41. Laila
41
LAILA
“Stop looking at me like that.”
Arsen lifts an eyebrow. “Like what?”
“Like you’re about to have me for dinner.”
“Is that an option?”
“Once upon a time, it might’ve been.” I glance at the clock on the wall. “Not anymore, though. If we don’t leave soon, we’ll be late.”
“Fashionably late is early, as far as I’m concerned.” He walks over to my dressing table and lowers himself down to one knee. Gently, he wraps a hand around my waist, teasing the slit of my emerald green evening gown until it parts at my thigh.
“It’s a wonder I ever get any work done with you around,” he murmurs.
“We are not going to be late because you can’t keep it in your pants, Arsen Adamov.” I yank my leg back before he gets too far and I get too worked up to keep telling him no. “I promised Guilia we’d be there on time. She helped me out with my launch, so I want to be there for Enzo’s.”
He drops his forehead to my knee with a groan. “I’m starting to regret this alliance. It’s a hindrance to our relationship.”
“You mean our sex life?”
“Same thing.” He grabs the sensible black peep toes with the short heel and slips it onto my foot.
“I was planning to wear my champagne stilettos.”
“It’s going to be a long night, and I want you to be comfortable,” he says in a way that doesn’t invite any debate.
“I wanted to look good for you tonight.”
His eyes flare dangerously. “You always look good, roza. It doesn’t matter what you’re wearing. You could be in an evening gown, a brown paper bag—or, hey, here’s an idea: nothing at all.”
I swat his shoulder. “You’re such a charmer.”
“I save it all for you.” He slips my second shoe on and secures the clasp. “I do have the perfect thing to finish the look, though.”
Rising, he produces a black box from his back pocket. A silk ribbon is tied neatly on top.
“Arsen…” I take the box from him. “What did you do?”
“Nothing you don’t deserve.”
I pull gently at the ribbon, but Arsen is impatient. He shreds through the silk and rips open the lid for me.
My mouth drops.
A diamond rose lies nestled in the center of the box. Each petal is a glistening quartet of diamonds around a bud that is the single biggest diamond I’ve ever seen.
“Incredible,” I breathe because I can’t manage anything else.
Arsen plucks the ring from the box and slips it on my finger. “Just like you.”
My hand drops to my lap under the weight. I swear I’d sink straight to the bottom of the ocean with this thing on. “Arsen, it’s too much.”
“I say it’s perfect.” He stands and holds out a hand for me. “Come on. A second ago, you were worried about being late.”
“We will be now!” I let my left hand flop limply at my side. “I can’t even lift this thing. You’ll need to deliver me by crane.”
“Can do. Tonight is the official beginning of our alliance with the Italians. We might as well make our arrival one to remember.”
I’m still scared, though. “This ring should be in a coded vault somewhere. It’s too big and flashy to be worn out in public.”
“Which is exactly why you’re going to wear it.” He raises my hand to his mouth, kissing the skin just below the ring. “This ring is its own kind of statement.”
“And what does it say?”
“It says, ‘I’m Arsen Adamov’s wife. Stay the hell out of my way.’”
As it turns out, I don’t need a ring to declare me Arsen’s wife. He’s doing a fine job of it on his own.
He never leaves my side. As we move around the restaurant, his hand lingers on the small of my back or his arm wraps around my waist as though he can’t bear to not touch me even for a moment.
Even when important allies walk up to him, Arsen refuses to let me out of his sight. He introduces me immediately and people trip over themselves to compliment my dress or how great we look together.
“Wow, people really bend over backwards around you, don’t they?” I marvel when an older gentleman nearly chokes on his veal just to greet Arsen as we pass by.
Arsen shrugs. “They know on which side their bread is buttered.” His eyes are trained on a spot somewhere near the entrance, his forehead creasing slightly.
I follow it, but I don’t see anything worth the concern. “Everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine,” he murmurs, but the answer comes across a little rushed. “Can I get you another drink?”
“Two glasses of champagne is my limit. I’m a lightweight these days.”
He snags another glass from a passing waiter and hands it to me anyway. His attention is still caught on something by the door.
“Arsen, if there’s something going on?—”
He shakes his head, finally looking down at me. “Sorry. It’s Jasper.”
I turn around, but I can’t see anything through the sea of people. I’m not sure how Arsen can, either. “What about him?”
“He’s been antsy since we got here.”
“You said it’s a big night. Maybe he’s just nervous?”
“I don’t pay him to look nervous. Anxiety isn’t the aura my personal security should exude.”
“Luckily, we’re amongst allies.” I pat his arm, trying to reassure him. “The opening is going really well. Everyone seems supportive of the alliance. Let’s just enjoy ourselves, okay?”
He kisses my cheek, which is all the answer I get before Enzo calls us over to his table in the center of the restaurant. Guilia makes room for me beside her, tucking her arm through mine the moment I sit down.
“It’s going well, don’t you think?” she asks brightly.
“The night is a triumph, Enzo,” Arsen says as the two men clasp hands. “My congratulations.”
“It wouldn’t have been half so successful had it not been for your presence,” Enzo offers generously.
Arsen chuckles. “I think that’s the alcohol talking.”
