“Fine!” She looked at him and shook her head. “Will you stop being on my case now? Or at least tell me what the hell is going on?”
He took a long deep breath.
“I want to tell you…more than anything I want to tell you but I can’t.”
“So, you can tell me that you were once caught in a weird gang shoot out but you can’t tell me why you are biting my head off about my new client?” she asked. “And the car…what the fuck is that all about anyway?”
He held her face in his hands.
“Do you trust me?” he asked.
“What?” she asked as he looked at her.
“It’s a simple question Athena. Do. You. Trust. Me.”
“Yes,” she said in a whisper.
“Good. Then trust me about this. I will tell you all about Cromwell but in the meantime, be careful. He is not the man you think he is,” he said before he kissed her softly. “I asked Tino to keep you company today. He is one of my security guys and I trust him with my life. He won’t be a bother but his car will be following yours closely and he will be around the whole day.”
“A bodyguard?” she asked in a scared voice. “Evgeni, what is going on?”
“You are safer not knowing,” he said. “But trust me, everything will be fine.”
“What about you? Are you going to be okay?” she asked as she looked at him.
He lowered his head and kissed her again.
“Don’t worry about me. I’ve been in this world longer than you can imagine,” he said smiling.
“What world are you talking about?”
He patted her still damp hair.
“Go on,” he said. “I’ll call you later.”
She looked at him for a long minute and then nodded before she walked out. He leaned on the closed door for a long minute before he walked back to the bedroom. He picked up his phone and dialed Viktor as he walked to his closet.
“Viktor, time for plan B. The lawnmower failed,” he said.
“We were already waiting for a go ahead. The plan is in motion,” Viktor said before Evgeni hung up. He pushed his suits to one side revealing the false bottom on the left side of the closet. He opened it and then opened the safe beneath. He pulled out a gun, a box of bullets and a silencer.
“No one threatens to take Athena away from me,” he thought as he loaded the gun.
*****
Carla was giggling excitedly as she and Athena walked into The Ritz.
“I still can’t believe I am going to be catering an event at The Ritz,” she said in a loud whisper. “I mean, you would expect the client to prefer what a five star hotel serves but no….he chose me.”
Carla looked at Athena and shrugged.
“What is up with you? You have been weirdly quiet all day,” she said and Athena shook her head.
“It’s just one of those days,” she said. “I just want to be done with it, that’s all.”
“What do you mean? This is your biggest gig yet!” Carla took her hand. “Anything you want to tell me?” she asked as they walked into the ballroom where the cocktail party was to be held. She looked around the ballroom and then looked at her phone.
“Evgeni should be here by now,” she said as she looked around again. “He said he would be here.”
“Well, I haven’t known the guy for long but in the few months that I have, he has never been known to disappoint,” Carla said. “Now why don’t you come with me and help with the samosas?”
Athena looked at her and smiled.
“You trust me around those things? They are delicious.”
Carla laughed. Athena had already had five samosas and she wouldn’t have minded having more. She could not believe that she had never tried them. When she got to the buffet spread, a smile played on her lips. She loved what she and Carla had come up with. Spicy skewered chicken, beef and vegetables, samosas, spring rolls, dumplings and the best sauce she had tasted that day – atchar, spicy mango chili sauce. The ballroom had been decorated in colorful throw pillows and fabric that made someone feel like they had literally stepped into some place in the Middle East.
“Wow, you really do deliver as promised,” Athena heard Isaac’s familiar voice behind her. “Throw in some oil fields and you have The Middle East.”
Athena smiled and shrugged.
“Just doing my due diligence,” she said. “And we have traditional Bhutanese snacks plus endless bottles of Irish whiskey.”
“You are speaking my kind of language, Athena.” Isaac was smiling. “And I heard that you usually throw in a surprise. I can hardly wait to see what you have in store.”
“Well, I think the sultan is already here,” Athena said as she looked behind him. There was a foreign entourage walking in and she knew by the way the man in front of the group was dressed that he was the man of the hour. “Maybe you should just wait and see what the surprise is.”
She was about to walk away when Isaac held her hand.
“Please, I would like to introduce you him.”
“Now?” she asked surprised.
“Well, there is no time like the present,” he said as he began walking towards the sultan.
“Mr. Cromwell. This is a beautiful spread,” the sultan said. Isaac bowed in respect.
“Sultan Salim Al Fayed, I am honored by your presence,” he said. “Meet Athena Davis, the woman who put all this together.”
“It is a pleasure and an honor to meet you, sir…your majesty…” Athena shrugged nervously. “I don’t know what to call you….I’m sorry…”
The sultan took Athena’s hand and raised it to his lips before he kissed it softly.
“Salim will do and the pleasure is all mine,” he said.
“Please…this way,” Athena said as he led the men to the VIP area. “I thought this would be a suitable welcome.”
Isaac watched as she gave a signal to someone right before a group of belly dancers walked to the dance floor. He looked at Athena and nodded.
“You are worth every dime,” he whispered as he took a seat next to the sultan.
