I was nearing the end of my shift when my heart nearly stopped.
I saw Maxim… or at least I imagined I had. I had just delivered an order when it seemed as though his icy blue gaze had caught me from across the crowd. But someone took a seat before me and I was forced to drag my attention away from searching the crowd for him to my customer.
Monsieur Antoine was seated in front of me.
I sucked in my breath and tried to work up an honest smile, but it was hard to, especially with the almost-faded bruise by his temple. He damn well deserved it though.
“Good evening, Monsieur,” I greeted evenly.
The look he gave me made my blood run cold. “Is it?”
I neither wanted to provoke or be provoked by anyone tonight. I needed this job. I swallowed down my pride. “I’m sorry about what happened that night. I hope we can move past it.”
He gave me a bitter look. Just then my floor manager Ryan called out to me. “A moment, Freya?”
I was more than grateful for the save. “Excuse me,” I said and hurried over to Ryan. I gave him a smile and hoped whatever errand he wanted to send me on would take me away from the bar for more than a little while.
“So,” he began, looking more uncomfortable than I’d ever seen him.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s so fucking hard for me to say this. This world’s a fucking disgusting place and you haven’t done anything wrong. You are also one of my best workers but… my hands are tied. I’m going to have to let you go, Freya.”
That was completely unexpected. I blinked so rapidly the room flashed before my eyes. Did I hear wrong or was he joking? He did sometimes have a weird sense of humor. “What?”
“It’s that French bastard. He insisted on it. I’m so sorry, Freya, but he spends a fuck load in here and I can’t lose him. I’ll give you a glowing reference. You should have no problem finding another job. You’re one of the best.”
I felt hurt, so hurt that for the first few moments, I couldn’t say a word, or move. Then I straightened my spine.
“Sure,” I said nonchalantly. I turned around and looked directly at the pathetic bastard. He had a sick smile on his face.
He raised his tumbler to me in salutation. “See you around, Princess!”
Everyone around me seemed to for some reason call me Princess, and the title was seriously beginning to piss me off.
I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of looking hurt. “Be careful in the alleyways,” I called.
His face changed.
I winked at him then. Turning around I marched into the staff room and grabbed my belongings. Fuck him. Fuck this bar, Fuck Ryan. I didn’t need any of them.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Maxim
I saw her the moment she came out of the bar.
Which was a bit surprising as there was twenty minutes left on the clock before her shift was over, so it made me wonder what was wrong. Was she ill, hurt? Had something happened. I hated knowing there was very little I could do about anything that affected her. So I just watched her. I expected her to go down towards the subway, or hail a taxi home, but she just kept walking away from the subway, her head bowed.
I felt anger stir inside me. Did she not know how dangerous that kind of behavior was, especially now, to be so damn inattentive? Hell, for a smart girl she was acting like a kid. Look at her. She was not alert at all. Not an ounce of caution toward her surroundings. To the point where she could be shot dead at any moment and not even see it coming.
And this after she had been stabbed. Un-fucking-believable!
I was so furious I wanted to get out of the car, and grab her by the shoulders and shake her. But that was not an option. Gripping the steering wheel, I watched her for a few minutes more. When I could bear it no more I drove away. I pressed down on the gas pedal. Thank God I had put Roman on her. He was my best man. What Roman didn’t know about surveillance and protection could be written on a stamp.
I got to the next traffic lights. I glanced up into the rear mirror. There was only one car behind me. When the lights changed I made a screeching U-turn. The driver blared his horn angrily, but minutes later I pulled up next to Freya. She was so deep in thought I actually startled her. At first she just looked at my car blankly, then bent down to look at me through the window.
“Are you hungry?” I asked.
“Yes,” she replied frostily. “I’m starving.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Freya
He took me to a place called Sylvia’s on Malcolm X Boulevard. It had just what I needed. I ordered chicken and waffles and threw in some shrimp salad and buttered corn. I didn’t bother explaining myself to Maxim. A man like him wouldn’t have a clue about the concept of comfort eating. As I suspected, he ordered a salmon sandwich and we sat down by the window to wait.
Today, he was dressed as though he had been on his way from work in an impeccable charcoal striped waist coat, the white dress shirt folded up the sleeves, and a dark intricately patterned tie in place.
His hair was low, as usual, skin supple and golden from the reflection of the light in the room, but his eyes were brimming with annoyance. As if he didn’t want me to see his true state of his mind, he turned towards the view of the vibrant street, but his fist clenched and unclenched on the table. That was the most restless I’d ever seen him.
“Is everything okay?”
He turned his head toward me and stared into my eyes. I felt my belly start to quake. God, how could this man have such an effect on me? Just one look and I felt like jelly. I swear, I just couldn’t move, and certainly couldn’t look away. Thank God, our food arrived. I tore my gaze away from him and immediately dove right in, but my appetite was gone.
He spoke then. “I don’t want you to work at that bar anymore.”
