Chapter 30 Maxim
MAXIM
Holy shit!
This can’t be happening.
No!
The chair beside Dmitri scrapes as she pulls it out.
My heart is thumping in my chest. I feel like I’m looking at an apparition.
She seems so familiar, yet she isn’t. Her raven hair is cut in a severe bob, her face is thinner, her skin is tanned, but her eyes, those emerald-green eyes are still the same, even though there’s no life behind them.
Grace’s hand tightens around my arm, and I hear a tiny gasp beside me.
“Be calm, Maxim,” Sergei says in my ear, but everything around me has disappeared, and all I see is my dead sister.
She looks beautiful, dressed in an elegant strapless gown, looking more like a woman than the girl I remember.
Then I see it—she’s sporting a similar choker to Grace, but in her name’s sake gem, Emeralds.
Dmitri notices my interest in the woman sitting beside him, and he smirks.
He thinks I’m looking at her as a sexual conquest, but he couldn’t be more wrong.
He obviously has no idea at all who she is.
He turns and looks at my sister, and his tattooed hand wraps around her neck, pulling her to him.
His lips meet hers as he kisses her, and we’re not talking about a peck.
He’s claiming her, letting the men at the table know she is his to do with as he wants.
My trigger finger is becoming very twitchy.
“Easy, Maxim, he’s showing off,” Sergei says into my earpiece. “Don’t react, he wants you to cause a scene.”
I take in a deep breath and try to calm myself down. I pick up my glass of wine and take a sip, an air of indifference coming over me as I channel all my training into dealing with this situation.
“Your lips taste as sweet as your pussy.” Dmitri smiles at Elena.
I notice her blush as she looks at him adoringly.
My hands fist under the table. No, she can’t want him. This isn’t right. Then she looks away from Dmitri and directly at me. There’s no flicker of recognition in those emerald eyes—nothing—and she turns her attention to Grace and gives her a sweet smile before turning back to Dmitri.
“Let me introduce you to everyone, sweetheart,” Dmitri coos.
Deep breaths in, deep breaths out, I chant in my head, trying not to murder Dmitri.
“I’m actually blessed to have my own jewel.
This is Emerald.” He looks at the other men at the table, who all nod and smile at him, wishing they were in our shoes, even though they have beautiful women on their arms. They’re used to getting what they want when they want.
They’re not used to the word no and tonight they are looking at both Grace and Elena with want in their eyes.
“She’s mine,” Dmitri states.
“It is a pleasure to meet you all,” Elena says confidently.
How can she ignore me?
“I cannot believe we have been graced with two jewels at our table,” Igor Ivanov, an arms dealer, says.
I don’t like the way he’s looking at Grace. I know he’s thinking of a way to get me to share, but it will be a cold day in hell before he touches a hair on her head. I feel Grace’s hand under the table, squeezing my leg in support.
“And like Maxim, I don’t like sharing,” Dmitri adds, warning Igor, who laughs. “Unless Maxim is willing to swap for the night?”
“Or maybe together,” Grace says, shocking Dmitri and me.
“Really, now?” Dmitri looks very interested indeed.
I turn and look at Grace. What is she playing at?
“It’s up to my master what he would like me to do. I follow his
rules.” She gives me a wide smile before turning back to Elena and looking at her.
Elena nods as if they have an agreement.
“Maybe this is something we should talk about in private,” I say, not liking the interest our conversation is creating at the table. I also need to work out what Grace’s plan is.
“Good idea, Maxim,” Dmitri says, his attitude changing at the thought of maybe having Grace again.
It will be a cold day in hell before I let him touch her.
“Eat up, sweetheart.” He points to Elena’s entree, and she does as she is told.
The table continues its small talk around us, but I can’t keep my eyes from Elena. I can’t believe she is so close, yet so far.
“I’m just going to freshen up in the lady’s room,” Grace whispers to me as our entree bowls are cleared. “It’s going to be okay.” She kisses my cheek.
I nod, distracted by my sister.
“I might join you,” Elena says to Grace, giving Dmitri a kiss on the cheek.
I watch as they make their way through the crowd to the toilets.
I’m not sure if leaving Grace alone with Elena was a smart or stupid decision.
“Guess the saying is true, women can’t go to the bathroom by themselves.” Dmitri laughs, and the table joins in, except for me.
“Can you please excuse us, ladies? Maybe you all need to powder your noses as well?” Igor says to his wife. “We have some business to discuss.”
We watch as the wives do as they are told.
“Now, how much do I have to pay to have a taste of your jewels?” Igor asks after the wives leave.
I’m about to wring his neck, but Dmitri beats me to it.
He grabs Igor’s shirt. “Don’t you ever talk about my jewel like that, ever.”
Igor looks shocked and splutters his apologies.
I’m surprised at Dmitri’s outburst, but I’m also a tiny bit thankful.
“These women are ours to do with as we see fit. If you want a common whore to fuck, there are plenty here tonight. I would be happy to find one for you.”
Igor looks at me then back to Dmitri. “Thank you, that would please me.”
“Perfect, now could you please leave Maxim and me for a moment? We have business to discuss.”
The men jump out of their chairs and scurry off into the night.
“Fucking cunts,” Dmitri says as he takes Grace’s seat beside me, swirling the vodka in his glass. “It’s been too long. Looks like you and Diamond are getting along well.”
“Yes, she knows her place,” I say through gritted teeth.
Dmitri studies me. “She’s hard to resist, so I guess I shouldn’t be shocked that you’ve had her. She’s a bit of a wild one, isn’t she?” He chuckles.
I need to get myself under control before I start acting like a jealous fiancé? instead of a fearsome assassin.
“I like the challenge,” I say, finishing off my whiskey. The amber liquor tastes bitter as I discuss Grace with him.
Dmitri slaps me on the back as if we are old friends. “We have more in common than I thought.”
I want to break every single bone in his body. I want to string him up and drain every drop of blood from him, but instead, I joke with him as if we are friends.
“I’m surprised you walked in with a jewel yourself.”
“I’ve told you I’ve been working hard, trying to find the jewels.” He grins.
“You two look close.”
He chuckles to himself. “I could say the same about you and Diamond.”
“I guess I had the right skills to tame her.”
“The same could be said about Emerald and me.”
Fucking liar, I want to scream, but I hold it in.
“So, was Diamond serious about what she said before?”
“What?” I try to pretend like I have forgotten.
“About the four of us taking this party somewhere else.”
Don’t kill him, don’t kill him.
“I think that’s something that could be arranged. I’m surprised Diamond mentioned it.”
“She’s a good girl. She saw the way you were looking at Emerald, and she realizes you want a taste of her. That was her way of letting you know it would be okay.”
I want to laugh. Dmitri really thinks I want Elena for a one-night stand. I think he would be very shocked if he knew the true reasons for my interest.
“Also, Diamond and I ...” He hesitates. “We had something together for a while, it was ...”
Rape! I want to scream.
“I would like to say goodbye to her.” He seems sad, almost nostalgic about her, which is surprising.
“Say goodbye?”
“You know you’re not going to be able to have her for much longer, Maxim. You must give her back. She belongs to the Bratva, not you.”
“This is true, but she is mine—until you find the rest of them.”
Dmitri looks at me, shocked.
“I spoke to your uncle. He doesn’t trust you with the jewels. After
everything that’s happened, he believes they should stay with me as collateral until you find the rest of them. That way I know you’re doing what he has asked of you.”
I can see Dmitri is upset by this news. I don’t think even he would go against his uncle, not again, not when he has a target on his back.