just went a little too hard tonight at Ruslan’s dinner party. I needed to make sure she was okay and wanted some help cleaning up, but Vera ended up helping me,” Joseph explained. Olivia felt a little better knowing she had only missed out on helping clean up puke. She liked the idea of Vera scrubbing vomit from the sheets while she kissed Ruslan in her dress.

  “I’m so sorry. So, so, sorry. It won’t happen again, I promise. I just wanted some fresh air. I thought no one would notice,” she explained.

  “It’s fine. We just got worried for a second. With the robbery and being in a different country. It just didn’t look good that you were gone,” Joseph explained.

  “And the fact that you know, you like, skipped out on your job. Not cool, Olivia,” Vera said.

  “Vera, enough,” Joseph said in a stern voice. “It’s probably best if we all head to bed. We have to get rested for the ball tomorrow.”

  Vera stomped away into her room, slamming the door. Olivia followed close behind, shutting herself in as well. She couldn’t hold back the tears anymore and let them all out. She was disappointed that her time was cut short with Ruslan and that it was all just to help clean up some vomit. She was feeling guilty for feeling guilty and didn’t know how else she was supposed to react. She just wanted to be away from that family and back with Ruslan. She agreed to do a job, however, and knew that she couldn’t just get out if it, no matter how bad she wanted to.

  She took off Vera’s dress and threw it in the corner, not caring that it might wrinkle. She looked out her window, hoping to see Ruslan waiting there. Maybe he had stuck around to see if everything was okay. There was no sign that anyone had ever come to or from the window, however, breaking Olivia’s heart just a bit more. She threw herself onto the bed and cried softly until she fell asleep.

  Chapter11

  Olivia woke up, eyes swollen and disappointed. She only had two more nights planned in Moscow, one of them being the ball. If Margot wasn’t up to going to the ball, she might not have a chance to see Ruslan before leavin
g. He seemed to have gotten a bit lost on his mission to figure out who had killed his friend and who was trying to kill him. Olivia hadn’t thought much about that either, constantly daydreaming about her and Ruslan together.

  She wondered how it was possible to fall for someone in the middle of such chaos. Margot dying was enough, but the conspiracies surrounding Ruslan’s business were only making things more intense. She wondered what it might be like to meet Ruslan in different circumstances. What had originally drawn him to her?

  She went through the motions of making breakfast, setting the table and serving the family. They had all actually managed to wake up at the same time and sit at the table together for once. Olivia figured that the night before had been a bit of a wake-up call for Joseph and Vera. It was for Olivia too.

  “How are you feeling today, Margot?” Olivia asked.

  “As good as I can, you know?” she responded. “Did anyone else feel sick last night?” she asked. Everyone shook their heads.

  “I did have a bit of an upset stomach. I wonder if it was something that was served at Ruslan’s,” Olivia said. She knew this wasn’t the truth, but she didn’t want to make Margot feel strange or out of place being the only one at the table who’d been ill.

  “I doubt Ruslan would serve anything that bad. His style and taste are impeccable. I feel like we have a very similar vision when it comes to design. Don’t you agree, Daddy?” Vera asked, shooting Olivia a look.

  “Expensive? Yes, I agree then,” Joseph joked, not giving Vera the attention she was looking for. Olivia smirked a bit.

  “I hope you’ll feel up to going to the ball tonight?” Olivia asked. If Margot didn’t want to, she couldn’t fault her. However, she certainly hoped she would get a chance to see Ruslan again outside of the cabin or his car.