I stopped. If he had worded that in any other way I would have responded politely and told him I had been fired but something in his authoritative tone provoked me.
“Um... okay,” I said, the same way an irritating teenager would say to its parent.
“I’m serious,” he said, through gritted teeth. “You cannot remain there. There is absolutely no way to guarantee your security. You are way too exposed when you’re in the bar, you come out at ungodly hours, and then you proceed to roam the streets aimlessly.”
I knew he was right, but I couldn’t stop myself from acting like a brat. “I said okay.”
He frowned. “I hope we won’t have to have this conversation again.”
“I hope so too,” I snapped. “I, decide where I work, but thank you for your concern.”
“I’ll give you a job,” he said. “You studied fashion merchandising did you not? I’ll refer you to a design firm in my building. They should be able to find you a position there that you-“
“I don’t need your help, Maxim,” I cut him off, and rose from my seat. Then, I felt bad. He had just fed me and was just looking out for my safety. I begrudgingly corrected myself. “Look, I don’t need your help in figuring out my livelihood, but thanks for dinner and thanks for… caring.”
Something flashed in his eyes. I wanted to bend down and kiss his mouth then. The urge was so strong it shocked me. He watched me from his window seat as I ran out to the street and grabbed a taxi.
Chapter Thirty
Maxim
I watched her leave, then got into my car and headed home.
As I parked my car in the underground car park, my phone began to ring. It was Levan.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yeah. Where are you?”
“At your place.”
I disembarked and slammed the door shut. “I’ll be right in.”
I headed towards the private lift that carried me all the way up to my penthouse. The doors swished open. “What are you doing here?” I asked throwing my car key on the side table.
“I heard from Mikhail,” he began.
I stopped, mildly annoyed. This thing with F
reya had me on edge and I was finding it more and more difficult to keep my temper. “Why are my movements being fucking reported to you?”
He frowned. “Will you relax? Nobody is keeping tabs on you, but this is a difficult time and while I’m leaving, you’re still my brother, and I need to be sure that you’re safe.”
“Then don’t leave,” I said, unbuttoning my shirt, and heading towards the curving marble stairs.
We took the stairs two at a time. I turned around to catch the smile on his face. “You’re full of bullshit, you know, Maxim. The truth is you’re completely fine with me leaving. You’re even relieved, I’m sure.”
I walked into my massive bedroom. All the curtains were open and the light from the stars shone in through the doomed glass ceiling. Behind me Levan hit the light switch making yellow light flood into the room. He was not wrong. I was going to keep an eye on him in the new life he was embarking with Bianca, and I had absolutely no complaints. He would no longer be in the direct line of fire of our world.
I sat on my bed and Levan came to sit next to me. “I’m really worried about Freya.
I stopped midway through pulling off my shoe. “Why?”
“Her father has enemies too but they’ve not exactly been going after her. These attacks only began after you came into the picture.”
I turned to look at him. “I’ve been thinking that too, but if they wanted to get to me then why not target me directly?”
“Maybe whomever it is has been waiting for the right moment. It’s not exactly easy getting to you.” I could hear the sadness in his tone as he spoke. “Maybe the point is not to just hurt you directly, but to hurt the entire conglomerate. Any harm coming to Freya on your watch will literally turn everything upside down and set off a war between our two fathers. Our two families being joined together is a terrifying prospect for many. It doubles your power and reach … unthinkably.”
“Hmm.... That narrows down the possible suspects to everyone we know.”
“It could also be for revenge,” he said. “Maybe you hurt someone’s family member along the way and now they’re coming for yours through her.”
“Then why don’t they come after you too?”
“Again, it won’t be as bloody. Painful for you but, turns little upside down. Freya’s father however will burn us to the ground, or at least try. We could both destroy each other. Imagine what a vacuum we would leave then.”
“They want to hurt me with someone else’s sword. Perhaps this person doesn’t have enough resources.”
“Yes, that’s what I would think. Anyway, I came here to tell you that this is exactly the reason why it has to be solely Freya’s choice to get with you. Not as a duty, or favor to anyone because it is definitely not going to be a rosy path. I understand why she is so against it and I don’t blame her at all.”
“I’m not forcing her.”
“Her father is.”
“I can’t do anything about that. That’s between them.”
“Do you want her, Maxim? Not a means for growing the business, but as a woman.”
I looked away from his probing eyes. “Yes,” I admitted.
“Good. That’s all I wanted to hear. We’ll talk more tomorrow. Now you better get to bed and I better get back home. I had to sneak out after Bianca fell asleep. It will not be a good morning for me if she wakes to find me gone. No surprises! That’s the rule of our relationship.”
That made me smile despite myself and as he left, I found myself gazing after him with just the twinge of envy. If only, Freya… A pair of defiant green eyes and a tumble of wild fiery hair crashed into my mind and I couldn’t stop the excitement that coursed through my system.
