2. Chapter Two
Chapter Two
Inessa
T he moment the words are out of my mouth, I can’t take it back.
I came here to beg for my father’s life but now I see an opportunity. I can get a job and save myself. And maybe once Viktor knows me well enough, I can ask him to spare my father. This is risky and stupid but I have no other options. I have no actual job experience. But how hard can cleaning be? I’ve cleaned my bathroom and kitchen before after we had to fire our maid when my dad started gambling.
I can do this.
Viktor eyes me over in a clinical way. “You’re certainly pretty. What is a girl like you doing as a maid?”
I take a tentative step towards him. The low thrum of music outside the door makes me realize that I’m alone with this man – the man who just tried to kill my dad.
“It’s all I’ve ever known,” I lie. “I can clean.”
“Can you cook too?”
I try not to wince. I was never the best at cooking but I can manage. My mother was a great cook and taught me some things but that doesn’t mean I can cook grand elaborate meals a man like Viktor Smirnov will be expecting.
“Yes,” I say.
“Good. I just hired a new housekeeper. Her name is Mrs. Green. You’ll be working with her.”
“Ok. Um… don’t you need to see my resume?” Crap. Why did I ask that? I don’t have a resume on me. Just standing before Viktor is scrambling my mind. He’s scary and stern and just tried to kill my dad because my dad tried to kill him.
And he doesn’t know who I am.
If he were to dig into my father’s life, he would surely find out. And then I’d be in big trouble. He might even kill me.
But when else am I going to get a job offered to me this fast? I need money yesterday and this is my chance to keep me and my dad afloat.
Viktors waves a dismissive hand. “I don’t need a resume. You’ll prove to me that you can clean and cook and if you can’t, you’ll be fired.”
“Right.”
“You’re young. Pretty. What got you into being a maid?”
That’s the second time Viktor has commented on my looks. I have to admit – I’m a little flattered. An intimidatingly handsome man like him thinks I’m pretty.
“My mother was one.” It’s scary how I’m coming up with these lies so quickly. “I followed in her footsteps.”
“Mmm. A pretty girl like you could be so much more than a maid.”
I gulp. “Like… what?” I whisper.
“Like dance in one of my clubs. You could probably earn more money that way.”
The thought of doing something like that makes my stomach churn. “I’d rather be a maid. I’m not a dancer.”
“You seem so innocent. Young. How old are you?”
“Twenty.” Finally, I can tell the truth.
“All right then. I need a maid and you’ll do just fine. Now, you may leave.”
“Uh… sir?”
He looks up at me. “Yes?”
“You have to tell me where to go? I don’t have your address.”
“Right. Since I require a home to be clean at all times, you’ll be living there. My housekeeper will live there too. This is my address.” He writes it down and hands it to me. “Come tomorrow at seven in the morning.”
I grip the piece of paper tightly in my hand. “I’ll… be living in your home?” That was not part of my plan. Honestly, I don’t have any plan at all.
“Is that a problem?”
“No. I just didn’t realize.”
“I can assure you that you’ll be safe. I don’t take liberties with my staff.”
Elena did tell me that Viktor was a man with some kind of honor. At least there’s that.
“I’ll come tomorrow.”
I head for the door when he says, “I don’t even know your name. I apologize for the disorderly interview. I’m just really in need of a maid.”
“Inessa,” I say right away, then stop myself before saying my last name.
“Inessa.” He says my name like a caress. “Beautiful. And your last name?”
“Roberts,” I make up. It’s the first last name that comes to mind. “Inessa Roberts.”
“Good. I’ll need to set up an account for you to send you money. You’ll be paid a flat rate of 300 dollars a day and will work for however long things need to be cleaned.”
I almost lose my breath. That’s nine grand a month. More than enough for me to save my father and myself. We can get an apartment with that money. We can make this work.
“You look shocked,” he comments.
“It’s just more than I was expecting.”
“I pay my staff well. I expect loyalty. Can you do that, Inessa?”
“Mm-hmm,” I squeak. If he finds out who my father is I’m in trouble but this kind of money without any work experience is too good to pass up. I’ll never find anything as well paying.
This just means I’ll need to work with a man who doesn’t know I’m lying to him.
Then it hits me: to set up an account, he’ll need my bank account, which I don’t have. My father never believed in me having one.
“Uh, sir?”
“Yes?”
“I don’t have a bank account.”
“Why not?”
“My dad was abusive,” I quickly lie. “And he never wanted me to have one.” Not a lie. I need to mix some truths into my lies, otherwise, I’ll forget everything. “I don’t have one.”
“Well, we can open you a new one.”
“Can… can you pay me in cash? I’m worried he’ll find me and I don’t want him to get my money. I hope you can understand.”
He leans back in his seat and steeples his fingers together, looking at me intently. “Are you in trouble?”