Athena smiled and silently slipped away, making her way towards the exit. She was about to walk over to where Carla was when she felt someone’s hand on her wrist. She gasped as she slipped out into the hallway and then breathed a sigh of relief when she came face to face with Evgeni.
“Hi,” she said in a whisper. “You scared me.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to,” he said as he pulled her into his arms. “You okay?”
“I don’t know,” she sighed. He pulled away and kissed her forehead and then her lips. He looked down at her body and a smile played on his lips.
“You are trying to make me jealous, aren’t you?” he asked and she shook her head.
“I don’t understand,” she said.
“Well, that dress guarantees that every man gets a clear view at what’s mine,” he said.
She smiled. She was in a black and white midi combination dress that hugged her in all the right places and a pair of red stiletto heels. The dress had a low neckline showing off her cleavage. He pulled her into his body again. “I have half a mind to take you right here and right now.”
She was still smiling when she pulled away.
“I still have work to do,” she said.
“Tino?” he asked. She looked over at Tino who was a safe distance away blending into the crowd all through watching her.
“Been with me all day,” she said.
“Good,” he said. “Everything is almost over.”
She shook her head.
“What do you mean?” she asked and he shook her head. She took his hand and led him out of the ballroom and into the hotel elevator.
“Where are we going?” Evgeni asked.
“We need to talk,” she said as she pressed a button. “We have at least thirty suites on hold in case of anything. We are going to one of them.”
Evgeni sighed. She knew that he did not have a choice. It was done.
This time round, she was not going to let him off. She had to know what was going on.
“So,” she said when they walked into one of the rooms. “What the hell is going on with this Cromwell person?”
He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. She looked at him and crossed her arms over her chest.
“I’m waiting Evgeni. I trust you and you have to trust me too.”
“Fine, but I am scared I might lose you after this,” he said.
“Then maybe you don’t know me very well,” she pointed out. “Because nothing would make me walk away.”
He looked into her eyes for a long minute before he finally spoke up.
“Not even after I tell you that my family was involved in organized crime?” he asked and her eyes grew wide.
“That was your family. You don’t get to choose your family,” she said.
“Markovic Freight, the company my father started was used by Isaac Cromwell to bring in contraband. Drugs, guns, you name it and when I started Markovic Trucking, he dipped his hand into that too. At first I didn’t know but by the time I found out, it was too late.” He walked over to the bed and sat down. “I moved from New York, cut ties with my family in Moscow and tried getting Markovic Trucking clean. But it was harder than I expected. So, in a bid to start a new legitimate business, I invested heavily in the Middle Eastern oil industry but he says that in order to get a new pipeline, he needs…controlling interest of Markovic oil.”
“Controlling interest?” Athena asked.
“Initially, that was what he wanted but now, he wants it all. My entire oil company,” he said.
“Oh please, why don’t you just tell him to shove it?”
“Did you miss out on the part where I said Cromwell is an Irish crime lord?”
“What’s the worst he could do anyway? He is an old frail man.”
“That old frail man threatened you,” Evgeni said looking up.
“Excuse me?” she asked surprised. “What do you mean he threatened me? As in my life?”
Evgeni sighed and nodded.
“He has been tailing you.”
“And you are just telling me this now?” she asked, angrily.
“Like I told you this morning, the less you knew the safer it would have been for you,” he said.
“So that explains the car and Tino…but…why…” Athena shook her head. “Why would he….What are we going to do?”
“The car is bullet proof and Tino is ex-Israeli Special Forces.”
“What?” Athena asked shaking her head.
“I had to make sure you got the best of the best.”
She began pacing up and down as she rubbed her temple.
“This isn’t happening…this isn’t happening…” she kept on saying. Evgeni stood up and walked over to where she was before he held her in his arms.
“I’ve got everything in control,” he said.
“What does that even mean?” she asked as a tear rolled down her cheek. “Are you going to move to some weird Island that very few people know about or maybe shoot him…”
Evgeni shrugged.
“Oh my God, you are actually thinking about it,” she said as she pulled away from him. She looked at him as he pulled her back into himself.
“I am not going to break the law Athena,” he said a little louder than he intended to.
“Then, what? You are going to give him a billion dollar company?” she asked and Evgeni nodded.
“I can always start over.”
“No, you can’t do this.” She shook her head. “It’s everything you have worked for.”
“I would give up everything if it meant that I get to have you,” he said in a soft voice as he held her closely.
Chapter 10
Normally, an evening this big would have had Athena on edge all night long. She would have been running up and down trying to make sure everything was going well but after the talk she’d had with Evgeni, all she wanted to do was get out of there. But she just couldn’t leave. She could not leave Evgeni there, in the literal line of fire. She was leaning against one wall watching as Isaac danced with one of the belly dancers from earlier. The sultan was looking on, a smile on his lips. Without realizing it, she was holding on to the clipboard in her hands so tightly, her knuckles had turned white. Carla walked up to where she was and interlocked her arm with her best friend’s.
“Penny for your thoughts, Davis?” she asked.