No woman had ever been able to rent even the least bit of space in my mind before, but Freya Fedorov seemed to very easily find her way in and out at will. I didn’t much care for the vulnerability and frivolities of love, but perhaps a woman who made my cock jump with just one look would not be too bad of an acquisition.
Chapter Thirty-One
Freya
I was walking down the subway stairs when the call came in.
“Hey, Freya, it’s Bianca.”
My heart began to beat faster and I knew it was because of her close relation to a pair of piercing blue eyes that haunted my dreams.
“Hey, Bianca,” I answered as casually as I could.
“I was thinking of checking out some jewelry today. Would you be available anytime today?”
I was suddenly even more excited. “I’m yours.”
“Great,” she responded. “I’m just waiting on an early afternoon appointment for our wedding venue. So after that I’ll be right over to you. Let’s say about 2.00 p.m.”
“Perfect,” I responded.
As soon as the call was over I phoned Britney and told her about the proposition.
“Oh my God! That is freaking amazing,” she cried excitedly. “Their wedding will be full of paparazzi and the crème de la crème of society so our jewelry on her is going to get a ton of exposure. Is their wedding sponsored in a magazine or something, do you know?”
“I doubt that very much,” I replied. “It is elite, but a completely private affair, I imagine. If anything, the Ivankovs shy away from publicity.”
“Hmm, either way it’s a good opportunity for us.”
“Yes, it is,” I agreed happily, as the subway car arrived.
* * *
At about a quarter to two Bianca called again.
“I’m so sorry, Freya, but I have to push our appointment. I just got the call to come inspect the venue now. But I’m having a dessert tasting this evening at our apartment. Perhaps you could come by and eat with us while we look at jewelry.”
“Oh, uh sure,” I replied and wanted so badly to ask… about him… but I didn’t dare. Almost. Before she cut the call though, I grew some balls. “You … er … you’re having some friends over?”
“Oh, just my best friend Aldie, and Levan if he’s back by then.”
“Oh, okay,” I said, and couldn’t help feeling disappointed. “Sure, I’ll be there. As well as some pieces that I think you may like, I’ll bring our new catalogue as well. There are designs in there that no one has seen yet.”
“Oh yes, definitely do,” she replied.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Maxim
It was just a little bit after eight in the evening when Levan popped his head through my office door. “On my way home,” he said.
I wondered why he was informing me.
“Bianca’s having a dessert tasting tonight. For the wedding. Want to come?”
I returned my gaze back to my computer without a word and he laughed in response. “Of course you don’t. At least I offered. She invited Aldie, and Freya’s also coming over to show her some jewelry. I’ll have fun alone with them then.”
Bastard, I swore silently at the way he had slipped her name into the fray, but I didn’t dare give him the satisfaction of my sudden interest. So I held myself back as he shut the door. I tried to return to my work but even the words on my computer had blurred. I sprang to my feet and grabbed my suit jacket.
I called him as he waited for the elevator doors to open. “I sent Otari and Viktor on an errand so you’ll have to give me a ride home. “
“That’s not happening,” he said. “I’m already late, and last I checked you knew how to drive.”
Fucking bastard.
“If you leave without me I'm going to hurt you,” I said and his mocking laughter haunted me to the depths of my being.
His town car pulled up in front of the building and I got in the passenger seat. “So am I driving you to your house or mine?”
“Fuck you, Levan.”
He laughed.
As we neared his apartment my palms grew sweaty, and the blood in my veins began to simmer in anticipation. Before we could even arrive at the door Bianca had already opened it. She gazed at me with a secret smile, as though she had expected to see me an
d I felt more exposed than I ever had.
“Maxim,” she said in her best hostess voice, as Levan’s arms enveloped her. A second later they were lost in a kiss.
I passed them both and headed into the apartment. I prepared myself as I walked through the foyer for the moment I arrived at the open layout home and saw her. I thought I was prepared, but it was like a blow to the solar plexus to see her again. This time her hair was loose. The way I had always dreamed it. There was a white ribbon in it. It looked old-fashioned. Girls didn’t wear ribbon anymore, but it made her look as if she belonged in another world, a forgotten, special world, where milky white women like her were worshipped on an altar.
Aldie rose when she saw me. “Hello, Maxim. It’s been a while, how are things with you?” she said almost shyly. They were seated at the long dining table, an assortment of desserts laid out on it.
The last time I had seen her had been at our place in Spain a few months earlier, just before Levan had been sentenced to life in prison and thrown into jail. “Great,” I responded.
She nodded and sat back down. Then I turned to Freya.
“Hello,” she greeted politely, and suddenly I couldn’t speak. I was only able to give a nod in response. I turned around and headed towards Levan’s study. If I had not I would have been exposed.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Freya
The arrogant bastard.
My mouth was hanging open. I couldn’t believe how rude he had just been.
“What is it?” Aldie asked.
“Did he just ignore me?”
“Uh, I think he nodded,” she placated.
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