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In the wrong hands, Dimitri is a man to be feared. I know people capable of the same thing, though they use it for far more despicable means.
His place in my company is to be respected. I trust him just as much as Jovich, who has been with my family for decades now. "There is someone that we need to get our hands on, and when we do, the fallout will be cataclysmic."
"Oh?" Dimitri perks up, intrigued.
"Alexei Nyanik," I say, and a low whistle escapes Dimitri's teeth.
"Do you go looking for trouble, Boudreaux?” He laughs. “Or does it just come find you?"
I've been asking myself the same question for most of my life.
I have eventually come to accept that the Boudreaux name is just synonymous with trouble.
Chapter twenty
Claire
I practically have to drag myself to the shower in the morning. I slept like the dead, which is absolutely not a common occurrence for me. Maybe it’s still the jet lag catching up to me or the remnants of an Ambien haze, or the drinks I had. Or maybe it’s the fact that the bed is just so damn comfortable I want to sink into it and never leave. Whatever the reason, I don't appreciate the feeling of being so hungover until steam fills the bathroom.
I shower, exfoliate, and shave with all the fancy unopened bottles in the shower, and when I’m done, I feel not just alive—I feel good.
I smell good, too.
It’s still reasonably early, so I take the time to wrap a luxurious towel around me like a dress while I dry my hair and check my phone. When I’ve wasted as much time as I reasonably can, I get dressed and go downstairs. My reflection in the hallway mirror assures me that I look pretty good too.
When I get to the kitchen, Elaine stands at the sink, fixing a vase of flowers. She straightens upon realizing she isn't alone.
"Good morning!" She smiles brightly at me and then turns to the cupboard, where she produces a coffee mug. "Sit down! I'll make breakfast."
"Oh,” I shake my head automatically. “You don't have to do that."
"Please." She laughs. "I'm dying for something to do."
I appraise her for any sign that she really doesn’t want to do anything for me, but she looks genuine. "Okay," I agree hesitantly, sliding onto the barstool as Elaine sets the coffee neatly in front of me.
"French vanilla or hazelnut for your coffee, dear?"
Dear?
Yesterday, I'd have bet money that this woman doesn't like me. The sudden shift in her demeanor is more than a little jarring. Then again, I guess a bit of social anxiety means I’m always worried that people don't like me. Maybe Elaine just hadn't been in the mood yesterday to get to know someone new. Either way, something about her smile as she watches me from over her shoulder while she waits for a response is endearing… almost motherly. "Hazelnut, please."
She hands me the bottle immediately, as if she knew that would be the one that I chose. Her eyes shine with some sort of amusement, like hazelnut is a funny answer. "You look beautiful and rested."
I don't miss the compliment; It takes me by such surprise that I don't even address it. "I slept really well, actually."
"Good." Elaine sets about pulling ingredients together as if she's done this a million times, unbothered by my lack of gratitude at her compliment. Her hair is pulled back into a ponytail, which makes her look a bit younger than she did yesterday. She can’t be more than forty, and she barely looks a day above thirty. Weird that she has worked for the Boudreaux’s so long.
"So, did you have fun last night? I know Rhea was looking forward to it."
I lift the mug to my lips, hoping that will keep my face from giving me away. Rhea always says she can read me like an open book, but is it just because she knows me so well? Or is that because I am notoriously bad about wearing my heart on my sleeve?
Elaine glances up from the tomato she’s dicing, and I realize I haven't answered her.
Did I have fun?
Sure. Kissing Remy was certainly not boring. But agonizing over what it means certainly isn't fun.
"It was nice." I smile awkwardly, hoping she won’t press me for any more details. "Are you sure I can't help you with breakfast?"
