Chapter 36
CHAPTER
THIRTY-SIX
CHASSIS
I shouldn’t be here.
I know I shouldn’t, but I don’t see any way around it. I cannot sit around and wait for something to happen. Samuil did me dirty and ruined my world for a few months, but I’m not going to let him fuck up the rest of my life.
And I don’t want him to ruin his own, either.
I know that if he tries anything, Amos isn’t going to let that shit go.
He’s going to make sure that Samuil pays for what he’s done.
But all that aside, I just don’t want to live in fear.
I refuse to be scared, and I’m going to take control of my life and my future.
My father would slap the shit out of me if he knew I was here right now.
No doubt, Amos is going to have something to say as well, but I’ve been living in fear for months, and I’m done with it.
If I don’t do this now, I won’t get another opportunity.
My brother will be back in Boulder City later today, and he’s going to have sharp eyes on me twenty-four seven.
Lifting my hand, I touch the button that I know leads to his office.
The building doesn’t have a front desk. It contains dozens of private offices, some used by professionals and others by mobsters like Samuil.
The building is owned by the casino, and they make some extra cash by renting out the lower-level suites.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” his deep voice demands through the speaker.
He can see me. Of course, he can see me.
I might have worked in his office, I might have had sex in his office, but I was never privy to any of the actual details of his space, home or office.
I don’t know why I thought we were ever a real couple.
Clearly, we weren’t. He used me, or at least tried to.
“I thought it was time we talked.”
I don’t want to go up to him. I don’t want to be stuck in his office alone. Thankfully, he doesn’t want me there either. That’s better for me. “I’ll be down in a minute.”
His tone hasn’t changed. He’s still very much asking, What the fuck are you doing here? with every word he says. Taking a step backward, I turn and walk down the stairs, then stop when I’m on the sidewalk.
As much as I want to, I don’t pace. I’m not sure if he can see me from here or not, but I’m not taking any chances. I need to stay strong for this. I need to keep all of my emotions at bay. I cannot let him think he’s gotten to me in any way whatsoever.
Even though I want to slap him and scream at him for being a manipulative asshole. Even though I want to demand he tell me why he chose me for all of this. Because he targeted me, and it wasn’t just because of opportunity. He saw something inside me that he thought he could manipulate.
Using my thumb, I twist my wedding ring around in a circle on my finger as I attempt to keep from pacing or rocking. A few moments pass before the door opens, and I watch as Samuil exits the towering building.
“Coffee?” he asks.
His face is expressionless as he waits for my response. “Sure.” I know where he’s going. There is a little shop half a block down that is Russian. Raf Coffee and syrniki at the top of the menu. Although I’m not drinking coffee right now, I will never turn down the pancakes.
Samuil doesn’t speak to me the entire way to the café. When he reaches the front door, I wait for him to open it so I can pass through. He does. Ever the gentleman, at least when others are looking.
Moving through the door, I step into the café. The scent of all the delicious foods I’ve missed hits me and my mouth waters. I wasn’t going to eat here, but I don’t think I’ll be able to hold out.
Syrniki sounds amazing right about now. We don’t wait to be seated. There is always a table for Samuil here. He doesn’t even look at the hostess. He marches directly past her toward his reserved table.
Once he’s at the table, he does pull my chair out for me, which surprises me. He’s not my lover. He never did like me for more than what he could use me for, and when he found out he couldn’t use me to get what he wanted, he was gone.
Now, I just need to make sure that he stays gone.
Less than one minute after we take our seats, a waitress appears and sets down Samuil’s Raf. She brings me nothing. Instead, she tilts her head to the side, her gaze flicking to meet mine, and I don’t miss the tiny snarl she gives me. I almost roll my eyes.
“I’ll have still water, please,” I order.
The waitress slips away, and I let out a heavy sigh, assuming that I won’t be seeing that water anytime soon.
So I decide to get down to business. Squaring my shoulders, I shift my focus to him, my gaze flicking up to meet his before I suck in a deep breath, hold it, then let it out slowly before I speak.