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CHAPTER EIGHTThe dinner meeting was uneventful for Aileen. Yakov picked her up and they met one of his potential clients at a local restaurant. She was surprised that he had asked her along, as it seemed to have nothing to do with his situation within his clan.
“Thank you for coming with me. I hate always going to those things alone when my client is bringing his wife or partner,” he told her on their way back to his place.
She was surprised by the statement. He didn’t strike her as someone who would have a problem with what others thought about such things. She told him that he was welcome and turned to look out the window, lost in thought. It was the weekend. She would be with him for the next three days, until he returned to work on Monday. He planned to maximize her exposure to the clan at events planned with friends and family and then she would return home for two days prior to accompanying him on a trip out of town.
It was actually a business trip. He would be with clients most of the time and she would just enjoy the sights. When they returned, they would announce they had eloped, a claim that would be backed up by false paperwork from the agency. After that, it was just a matter of pretending they were happily married. No discussion had been had about how they would end their “relationship” when the time came.
“Are you nervous?” he asked.
“Nervous?”
“Yes, about this weekend.”
“A little.”
“You’ll do fine. Just be yourself and try not to answer too many questions about us. We’ve got the basics down on what to tell people, but I don’t want to risk straying from the story too much.”
“I’ll keep it simple.”
His phone rang and the conversation was quickly forgotten as he began barking orders at someone on the other end.
“No. I told you that the concrete has to be poured this weekend so they can begin on the upper foundation first thing Monday. Otherwise, we are off schedule and you’re costing me money. If they can’t get their asses in gear and do the job they bid, then kick them to the curb and go to the next bidder that can show up and do the work. My client can’t afford delays, which means I can’t afford delays.”
His face was twisted into an angry mask as he listened to someone on the other end, already shaking his head in disagreement with whatever was being said before he cut them off.
“No. You get it done or I’ll replace you, along with the bidder. Get it set up and call me back. If I have to come in and do it myself, you’ll be pounding the pavement before church services on Sunday.”
He didn’t wait for a response, quickly hitting the button to end the call and dropping the phone on the seat beside himself. His knuckles were white on the steering wheel as they drove the rest of the way to his place in silence. Pulling into the garage, he turned the car off and hit the remote for the door to close behind us.
“Make yourself at home. We have guests arriving at ten. There’s a cocktail dress and shoes in your room for the occasion. Feel free to explore the grounds or take a nap, whatever you want to do until then.”
His tone was dismissive. He was barely finished with the words before turning and walking into the house, leaving her standing in the garage with her travel bag in hand. She sighed and followed his path, letting herself in the side door and going up to her room. It had been cleaned while she was gone. The air had a faint lemon scent to it.
The dress was laying across the bed, a simple black stretch lace number with a tank slip and matching strappy heels. The neckline was scalloped, high enough to cover her ample cleavage but still sexy. Once again, he had managed to purchase something that seemed perfect for her. She closed the door and stripped down to try it on. It fit like a second skin and looked amazing on her. He had very good taste, she’d give him that. She took it back off and hung it on the door.
Retrieving a book she had brought with her, she draped herself across the bed to read, her eyes quickly growing heavy. Since it appeared that he was having some sort of late-night party, which meant she might not get to sleep for a while. A nap might not be such a bad thing. Setting her alarm so that she didn’t oversleep, Aileen settled in under the covers to catch a nap for an hour or so.
She awoke in a panic, before the alarm sounded. For a moment, she was disoriented and then she realized where she was, but thought she had overslept. Why hadn’t the alarm sounded? Reaching for her phone, she saw that there was another ten minutes to go before it was supposed to go off. She went ahead and ended it, then got up to take a quick shower and get ready for whatever was going on there tonight.