“What?”
“You have been acting weird all night. Is everything okay?” Carla asked as she stood in front of Athena. “Are you feeling alright?”
Athena took a long deep breath and forced out a smile.
“I am just a little tired. That’s all. I’m just waiting to go home.”
Carla raised an eyebrow over the other.
“I have never seen you like this, sweetie. Maybe you should just take an early exit and go put your feet up. Is Evgeni here? Maybe he can take you.”
Athena shook her head again.
“I’m fine Carla. I have never left my event before it was over and today will not be the first time.” She sipped on the energy drink she had in her hand. “Besides, I have this. I’ll be okay.”
Carla gave her a long hard look before she shook her head.
“Athena, I probably know you better than anyone here and …” she started before Athena shook her head, forcing a smile again.
“I’m fine, Carla. I promise,” she said.
Carla gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
“Well, remember to eat something. And I hope this is your last can of these damn energy drinks,” she said. “Too much and your heart might explode.”
Athena frowned.
“Really?” she asked in a concerned voice.
“Well, I’m not sure but there is a reason why you are only supposed to have a couple of cans a day and I know for a fact that this is your second one today. So pace yourself, okay?” Carla said before she walked away leaving Athena standing there sipping on her drink.
“Jeez, Cromwell. Have some dignity,” she thought as she watched Isaac practically dry humping the dancer. “Maybe I did overlook a whole lot of things. And all because of ten fucking grand”
She was still looking at him when Evgeni walked up to her.
“You alright?” he asked in a low voice.
“I’m fine and it would be really great if everyone would stop asking me that,” she snapped. Evgeni looked at her as she took a long deep breath. “I’m sorry…this is just all too hard for me.”
“I understand,” he said as he held her. “But it’s almost over. I promise.”
“What does that even mean?” Athena asked as she looked at him. “What do you mean it’s almost over? It’s not like he is going to suddenly disappear.”
Evgeni touched the side of her face and smiled.
“Trust me, baby, it will all be alright,” he said before he walked away. Her lips parted slightly as she looked at him. She wanted to call him but she just couldn’t because even if she did, she could not think of what she was going to tell him anyway.
*****
Evgeni made his way to the ballroom walking straight to Isaac. His heart was pounding hard as he approached him.
“Markovic, I didn’t think I would see you here,” Isaac said, still dancing.
“Well, I wasn’t planning on coming but Athena was coming here so I definitely had to come,” Evgeni said.
“So, I gather from the way you are looking at me that you have your mind set on doing business,” Isaac pointed out and Evgeni nodded.
“I have what you want right here,” he said. Isaac looked at him and then at the woman tugging on his arm. “I just want to end all this.”
“But I already have plans with this lady here, Markovic,” Isaac said.
“Please, Cromwell. The sooner we end this, the better it will be,” Evgeni said as the three of them began walking out of the ballroom.
“Right now, I want to take
this lady back to my penthouse before I come back to clear things with the sultan,” Isaac said.
“GoCreative has suites on hold right here at The Ritz if you want a room so bad,” Evgeni said. By this time, they were standing outside waiting for the valet to bring his car around.
“I want to just leave and…” Isaac turned around as his sedan drove up. “Let’s do this tomorrow. First thing in the morning.”
Evgeni shook his head but he barely had enough time to respond before Isaac and the woman climbed in leaving him standing there alone like the idiot he felt. Isaac’s sedan had just driven off when he turned around and began walking back into the hotel. He had barely taken two steps when he suddenly felt a force pushing him off balance. He turned around and gasped when he saw a car on fire. Isaac’s car to be precise.
*****
Tino like the ex-military man he was, worked fast getting his boss, Athena and Carla out of the hotel but they still had to wait to talk to the police. After what seemed like forever, Tino drove the three back to Evgeni’s. When they got there, Tino showed Carla to the guest room leaving a fuming Athena looking at Evgeni.
“So this was your plan all along?” she asked in an annoyed whisper.
“What are you talking about?” Evgeni asked, confused.
“You said that it would all be over. That after tonight Cromwell wouldn’t be a problem and then his car mysteriously goes up in flames.” She was still whispering.
“Athena…I didn’t do this,” Evgeni said and she rolled her eyes.
“Yeah whatever. I want to go back to my place. Right now!” she yelled just as Tino walked back into the room.
“Senor Markovic, Carla is settled but if you still need me…” he started as Athena walked past him to the bedroom.
“Nothing, Tino…just…nothing.” Evgeni shook his head. “Thank you. I’ll lock up.”
“I’ll be in the den if you need me,” Tino said before he walked away.
Evgeni set the alarm and walked to the bedroom where she was looking through the closet.
“I need a suitcase…I can give it back later,” she said as she rummaged through the closet. “Where the fuck do you keep your suitcases?”
Evgeni could hear the emotion in her voice. He could tell that she was crying without even looking at her. He slipped an arm around her waist and kissed her shoulder.
I'll Be There: BWWM Romance (Brothers From Money Book 5) Page 25