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Me: I didn’t lie when I said I was tired.
Katja: Right.
Katja: I just wanted to take you out for a drink to apologize and explain myself.
Katja: I get it if you don’t want to.
Katja: It’s fine.
Yeah, I could tell from her four messages she was fine and willing to let it go. I knew another one was coming before she even sent it.
Katja: So it’s a no on dinner?
Me: Fine, Katja, you win. Go get ready; I’ll text you when I’m there.
I had to eat anyway so I might as well just do it with her and maybe check on Ludmila too.
~~~
Katja was waiting for me outside, and while driving without any idea where we were going, I spotted a family style pizzeria close to Brooklyn College. It wasn’t a busy night for them, so we didn’t have any problems getting a table for two. We ordered garlic bread and pasta and a glass of white for Katja. I was driving, so I had to settle on water.
“I’m sorry for what happened that night, Enzo. I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.”
“I wasn’t uncomfortable.” I had women hanging around every day; what was one more? “It pissed me off, Katja. I told you I don’t want Alexei to read too much into this.”
“I know, but before we left to meet your family, he kept talking about how he wanted me to go back to Russia. Dad thinks I should go home to meet a strong Russian man to take care of me. I knew he would much rather have you tied to his name, so I just thought it would shut him up. I regretted it the moment I saw you storming out.”
“That wasn’t about you.”
She raised her eyebrows.
“What was it about?”
Fuck!
I left because I couldn’t sit there like a pussy, watching Ludmila play wife, minutes after she rode me like a cowgirl hooked on molly.
“I do business with your father, Katja. I am not just your friend, ok? There is a lot of money on the table, and I can’t play games just to entertain you.”
“Ok, yes, I get it now. I’m done embarrassing you, I promise.” She dragged her chair closer to mine and looked at me with big eyes. “Are you still mad?”
“No, Kat. It’s all good. I wasn’t pissed at you, I had something else on my mind.”
“Ok. Can I help?”
“No, just forget about it.”
“I can’t. You still look like your puppy died.” She stretched her hand and put it on my shoulder. “I care about you, Enzo. I don’t like seeing you like this.”
Sweet, but unnecessary. I didn’t need compassion from Katja. What I needed form her was access to information and not just gossip. She was in Popov’s house, after all, and Ludmila said that Katja was in her father’s good graces. She could make my job a whole lot easier.
“You don’t need to bother your head with my business, Katja.” I stopped and looked into her eyes. “But if I ever need your help, will you?”
“What? Help you? Of course.”
“I might need information, Kat. Information your father isn’t willing to give up.”
Katja sat back in her chair and licked her lips with a very austere look on her face.