Yes . “I’m not exactly safe. Please. I need this job. I can’t let my father find out I have it.”
“Mmm. All right. I make my money through means that not everyone knows about. I can understand discretion. If you need me to pay you in cash, I can.”
“You’re not going to ask any more questions?”
“I understand the need for privacy.”
But you’re a Bratva man , I almost blurt out. Doesn’t he want to make sure everything is secure in case he could be compromised? That’s the last thing I can say though. Viktor cannot know I know who he is.
“Thank you,” I say instead. “For being understanding.”
“You seem like a girl down on your luck. I want to help you, Inessa. As long as you do your job well, we won’t have any problems.”
“Of course.”
Just then, the door opens and in walks a man I’ve never met before. Dark hair. Sneaky grin. Incredibly handsome in a bad boy sort of way.
“Finn,” Viktor says, making my blood run cold. “I’m in the middle of an interview.”
Finn. I know who this is. Finn Murphy is brother to Aiden, Elena’s husband. Finn killed Elena’s father, Ivan, and then tried to kill her. Aiden was the one to save her from him and that’s how they fell in love.
Finn used to work with Dante before he left. No one knew where he went. But he’s here now.
And working with Viktor by the sounds of it.
“Who’s this pretty little thing?” Finn asks, leaning against the wall, crossing his arms. He eyes me over like a lion does its prey.
“My new maid. She’s none of your concern. You will not go near her. Is that understood?”
“Come now, Viktor. That’s not fair. You can’t flaunt something so pretty around without me noticing.”
“Inessa is my new maid,” Viktor replies flatly. “She is to be left alone. Is that understood?”
“What are you going to do? Kill me if I don’t listen?”
“I just might. You reached out to me, Finn. If you don’t like this arrangement, you can leave.”
He huffs. “Fine. I won’t touch the girl. But if she wants me to, I’m not sure I could stop myself.”
I step away from him and bump into Viktor’s desk.
“Finn,” Viktor warns. “You’re scaring her. Inessa, you may leave. Remember to show up at seven tomorrow morning. And Finn, leave her alone.”
Knowing I’m dismissed, I hurry out of the office and away from the hungry eyes of Finn.
And the stern eyes of Viktor.
I can’t believe that just happened. I actually got a job working for the man who tried to kill my dad because he tried to kill him. It’s all kinds of messed up. No one can know about this – not even Elena. If anyone were to let slip who I was, what’s to stop Viktor from killing me?
Or at the very least firing me? And then I’d be right back in my old predicament.
I’ll tell my dad I got a job but he doesn’t need to know where. I’ll keep us both safe.
And once Viktor gets to know me well enough, I can ask him to spare my father’s life. He’ll take pity on me – I hope.
I know this is a risky and stupid plan but I’m out of options.
I hurry back to the motel to find my dad gone. Where did he go?
With nothing to do, I pace around the room until he finally returns a few hours later, stinking of alcohol and stumbling around until he falls face first onto the bed.
“Where have you been?” I ask.
“Out.” His voice is muffled by the mattress.
“Did you gamble again?”
His silence tells me he did exactly that.
“Dad, we have to pay for the motel room tomorrow night. Tell me you have forty dollars at least?”
“I have nothing, Inessa. It’s all gone.”
“All gone?” My heart feels like it’s going to leap out of my chest. “We have no money? Nothing?”
He groans as he rolls onto his back. “I thought you were getting a job.”
“I did. I got one.”
“See? There you go.”
“But I probably won’t be paid for at least a couple of days. Where are we going to stay until then? They’re going to kick us out of this motel.”
“We’ll be fine,” he mumbles in his drunken state.
I’ve been frustrated and disappointed in my father many times but right now, all I feel is rage.
Before I can stop myself, my palm finds his cheek in a sharp slap.
He groans. “What was that for?”
“We needed that money! Did you happen to win any money at all?”
“It’s all gone.”
“So why did you gamble it away? You didn’t win anything. You never win anything. What is wrong with you?”
He suddenly breaks down into tears. He always does that – uses his emotions against me. It’s manipulation. I know this but it doesn’t stop me from lying on the bed and hugging him.
“I’m sorry, Inessa.”
“I don’t want you to be sorry. I just want you to stop gambling.”
“I will. I promise.”
We both know he’ll never stop.
“When do you start work?” he asks.
“Tomorrow.”
“See? There you go. You can ask for the money right away.”
“I’m not sure I can, Dad. I probably need to work for a few days before I get it.” I don’t tell him that I’ll be living in Viktor’s house. It’s better he doesn’t know.
“You’ll save us,” he says. “I’m so proud of you.”
I try not to cry myself. It’s not fair that he gets to be proud of me and all I’m allowed to feel is disappointed for him.
