26. Sienna #2
“That’s horseshit.” His eyes widen in surprise. “Don’t worry, Udav , if you’re so scared of New York, then you can hide behind me. I’ve gained quite the thick skin when dealing with locals.”
His jaw tics. He’s clearly frustrated as he says, “You know that’s not the reason. You’re treating this situation far more casually than what it deserves. People could die, remember?”
I don’t know the ins and outs of how Luca runs his business. But if Nikolai permitted Romi and Dante to come in as guests, I’m certain we can find a way that I can actually stretch my legs outside so I don’t get cabin fever.
The doors to the balcony open, and Andrei speaks feverishly in Russian. “Someone is coming up the elevator, Udav .”
Nikolai’s gaze locks on mine. “Your doorman deserves to be shot.”
I yank my foot out of his grip and then jump to my feet. “Sienna!” he yells from behind me as I make a break for the front hall. Andrei is quick to catch me before I get far.
“Release her,” Nikolai growls. Andrei seems confused but does as he’s ordered, and Nikolai grabs my hand, pulling me back toward him. A weighted tension ripples between the two men, but then a look of understanding crosses Andrei’s face.
“We are not receiving any more guests,” Nikolai growls at me, then jerks his head to Andrei, silently commanding him to go see who the guest may be.
I turn on Nikolai. “This is my life, and you said I’d be integrating back into it soon. Perhaps you didn’t stalk me well enough to realize how popular I am.”
His gaze narrows and his jaw tightens, but I refuse to back down .
The elevator dings, and Andrei reaches beneath his suit jacket. The moment the doors open, my eyes widen when they land on the last person I expected to see.
Nikolai grits “Sienna,” through his teeth as I jerk from his hold and hurry inside.
A shiver runs down my spine when he uses my name, but I don’t falter my steps as rush to make sure Andrei doesn’t whip out his gun.
“Oh, thank God!” Ria, my manager, says and then comes to an immediate halt when she sees Andrei. “Oh, hello.”
“Andrei, this is my manager, Ria.” I make the introductions as calmly as possible and then send Nikolai a stern gaze over my shoulder.
“She could be a spy,” Nikolai whispers in my ear.
“Yeah, everyone in Manhattan is. How do you think we circulate such ridiculous gossip?”
“You haven’t answered any of my calls for weeks, but I was praying you wouldn’t disappoint me on this job,” Ria says, approaching me, and seemingly not noticing the tension permeating the room.
Her brunette hair is pinned back tightly, her pencil skirt pinching in another two inches of her waist, and her blouse is unbuttoned enough to leave little to the imagination.
“What job?” I ask.
She presses a kiss to each of my cheeks in greeting.
“Don’t pretend like you don’t know. And we’ll discuss you ignoring my calls later, but right now, we need to go.”
“She can’t leave today,” Nikolai says as he moves to stand beside me. And that’s when Ria finally notices him.
“Oh my,” she breathes, her gaze raking down every inch of his bare chest. She then leans toward me.
“Is this why you’ve been quiet? Is he some Russian boxer you found while you were in London?
It could be good press, you know, after the Michael debacle.
How are you doing with that, by the way?
Actually, no, we don’t have time.” She clicks her fingers and gives me a onceover.
“Dear God, have you been hiding on a mountain somewhere? We need to scrub you up immediately. Is this what happens when you stop answering my calls for a month?”
Nikolai evidently doesn’t enjoy the fact he’s been ignored, and I can’t help but jump on the opportunity. “It’s a long story, but I took some time off and then lost my phone at the airport before coming here.”
“And you haven’t replaced it yet? You, who is attached to your phone?” she scoffs, not believing my excuse. “We’ll discuss that later too. You’re never to leave me unread for a month ever again.”
“What I mean to say is, I don’t know what job we’re going to, but my friend here would like to join us.” I point at Nikolai.
“No, we?—”
Ria cuts Nikolai off. “As long as he remains quiet and obedient, that won’t be a problem.
Now, hurry and get cleaned up.” I’m trying to refrain from smiling.
If she knew who these men actually were, I doubt she’d so easily dismiss them.
She looks at my nails. “Jesus. I’ll have someone fix your nails on the way there.
” Then she pulls her phone out of her Hermes bag and gets to work, demanding services immediately.
Nikolai looks like he’s about to kill her, so I turn to him and place my hand on his forearm. “We can’t remain here forever.”
“You’re my prisoner,” he grits, as if he hasn’t reminded me of that fact enough.
But when I look into his eyes, my own brimming with emotion, I ask, “Is that really all I am?”
It’s a risk; I know that. Blurring the lines of what this situation is and what I might want it to be.
So, I choose to enjoy it for as long as I can, until he’s gone.
Perhaps I’m ignorant to the reality of the danger, but I’m tired of being scared or holding myself back for one more day.
I need to start finding pieces of myself again.
To figure out what I still love and what I don’t, and what the new version of me looks like.
I need to look at my life moving forward, with or without Nikolai in this fucked-up scheme.
His green eyes flicker with emotions I can’t read, but it’s his reluctance to answer my question in the affirmative that fills my heart.
It doesn’t mean I can keep him. But at least I know I’m something more than just his captive.