Chapter 20
Cara
Late in the week, Dmitri and I finally escape the office for a meeting.
Being surrounded by walls for hours hasn’t done anything but make us both restless.
His offer keeps replaying in my mind, repeatedly like a broken record. It’s hard not to imagine what would happen if I finally gave in.
But not until he calls off the engagement to Annika.
“The sun feels nice today,” I say, brushing my hair behind my shoulders as Dmitri and I sit at a small table on the outdoor patio.
Dmitri drums his fingers against the top of the metal table impatiently as he waits for the guy we’re meeting to arrive. “It’s Vegas. It’s hot.”
I lean back in my seat, letting the sun’s rays grace my skin from above as other people chat and drink nearby.
“Your hair has more of a reddish tint to it in the sunlight,” Dmitri comments.
“Oh, well, I like to experiment with different colors at the salon,” I lie after he notices my natural tint.
“I bet you would make a stunning redhead.”
My cheeks warm up as he studies me with a grin. He actually has a very nice smile. When he shows it.
“You should smile more,” I tell him as I fiddle with the straw in my ice water, attempting to quickly change the subject.
Dmitri scoffs and shakes his head. “And let people think that I’m friendly? I have a reputation to uphold. Besides, there’s not much to smile about lately.”
I nudge his ankle under the table, making him crack a grin again. “There must be some part of your life that makes you smile. You’ve got things going for you. You’re a successful businessman. You’re well respected. And feared. You have tons of money, right? And you could have anyone you wanted.”
“Not whoever I want, evidently,” Dmitri comments as he lifts his eyebrow at me.
He wants me to change the answer that I gave him. Truthfully, I want to change it too. I bet Dmitri would be mind-blowingly good in bed, but he needs to drop some baggage first.
Baggage whose love language is designer labels.
“You’re about to get married,” I say before sipping on my water, hearing him sigh in response.
“Don’t remind me,” Dmitri mutters as he stares into his drink.
“I hate that you’re stuck in this situation. I know that family is important, but at what cost?” I say as I reach out to briefly brush my hand against his.
Dmitri’s breathing quickens a hint at my simple touch. “My…position in the family is more important than anything else. That’s what I’ve been taught.”
I understand that on a personal level. I was also taught that my father’s orders come before everything, and that’s cost me a lot. Friends, boyfriends, opportunities.
“It’s worth losing your chance at true happiness?” I ask him.
“I have to put my wants and needs aside,” Dmitri replies, his voice sounding strained. “Like all of the others have done in my family.”
He’s willing to throw away his entire love life for a business arrangement. For the Bratva.
I would run far away without a penny to my name before I give up that much of my life.
“I guess that’s noble,” I say. “I do hope that you’re happy in the end.”
Despite being unable to completely reel him in yet, I still need to try to keep him close, within reach.
“Just don’t go anywhere, milaya,” Dmitri replies. “You keep me sane.”
Which means it’s time I stop holding back.
“Can I ask you about something?” I ask him in a quiet voice, a plan unfolding in my mind.
Dmitri leans closer to the table that separates us. “What is it?”
“I hate to eavesdrop and gossip, but I just want to share this with you in case my employment gets threatened,” I state, my expression serious.
Dmitri frowns. “Go on.”
“The day you sent me home early, I heard Annika outside the office on the phone with someone. She was ranting about you not helping with the wedding planning,” I tell him as I lean closer as well.
Dmitri rolls his eyes. “Of course, she was. What else did she say?”
I cast a glance to the side, feigning nervousness and keeping my face carefully neutral.
I can’t believe that I didn’t think of this play before.
“She was talking about all the things you could buy her and do for her after the wedding, wanting houses all over the world. She also mentioned making you get rid of me.”
Dmitri doesn’t look shocked, but he looks angry, his jaw tightening. “She thinks that I would fire you for her? That she could make me fire you?”
I nod. “She really doesn’t like me. And I don’t want to jeopardize your marriage...”
Dmitri shakes his head and takes my hand, making a surge of heat flow through my body. My heart immediately reacts. His hand feels solid. Steady. Dangerous. “I’m not going to fire you just because she doesn’t like you. Your job is safe. She can’t make me do shit.”
I almost ask him what he’ll do if Annika’s father demands that he fire me, but I keep that to myself. I’m not supposed to know that much. “Good. Because I love this job. I love working with you.”
A hint of a smile forms on Dmitri’s face as he nods. “Me too.”
My heart suddenly forgets how to work for a second, skipping a beat and catching me off guard.
Dmitri looks down at our joined hands, his thumb grazing my knuckles in a gentle stroke. “I’m surprised you’re not married yet. Or at least taken.”
“I’ve put school and work first for a while,” I tell him as I slip my hand out of his. He has to work for physical touch.
Disappointment flashes in his eyes, but he sips on his drink instead of complaining.
“You’re not just good at administrative work,” Dmitri assures me. “You’ve helped my business improve. More than I expected. And you did it all without being skittish or judgmental.”
