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“Of course not. But a week ago it was a woman sneaking out of your room to steal your brother’s coffee, and now it’s Dimitri trying not to get seen by your brother, probably. Before we came here, you were talking about sleeping with Tristan Ryan. Why does this one matter?”
I’ve known Rhea long enough to know that despite her status in life, she doesn’t discern against what she wants. If she’s drawn to someone, she’ll go after them regardless of if it’s the bus boy at a restaurant or the DJ at a club. I assume her shame has more to do with the fact that he’s employed by Remy rather than his job doing whatever he does for him.
“He works for my brother.” She groans, confirming my suspicion. “I bet Remy will give him the axe when he finds out.”
“Why would he do that?” I prod, offering her my glass of water. Rhea glares at it for a moment and then sits up to take it, drinking it down in a few big gulps. I’m her best friend and I’m sleeping with her brother. Surely if Rhea can be okay with that, Remy can tolerate Dimitri and Rhea sleeping together one time… assuming it was one time.
“I realize you’re new here, Claire,” she says sympathetically, “but sleeping with the person you’re supposed to protect is like, the one thing you shouldn’t do… not that I need Dimitri’s protection.”
“Of course,” I patronize her with a smile. Truthfully, the world outside of Remy’s home is probably rife with danger, but I trust that we’re safe here. Someone somewhere out there has paid a hefty price for my life—I expect they’re not just going to give up on trying to collect. It’s a weird thought to try and reconcile.
I think of the Senator with his eyes all over me last night, like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing, and feel unease settle in my stomach. I don’t want to let go of what little remains of my bliss out here, though, so I put him out of my mind and turn my head so that it’s level with Rhea’s.
I know Remy’s got cameras all over his house—there’s one just behind us that I spotted on the first day we were here. I just hope he isn’t watching right now so he doesn’t hear me ask his sister, “Well? Was it good?”
Rhea laughs and looks for a second like she’s going to throw the empty water cup at me. “Was it good?” She mimics. “No, Claire. It wasn’t good. It was… amazing.”
That’s a ringing endorsement from her, and I can’t help wondering if her intoxicated state may have contributed to her thinking the experience was amazing. Dimitri is objectively good looking, but with all of Rhea’s experience, I find it hard to believe that he is capable of satisfying her sexual appetite so completely that she’d consider it amazing.
“You’re lying.” I say, searching her eyes for any hint that she is messing with me.
“Are you seriously telling me you didn’t hear me screaming last night? Because I know I wasn’t quiet.”
Not wanting to tell her I was too busy getting pleasure of my own, I just shake my head, to which she sighs at me like I simply don’t understand. “On my shitty fatther’s grave, Claire, it was the best sex of my fucking life. Which is why this is a problem.”
And just like that, I get it.
The problem isn’t that she’s embarrassed to say she slept with her brother’s employee. The problem isn’t that she spent the night with a man who was supposed to just keep her safe for the night.
The problem is that, whether they were sparked by last night or just cemented by whatever transpired between them, she’s got some kind of feelings for Dimitri. Dimitri, who lives in Costa Rica. Dimitri, who works for her brother. Dimitri, who would never let her get attached to him because his lifestyle is so incompatible with hers.
Suddenly, Rhea’s predicament hits me like a wrecking ball.
Her predicament is the same as my own.
We’re both fucked.
Chapter forty-two
Remy
“I want eyes on every door and window in this house.” I snap, my anger sawing at my own nerves. “No one comes in or out. No one. Do you understand?”
Dimitri nods curtly as he pulls up the security feed without looking away from the screen. I’m glad he’s taking my direction literally.
We’re friends as much as we are employer and employee, but any of the ease that’s grown between us has disappeared in this moment. Dimitri recognizes the severity of the situation. Jackson Holland will come after everyone and everything in my life if he thinks I had anything to do with the murder of one of his people. Add to that the fact that the rest of his workers are missing, Jackson hasn’t answered any of the three calls I’ve made to him, and the fact that Wes could be anywhere right now, and Dimitri understands just how bad our situation is.
I know better than anyone that just because someone is tied to you by the bond of blood or marriage, it doesn’t make them family. There’s a chance, however small, that Brandon Kane was a thorn in Jackson’s side whose death won’t provoke the wrath of his father-in-law. Not only do I want to know if Jackson is going to send his army after me, but I also need to know how he wants me to handle the body left in my guesthouse. Whether I have Dimitri get rid of him in the usual way or not makes all the difference in whether he can explain this to his daughter as a casualty of their line of work or writing him off as a coward who cut and ran. If he’d just answer the phone, I wouldn’t have to leave the girls in the care of Dimitri, who’s on my shit list.
But I have an ace up my sleeve. I just have to get out to play it.
“Call me if anything happens.” I tell him, not bothering to say the words that don’t need spoken.
Don’t let anything happen.
Leaving Dimitri in charge of the welfare of the only people I care about is a calculated move. If he’s still loyal to me, now is his chance to prove it. I know he would never hurt an innocent woman—he’s only involved in all of this because he despises people who do hurt innocents—women especially. Money talks—and sometimes screams—but that is one part of him that I think Dimitri would never compromise, not for his life or all the money in the world.
Michael, on the other hand? He would sell his soul for pennies if the devil simply told him it was worth nothing more. It’s not that he’s stupid, it’s just that he wants to be wanted. He came into my employment two years ago—the last time I hired Holland Protective Solutions.
