Page 40 of Obsession of the Bratva

Meanwhile, Vera looked like she wanted to commit murder, and I almost respected it. Several painful minutes passed while one woman continued to play with my tie. The other rested a hand against my chest, but I couldn’t have been less interested. My attention remained entirely focused on Vera as if the two women beside me were not even present.

Apparently, the women noticed that.

Eventually, one of them followed my gaze, and then the other as an awkward realization spread across both faces.

“You know,” the brunette said carefully.

“Yes?”

“I don’t think we’re actually needed here.”

I blinked, and the blonde laughed softly.

“Not unless we’re supposed to watch whatever this is.”

Her gaze bounced between Vera and me. Smart girl. Vera’s eyes narrowed even though she stayed silent, and the brunette removed her hand from my arm.

“We should probably go.”

“Probably.”

I nodded once. “Good idea.”

I didn’t have it in me to try and stop them just for appearances’ sake. I had made my point in front of Vera, and I was too tired to do much else anyway. The women stared, clearly offended. Understandably so. Perhaps they had thought I was going to stop them from leaving, but I hadn’t even looked at either of them once. Not really.

The blonde stood first.

“Well,” she said dryly. “That was humiliating.”

“Sorry.”

“No, you’re not,” the brunette replied.

“No. I am not.”

She laughed without humor in it, and the brunette shook her head. “You’re an asshole, Romanov.”

“So I have been told.”

“Good luck with... whatever this is.” She gestured toward Vera, and then both women left, the front door closing behind them. A dangerous silence followed. I leaned back against the sofa.

Waited. Three. Two. One.

I knew she was going to say something. She had to.

“Are you serious?”

There it was. I smiled. “About what?”

“Don’t act naïve, Nico. You know exactly what I mean.”

The warning in her voice only made the smile wider. I was tired and angry, but apparently, I had chosen violence. “You’ll need to be more specific than that, my love.”

She stood abruptly. “Don’t you dare call me that. Not after… not after those women were just here.”

“What about them?”

“You brought them here or invited them here or whatever.”