“Like I told you before, I’ve seen a lot with my ex-boyfriend,” I tell him. “Nothing on the scale that you have with your business, but it’s still familiar territory.”
Dmitri stares at me as if he’s inspecting me. “I never would’ve guessed that about you.”
I’m a great liar. This mission has proved that if nothing else.
“Surprise,” I reply with a smile that prompts a grin of his own.
“You certainly are one,” Dmitri says before glancing past me, his expression hardening with the clenching of his jaw. “Here comes Luca.”
I look over my shoulder to see a young, dark-haired man in stylish clothes walking toward us. I scoot my chair closer to Dmitri, giving Luca room to pull up a chair to my left.
“Hello there,” Luca greets us as his eyes sweep back and forth between us. Dmitri stands to shake his hand. “I’ve never met with the Bratva before.”
“We don’t typically work with the Italians,” Dmitri replies.
Luca laughs, making him look younger and even more handsome as the men retake their seats. “Yeah, well, they shouldn’t have kicked me out of the family. Now, I like working with the enemy.”
An ex-Italian mafia member. Interesting.
“This is my assistant, Cara,” Dmitri says as he gestures to me. “Cara, meet Luca Leonetti, the black sheep of the Philadelphia Leonettis.”
Luca turns to me, his eyebrows lifting in interest. “Your assistant? I thought you were just arm candy, Bella.”
He seems a little cocky, but I can deal with that long enough for Dmitri to seal this deal.
I hold my hand out to Luca and tell him the truth. “I’m full of surprises.”
Luca laughs before kissing the top of my hand. “I like this one. Feisty.”
“She can be,” Dmitri replies, not sounding all that enthused. Maybe I said the wrong thing. Or maybe he doesn’t like the fact that Luca is being a little sensual with my hand. “Do you want a drink? We can get started.”
“Nah, I can’t stay long,” Luca replies as he finally releases me and turns to Dmitri. “So, you’re looking for moving trucks.”
“I lost my supplier, and I need more than before. Heard you were the man to talk to,” Dmitri tells him.
Luca nods. “I have a whole fleet that can be rented for deliveries. My drivers are quick and discreet.”
Dmitri shakes his head. “I have my own drivers that I trust.”
Luca clicks his tongue. “My drivers ensure that the trucks are in good order and aren’t stolen. How can I trust your drivers?”
“By trusting me,” Dmitri replies. “They know to go to the delivery location and come right back without drawing any attention to themselves.”
Luca rubs his jaw in thought. “These trucks are my business. They’re how I’ve kept myself out of the hole when I got tossed aside by my family.”
“There will be a traffic stop,” I speak up as I join my hands together on the table, figuring I can jump in quick and try to win this guy over.
“Do you trust your drivers to pass through carrying illegal contraband? Do you really want the cops to get suspicious of them and trace everything back to you? Allowing Mr. Ivanov’s drivers to take the trucks keeps you safer.
You could say you rented the trucks to us and didn’t know what we were carrying if the cops try to come after you. ”
Luca hums under his breath and nods. “That’s true. I guess I could put trackers on the trucks to make sure they’re not stolen either. I’d still like them back by a certain time, though. You’re not my only client needing trucks.”
“I’ll guarantee the return of your trucks on time,” Dmitri agrees. “So, do we have a deal? My drivers. Your trucks.”
“And I’m just a guy who rents out trucks if the police ask,” Luca replies as he holds Dmitri’s gaze.
Dmitri nods.
Luca grins and reaches out to shake Dmitri’s hand again. “Agreed. Just have your beautiful assistant send me a message telling me how many trucks you need and when. I’ll put you on my schedule.”
“Will do,” Dmitri replies.
Luca checks the time on his luxury watch. “Gotta go. Busy day.” Before he leaves, Luca pauses next to me and smiles. “If you ever want to show me those surprises of yours, you know how to reach me.”
A blush burns my cheeks, and all I can do is smile back, unsure of what to say. Luca is attractive, but he doesn’t make my heart forget how to beat like Dmitri does.
Luca takes off, leaving Dmitri and me at the table in tense silence.
“Now, we’ve got trucks,” I say as I turn to him.
Dmitri grunts in acknowledgement and finishes off his drink. “I’m going to get another.”
My eyes widen as I watch him leave the table and head over to the bar. Is he upset? Maybe I crossed the line by inserting myself into the negotiations.
But it worked. I convinced Luca to work with us, so why is Dmitri being so brooding?
My eyes stray over to him again, and it hits me the moment that I realize that he’s glaring in Luca’s direction as he waits for the elevator to take him down to the ground floor.
He’s jealous.
Luca made him jealous by asking me out.
Excitement flutters in my stomach as another plan hatches in my mind. My assault on his marriage isn’t just a single blow to one aspect. I’m using multiple tactics to break his resolve.
Seducing him. Reminding him of how awful his bride is. Expressing how sorry I am over how terrible his life is about to become.
Now, I’m going to add a bit more jealousy baiting to my arsenal.