Chapter Three – Solomon
I still can’t fucking believe we’re doing this, I muttered to Alex, as I followed him towards the apartment building that was going to be our new home.
Remember how much we’re getting paid for it, Alex reminded me. That’s what matters here. Right?
Yeah, I guess, I agreed, with a sigh. The moment that money had arrived in my bank account last Friday, I had felt a wash of resignation, knowing there was no way I was going to be able to find a way out of this. We were well and truly stuck now, stuck with going along with this crazy job, and I had no idea how I was going to keep myself from losing my mind with boredom.
Babysitting some entitled rich girl? It wasn’t the kind of shit I lived for, to say the least. I didn’t know much about the Antonovs, but what I did know was that Maxim had done his best to keep Olya out of the line of work he was a part of. Which meant the chances of us getting to involve ourselves in anything interesting was virtually nil. I had nothing to look forward to now, no action to throw myself into – just sitting around, watching her brush her hair or call her friends or text boys or whatever the hell it was girls her age got up to.
I guessed I should have been glad for such a cushy job. No way would I have to worry about anything as long as I was living there, no – I could relax, and focus on the cash that I was earning just by keeping her from getting in too much trouble.
But trouble was how I lived my life. Trouble was what I knew. It was what I had always known, ever since I had started working in the Bratva world as a teenager. I’d been a messenger then, running from place to place to fill people in on information that was too important to write down and risk falling into the wrong hands; even then, as a sixteen-year-old, I could still remember vividly the feel of the thrill of this work, knowing I was involved with something important. I was barely more than a kid then, but being part of something made me feel...worthwhile like I was doing something that really mattered.
And, now, I had made a decent name for myself. A good enough name, apparently, that the Antonov family wanted to work with me. I’d skirted around the edges of their territory a few times before, but most of the people I had worked with over the years had known better than to get involved with their shit – they knew they were too big to take on, too big to handle, and they left them well alone.
But now? Now, I was working for them. Something I would have found exciting, no doubt, just a few months ago, but this job already bored the hell out of me. We hadn’t even met her yet, this Olya chick, but we were going to be living with her for the next year. I could already feel the boredom starting to settle in, and I wondered how long I would last without losing my mind.
Here we go, Alex remarked, glancing down at his phone to double-check we had the right address. You ready/
As I’ll ever be, I sighed. Using the key that Maxim had given us, Alex unlocked the door, and we made our way up to our new lodgings.
She was already leaning in the door when we reached the top of the stairs, glowering at us like she wanted to turn us right around. She was tall, with long, dark hair pulled into a ponytail at the back of her head. Her curvy body was poured into a pair of tight jeans and a light white tee, that showed off her thick hips. Well, at least she would be nice to look at, that had to count for something.
You guys don’t have to do this, she intoned, as we reached the top of the stairs. I don’t know what my father’s paying you, but-
Enough for us to listen to him and not you, I cut her off. She looked pissed, an expression of pure annoyance crossing her face.
Alex brushed past her and into the apartment, and she followed us in.
I don’t need you here, she told us firmly. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.
Then our jobs are going to be easy, Alex replied. I smirked. He always knew how to handle someone with an attitude – that military past gave him this ability to be snarky without getting called out for it.
So easy you don’t even need to be here to do them, she replied. I glanced around the apartment; it was big, big enough that I doubted we would have to see a whole lot of each other, thank God. Alex and I had agreed to work in shifts, one of us standing guard over the door twenty-four seven, so nobody would be able to come or go without us knowing about it. I could already tell how mad she was at the thought of it, but that wasn’t my problem.
I made a promise to your father, Alex replied calmly. And I’m not going to break it. Where are our rooms?”
I’m not telling you, she fired back. I fought the urge to roll my eyes at her. Did she really think this was going to work, this attitude she had right now? Like we were just going to turn around and walk out of here because she had decided she didn’t want a thing to do with us? Yeah, I wasn’t going to play that game with her, not a chance in hell. I had better things to do than let her call the shots here. Her father was Maxim Antonov, and that meant she was going to play by his rules.
You don’t need to make this harder for either of us, Alex replied, turning to face her, crossing his arms over his chest and locking eyes with her pointedly. She shifted her weight from foot to foot, her ponytail swaying back and forth as she tried to come up with something else to throw back at us.
You don’t need to be here at all, she tried again.
Is that the best you’ve got? I shot back at her. She turned her gaze to me, her eyes narrowed.
You don’t need to be an asshole about this, she protested. Just because you’re working for my father-
Just because we’re working for your father, I spoke over her. Means we’re going to be playing by his rules. And he wants us to live here. Watching over you. And, for the next year, that’s exactly what’s going to happen.
For the next year? she exclaimed, as Alex began to open doors, trying to figure out where we were going to be staying.
Yes, the next year, he replied. That’s how long he’s hired us for. So, I guess you better get used to having us around.
She parted her lips, about to come out with some other smart comment, until Alex came to the guest bedrooms.
Are these our quarters? he asked. She sighed, her shoulders slumping downward.
Yes, she muttered. I guess they are.
And, with that, she turned on her heel and stalked off towards her room, slamming the door loudly behind her. What was she, a teenager? I could already tell her bratty attitude was going to drive me crazy, and not in the good kind of way.
I followed Alex into the rooms we would be staying in – we each had a separate bedroom, connected by an ensuite bathroom between us, but I wasn’t ready to head to my new quarters just yet. I leaned in the doorway, shaking my head.
I can’t believe we’re really doing this, I remarked to him, and he glanced up at me.
What do you mean?
I mean, dealing with a girl like that? I replied, jerking my head over my shoulder to the spot where Olya had just been standing. You can’t expect me not to notice what a-
Stop it, he told me abruptly. You don’t want her to hear you talking shit.
What’s she going to do, go complaining to her father about me?” I pointed out. She’s already made it clear how much she hates having us around. I doubt she’s going to have anything good to say about us...
Yeah, but we don’t need to make it any easier for her to come up with reasons to hate us, he replied. Just keep your voice down, okay?
I closed the door behind me. I hated having to make my language, especially around a woman like that, who clearly wasn’t used to playing nice with anyone in the entire world. She was just some little brat, and it was no wonder her father wanted someone around to keep an eye on her. She would likely have gotten herself into all sorts of trouble with that attitude of hers alone. I could see how she would piss people off.
Alex straightened up, sensing what was going on inside my head.
And remember how much we’re getting paid for this, he reminded me. It’s worth it, no matter how annoying she is.
Yeah, I think I’ll be the judge of that, I muttered. I could already tell this year was going to drag.
But hell, at least she was hot enough to make it interesting.