Total pages in book: 187
Estimated words: 177397 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 887(@200wpm)___ 710(@250wpm)___ 591(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 177397 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 887(@200wpm)___ 710(@250wpm)___ 591(@300wpm)
“Okay,” she murmurs before begrudgingly walking away.
We talked today, so she is aware of some of what I’m going through. She knows Andrik is married or getting married and that I had Maksim return the bribe I accepted from his father. I was just a little light on the reason I can’t assist Andrik with his ruse, and how it could have dire consequences on his son if he were to call it off.
I’d never get off her shrink couch if I gave her all the details in one sitting.
“Hey,” I greet when Mikhail spots me gawking at him at the end of the bar.
His glum expression switches to glee. “Hot damn, Sunshine. The masseuse didn’t force him to pull his head out of his ass, but that dress sure as fuck will.”
I curtsy like I didn’t purposely wear this dress to coerce Andrik out of hiding before joining him at his side of the bar.
“Does your brother know that you’re drinking at a rival’s bar?”
I don’t know much about mafia men except they wear exceptionally tailored suits, so my assumption that Andrik and Maksim are rivals is pure speculation. Maksim’s arrogance after his meeting with Andrik adds to my theory.
“He would if he’d answer any of my calls. He cut me off.” His laugh stabs my chest with pain. “Emotionally and financially.”
I dump my purse on the sticky counter like I have nowhere else to be before plonking my backside on the barstool next to him. “Why? What happened?”
“I have no fucking clue. It finally felt like he was letting me in, then bam! I’m out in the cold again.”
I wish I couldn’t sympathize with how he’s feeling.
Unfortunately, I can.
“Do you want to help me pull his head out of his ass?” He looks so desperate for a solution to his dilemma that I don’t wait for him to answer me. “We’re going out. Booze. Dancing. And enough sweat to intermingle scents in a jealous-provoking way.”
Mikhail twists his lips, fighting a grin. “He will kill me.”
“He’d have to be standing in front of you to do that.”
Now he smiles. “Are you sure you’re ready for the consequences this could cause, Sunshine? I won’t be the only one in the shit.”
“If it gives you a chance to talk some sense into him, I’m all for it.” As flashbacks of his argument with his father play in my head, I say, “I don’t want whatever is going on between Andrik and me to affect your relationship with your family. I care about you, Mikhail. You’re like the big brother I never had.”
He noogies my head in an annoying little brother way. “I feel the same, pip squeak. But can we save the declarations of love until we’re in an area where a ton of people will hear them? Maksim locked this place up like a vault last night. Anyone would swear the king’s jewels are stored in his penthouse.”
Since he isn’t far from the truth, I remain quiet.
After slipping off his seat and digging some bills out of his pocket, he tosses them onto the bar and then curls his arm around my shoulders. “All right. Let’s get this show on the road before I have to woo women into my bed with charm instead of an impressive bank balance.”
“Mikhail…”
“I’m joking, Sunshine. My dick reels them in even better than the millions Andrik doesn’t know about.”
The first several hours of our night are a hoot. We dance, drink, and party like I assume people our age did in 1999. However, we don’t see a single sighting of Andrik.
Either he’s left town or our dance moves looked as awkward as they felt.
Mikhail is devastatingly handsome, but there is no spark between us whatsoever. It was like a brother and sister dancing at their grandparents’ silver wedding anniversary dinner. You do it to appease your parents, but you get no joy out of it whatsoever.
After assisting Aleena out of the stretch limousine, I drift my eyes to Mikhail.
He is as sober as I am.
“Do you want to come up?”
He looks at an almost-passed-out Aleena before he returns his eyes to my face. When he shakes his head, I smile. He hates vomit as much as I do.
“Let me get her to bed, and then I’ll join you for a nightcap.”
We leave tomorrow morning, so tonight could be the last time I’ll see Mikhail for months. I don’t want to waste the opportunity to strengthen our friendship for something as unsatisfying as sleep.
He wishes me luck for a vomit-free transition before he heads for the bar to save me a seat.
Nikita and I practically carry Aleena to the elevators.
Nikita laughs when Aleena mumbles how much she loves me into my neck.
“And you thought I was a lightweight.”
“You are,” I tease before quietly returning Aleena’s declaration of love.