Viktor
“I’m not sure how you’re going to get any work done,” Finn says after my new maid leaves the office. “Having a hot little thing like that running around your home.”
“Stop,” I warn.
“Touchy. You already care for the girl?”
“She’s my new maid. I don’t take advantage of my staff. I’ve always respected them and if we’re going to continue working together, you’ll respect them too. Including Inessa.”
“Inessa. A pretty name.”
Something tightens within me at the sound of Finn saying Inessa’s name. I don’t like it. But that’s ridiculous. I don’t care for the girl. She’s just my new maid.
Maybe I already have a soft spot for her since she’s the same age as Julia. Inessa seemed like a woman down on her luck who was in need of help. I will not take advantage of that, no matter how pretty she is.
And she is strikingly pretty. Distractingly pretty. Light blonde hair, blue eyes, fair skin. She looks more like a nymph than an actual woman.
“Let’s change the subject,” I tell Finn, pushing Inessa from my mind. “I need another one of Dante’s drug shipments stolen. I’ve gotten word of when it’s coming into the city. I need you to be ready.”
“On it.” Finn’s grin is savage. We’ve been working together for the past year to take down Erik and Dante after they fucked us both over.
I was fucked over by Erik and Dante when I had two fiancées stolen from me and Finn was betrayed by his brother, Aiden, when Aiden chose to marry Elena than work with him.
We want to bring all three men down but it’s a slow and steady race. We started by tearing down their supplies – like guns and drugs – and slowly, that will weaken them until we can overtake them.
The only problem is: they have the power to retaliate. I’ve lost men and supplies over the past year too. It’s a precarious balance.
A knock on the door makes me look up. A middle aged woman stands in the doorway, looking uncertain,
“Yes?” I ask in a harsher tone than I mean to.
“I’m Greta. I’m here to discuss the maid position.”
“Sorry. Already filled it.”
Her face crumbles. “Oh. Well, thank you for your time.”
Something doesn’t add up. I knew I was seeing only one woman today about the maid position. I assumed it was Inessa but…
“Greta?” I ask before she can leave. “Did you call and make this appointment?” I had one of my men handle the details so I never knew the specifics.
“Yes.”
“Well… I am sorry. The position has already been filled. But I know someone who needs a maid. I can send you in their direction. Here.” I write down an address of a friend of mine and she takes it with trembling hands.
“Thank you so much.” She bows like I’m some fucking king before she leaves.
“What was that about?” Finn asks.
“Hold on.” I call Stuart, my man who handled the specifics of finding me a new maid. “Stuart, what was the name of the woman you were sending me today for the maid position?”
“Uh… let me check.” The sound of rustling paper seeps through the phone. “Got it. Greta Williams. Why?”
“You didn’t send an Inessa Roberts for an interview?”
“No. Why?”
“Just asking.” I hang up. Curious. Inessa didn’t come in for the maid position and yet she took it. Why? What did she really come in for? I’ll have to ask her when she shows up tomorrow.
I hate being lied to. I hate being deceived.
But the girl seemed desperate for a job. Maybe she came in to ask about a different job and jumped at the chance to be my maid. I won’t know until I ask her but one thing is clear: Inessa has already lied to me.
That makes me distrust her.
“You look handsome tonight,” Natasha says as I sit down across from her. This expensive French restaurant better be worth my time as I have a lot of things I need to contend with.
One of those things is finding a wife.
Not that I need one. But I want to gain as much power as I can and finding the perfect Bratva wife to make an alliance with is key.
Which brings me to here and Natasha. A wealthy widow, she’s older than many Bratva woman are to be entertained for a wife. At thirty, she’s practically ancient in the world of the Mafia.
But I’m not looking for some innocent rose. I want a woman with experience. A woman who it doesn’t matter if she’s a virgin or not. As a widow, I know for a fact that Natasha is not untouched.
After I lost both Nadia and Elena to other men, I realized my problem: putting too much emphasis on a woman’s virtue. With Natasha being a widow and having a lot of money from her dead husband – who was an incredibly wealthy Bratva man forty years her senior – she will make the perfect wife someday. She has connections to other Bratva families and her money can help me in my endeavors.
We can be a power couple for all intents and purposes.
This is not about love.
Natasha’s red lipstick makes her look seductive as she smiles at me. “How are you tonight, Viktor?”
“I’m doing well. How are you?” We’ve been seeing each other for just a few weeks now. We haven’t fucked yet but I’m ok with taking things slow. I’ve always respected women’s bodies. I don’t need to rush a woman into bed to make her want me.
“I’m doing very well. I always have a wonderful time meeting up with you for a date. It’s the highlight of my week.”
I cheers my wineglass to her.
“So, Viktor,” she says after taking a sip of her wine. “Let’s just get down to business, shall we? I know you’re looking for a wife. I can be that wife.”
“That’s why I’ve been entertaining you.”