“To be fair, it’s good alcohol,” Enzo winks, raising a glass of Adamov whiskey in a small toast.
Guilia rolls her eyes. “Can we get you two a room?”
Enzo laughs, but Arsen isn’t smiling. In fact, he seems to have missed Guilia’s little jab altogether. He’s staring off towards the entrance again—but this time, I see exactly what he’s homed in on.
It’s Jasper again.
And he’s beelining right for us.
Guilia’s hand tightens around my arm as Arsen gets to his feet to meet Jasper. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
“I need to talk to you,” Jasper rasps. His hands twitch at his sides. “It’s important.”
There’s something haunted in his gaze as his eyes dart around the room. It makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
“This isn’t a good time, Jas.”
Jasper grabs Arsen’s arm, which makes even me flinch at the sheer audacity. “It can’t wait.”
Enzo steps in, looking as clueless as I feel. “Is everything alright, my friends?”
“This doesn’t concern you!” Jasper barks.
“It’s my restaurant,” Enzo reminds him coolly.
Arsen snatches Jasper’s hand from his arm and reverses the hold, gripping him by the wrist as he speaks to Enzo. “I apologize for my colleague, Enzo. Let me deal with this quietly.”
For the first time all night, Arsen leaves my side as he marches Jasper out of the restaurant. Enzo stares after them, his cheeks scarlet.
“What was that about?” Guilia whispers to me.
“Your guess is as good as mine,” I mutter, trying to spy where they’ve gone, but both Arsen and Jasper have disappeared into the crowd. “Do you think it’s serious? Should I go with him?”
“Don’t worry,” Guilia demurs. “Your man will handle it. He’ll come back in no time.”
Except he doesn’t.
I spend a full half-hour drinking and chatting with Guilia before I can’t pretend everything is fine anymore.
“Where is he?” I whimper.
“Boring Bratva business, I’m sure,” Guilia says. “He’ll be back.”
“Since when has Bratva business ever been boring?”
I pull my phone from my clutch and call him, but he doesn’t answer. I follow up with a text. Hey, my love, just checking in. Everything okay?
Another half-hour passes, and not only has he not responded to my text, he hasn’t even read it.
Guests are circling our table, keeping Enzo and Guilia busy. But I can’t sit here and gossip for another minute. I excuse myself to find my husband.
I circle the restaurant twice before I’m forced to accept that Arsen isn’t actually here—which is when I corner Gedeon coming out of the restroom.
“Where is he?” I ask with a little more force than usual.
Gedeon takes a surprised step backward. “Who?”
“What do you mean, ‘who’?” I blurt. “Arsen! He disappeared over an hour ago, and I haven’t heard a thing from him. Have you?”
Gedeon frowns, which isn’t encouraging in the least. “I know that Dominik’s with him. Does that help?”
I take a small breath. “Maybe. Did you see them leave?”
“Dom followed Arsen and Jasper out of the restaurant. Between the two of them, I’m sure they can manage Jasper.”
The anxiety in my chest loosens slightly, but I still can’t relax. I check my phone, but still, nothing. “He could at least text me back.”
Gedeon rests a comforting hand on my shoulder. “Just relax, okay? Go back to your table and shoot the breeze with Guilia. I’m sure Arsen will be back before this party is over.”
Everyone except me seems to be “sure” everything is fine, so I want to believe them. But something about this feels wrong.
With nothing else to do about it, though, I retreat back to my table and try to take his advice.
And I sit there…
And sit there…
And sit there…
An hour later, the restaurant has all but emptied, and I’m still marooned between Guilia and Enzo, with no sign of Arsen anywhere.
When Gedeon finds me, he looks decidedly less relaxed. “Maybe I should get you home, Laila.”
“Have you heard anything from Arsen?”
“Not yet.”
“Dominik?”
“Negative.”
Even Guilia’s usual optimism seems to have lost its edge. “It’s not like Arsen to just abandon his wife at an event without an explanation,” she muses distractedly.
“I’m sure he has an explanation,” Enzo suggests. “And a good one at that.”
When Arsen ever shows up, I’ll be sure to tell him his new ally is already defending him.
“It’s still bad manners.” Guilia grabs my arm. “Come on, Laila, we’re taking you home.”
Seeing as how my ride is MIA, I’m in no position to argue. I slide into the backseat with Guilia, and Gedeon tails us.
When we pull to a stop outside the house—with no sign of Arsen’s car in the drive—Guilia pats my knee. “I bet Enzo’s right. Arsen will have a good explanation for disappearing tonight. Even still, give him hell for it in the morning. Sleeping on the couch once in a while is good for a man’s soul.”
I get out of the car in a daze and wave Guilia and Enzo off. It isn’t until Gedeon steps up to my side that I realize I’m still waving, even though Guilia and Enzo are long gone.
“I’m gonna try to figure out what happened, okay?” He gives me a tight smile. “Go to bed, Laila. Get some rest. We’ll get to the bottom of this.”
When I finally give up waiting by the front window and slide into bed, the ring on my finger feels light as a feather compared to the weight on my heart.
And when I wake up, blinking my eyes open to the watery light of the early morning sun, Arsen is still nowhere to be found.