Chapter 30
CHAPTER THIRTY
AVELINA
I’ve been working for around an hour, and all this time, I’ve been alone in the office.
I hear someone’s footsteps. I can tell it’s Grigory because his arrival is announced by his heavy stomp—and no one else walks like gravity is personally targeting them.
Stalking into the office, he freezes. And a deep frown furrows his brow.
Gee, I can already tell that he’s in a bad mood—and it’s not even 9 a.m. yet.
His glare darts around the office. “What in unholy hell am I looking at?”
My gaze drops to the paper ledger I was checking when he came in. I carefully flip to the next page. I know from what Viktor’s told me that there’s no speaking to Grigory when he’s in this sort of mood.
“Well?” he snaps.
I look up slowly. “I’m sorry?”
He points at the corner like it’s offended him. “What. Am. I. Looking. At?” A muscle ticks violently in his jaw. “And is that a damn hippo wearing my best tie?”
I open my mouth. Then close it. “Um…yes?” Sofia did that last night when we set up a play corner in case the kids miss me while I’m working and want to be near me. And Viktor did say that Grigory wouldn’t mind Sofia using his spare tie for her stuffed toy...
His gaze glints as it narrows with anger. “There are toys everywhere.”
I jump to my feet, wondering if I can make it look tidier somehow.
“And is that a sparkly step-stool? This is supposed to be an office, not a goddamn daycare.”
“It’s just for emergencies. In case I ever need to bring the—”
“So, you did do this.”
His voice rises, sharp and bitter, and I find myself staggering a step backward.
I feel it in my chest. Tight and familiar. That old burn of fear crawling up my spine. I know that tone all too well. The kind that doesn’t wait for answers. The kind that doesn’t calm down.
“I should fire you right now!” He picks up a few of the picture books and tosses them in the trash.
I stay frozen for a moment, just staring at the books in the waste basket. One of them has a corner folded. My fingers tremble, and I want to reach down and fix it. But fear immobilizes me. And I’m trying hard not to cry as I feel a burn at the back of my eyes.
“You think this is cute? Bringing in your little crayons and baby crap and turning this place into a fucking kindergarten?” He scoffs and steps up to me, in my space and too close.
“You thought you’d just bring your fairy princess energy in here?
Let me guess, you’re planning story time next?
Maybe naps and sticky snack times between our missions? ”
“I didn’t mean to—” But I can’t find the words to say it. I grip the edge of the cabinet behind me like it might stop the whole room from spinning out of control. “I’ll clean it up,” I whisper. “If it’s a problem.”
He lets out a harsh laugh. “Damn right, it’s a problem. This place used to be professional. Now it looks like a kindergarten threw up a fucking glitter nightmare.”
The silence that follows is thick.
My heart pounds in my ears.
My throat tightens.
My hands start to shake.
This isn’t the first time a man’s shouted at me like this.
And all I can think about is when Gennady used to punish me.
He stalks another step closer to me—and I flinch violently.