“Good. I know things are rocky at work. The war you have going on with Erik Koslov. I can help you with that.”
“That’s exactly what I’m looking for. An honest woman. You know what you’re looking for and I know what I’m looking for.”
“So why wait?”
“I just sent my sister away to make sure she stays safe. Ideally, I would want her at the wedding but things are too risky right now.”
“So, when could we marry?”
“We haven’t even kissed yet,” I remind her, giving her a small smile. I rarely smile nowadays.
“That can be changed. I’m not some shy virgin, Viktor. I’m a woman who knows what she wants. And I want you.”
“Well, then. If we both agree to this arrangement, we can start wedding planning. Ideally, in a few months would be the best. I don’t want to rush into something and learn I’ve been deceived. I want to get to know you more first before we exchange vows.”
“Understood. If you invited me over to your place tonight, we could start getting to know each other very well.”
Natasha is a beautiful woman. Dark brown hair, piercing blue eyes, a seductive grin. My cock does stir at the idea of fucking her.
But if she’s to be my wife, I don’t want to rush into something. Not after how I got fucked over in the past with my previous fiancées.
“We can make plans for you to come over later this week. But for now, let’s just enjoy our dinner.”
“All right. I can respect that. But you should know, Viktor, I am not a patient woman. If you want my hand, you’ll need to work fast for it. I have other men interested in marrying me.”
“I don’t like competition,” I warn her. “And I don’t play games. Never lie to me and I’ll never lie to you.”
“Of course.” She takes another sip of her wine, leaving a red stain behind on the rim.
Inessa
The large gothic house stands imposing before me. It’s so big, it casts a shadow over the long driveway. I’m thirty minutes outside of the city and yet, I feel like I’ve entered into a completely new world.
This is it: my first day starting my new job as a maid in Viktor Smirnov’s house.
I can do this.
I stop my hands from trembling as I knock on the door. It creaks open. Of course the door creaks. As if it couldn’t get even scarier.
A middle aged woman stands before me. “Yes?”
“I’m Inessa… Roberts.” I cannot forget my fake last name. “I’m here for the maid position.”
“Right. Mr. Smirnov told me you were coming. I’m Mrs. Green, the new housekeeper. We’re both starting today.”
That makes me feel a little bit better.
The inside of the house isn’t any less imposing that the outside. Dark furniture. Dark walls. It’s more like a tomb in here than an actual house.
“Wow. Viktor does like dark colors.”
“Mr. Smirnov,” she says in a stern voice. “He told me to call him that and it’s the same for you. We’re to show a great man like him respect.”
“Of course,” I stutter. Already, I’m messing up. I cannot keep slipping.
Mrs. Green softens slightly. “It was a mistake. One that will not happen again. Now, let me show you around the house.”
It’s so large, I could get lost in here. The size of the kitchen alone is almost bigger than the house I grew up in. There are six bedrooms and seven bathrooms, which seems silly to me but I don’t question it. Rich people and their tastes.
I’ve known many rich people – Elena included. Her house growing up was so grand and beautiful.
But I’ve never known riches for myself. This kind of money is so out of my depth. I’m out of my depth here.
“Mr. Smirnov gave me instructions. You are to keep each bathroom clean every day, even if no one has used it. You will vacuum and sweep the floors every day. You will cook dinner every night. I will cook with you. Mr. Smirnov expects grand meals that will need at least two people to make them. You will do the laundry and make sure every bed is made. This place must feel like a hotel in its finery.”
I almost fall to the ground knowing I’ll have to do so much. I’m not sure my body will be able to handle it but at three hundred dollars a day, I cannot complain. It’s more money than I would ever be able to make at some other job.
“Mrs. Green, this is your first day. How do you know so much?”
“I came here at five this morning and Mr. Smirnov debriefed me. He told me to make sure you were prepared in your duties. He wants this house to be spit-spot clean by the time he comes home.”
“And… what time does he come home by?”
“He told me six pm tonight. We’ll need to have dinner ready by then. A pot roast and green bean casserole and stuffed potatoes. It will take over an hour to make. In the meantime, you need to get started on the bathrooms. Lunch will be at noon every day. I will make that. You’ll have thirty minutes to eat, then resume your duties.”
I hurry to follow after her as we walk around the house. She’s fast footed. “Mrs. Green, what if I get everything done for the day early?”
“Then you may have alone time. In here.” She shows me to a bedroom. “This is yours. Where you’ll sleep. You can use the bathroom across the hall.”
“I thought I’d be staying in servants quarters.”
“Child, this isn’t the 1800s. You’ll be living in the house, same as I. Now, one last thing I need to tell you: Mr. Smirnov wants to speak to you tonight. He didn’t tell me why. But be prepared.”
Before I can ask her more, she whisks away to do her job, leaving me to mine.