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“Who are we speaking with now?”
“I’m not entirely sure.” Matthias seemed uncomfortable. “We received word from Brnovich’s office that he was sending an officer in his stead. I don’t know the man’s name.”
“Try to find out. I don’t like entering a meeting blind.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
The ride lapsed into silence. I wasn’t happy about this turn. This deal was extremely important, not just to my family, but to me personally.
I’d set this up. I’d negotiated the terms and put all the pieces into place. My family had been trying to get into Eastern Europe for a long time, and selling to the Latvian government was the perfect starting point. They were European and progressive enough that nobody back home would cry foul about past war crimes and such, but they were respected in the region. With a good word from their ministers, I could have Solar weapons in the hands of every petty dictator from Germany to China.
We pulled up to the Grand Palace Hotel, a sweeping amalgamation of modern architecture with classical details. All of Riga was a mixture of the ancient and the new, like most of Europe. They clung to their past while hurtling into the future, and I liked the contrasts between glass skyscrapers and the three-story, brick-fronted residential buildings with colorful facades and Gothic peaks.
We hustled inside. Matthias had already arranged the rooms and led the way up to a set of lavish suites. Robyn glared around like she might light the couches on fire. My men placed our bags in the bedroom then arranged themselves out in the hallway. Matthias went to his own room, adjacent to ours.
“We should get some sleep. Tomorrow won’t be easy.”
She glared at me. “Sleep here? With you?”
“That’s the idea.”
“I get the bed.” She stalked toward the bedroom.
I caught her wrist and held her tight. “Don’t make this difficult for me.”
“Let go of me.” She glared death. I loved it.
“Are you sure you want to sleep alone? A bed’s always better with company.”
“I’m sure. Let go.”
I released her. She disappeared and slammed the door.
I let her have some privacy. She needed time to adjust, and there wasn’t anywhere for her to go, not on the top floor of this building. She was trapped and safe, just the way I wanted.
I poured some whiskey, drank it down, and tried to get some restless sleep. I dozed in and out, my mind working through the details of what was going to happen, until the sun began to rise through the windows. I drifted into the bedroom and got changed while Robyn tossed and turned under the covers, finally sitting up and staring at me.
“Will you be okay without me?” I asked, straightening my tie in the mirror.
Robyn frowned and looked startled. She wiped sleep from her eyes. “What are you talking about?”
“My men will make sure you’re safe. I have business.”
“You dragged me out here only to ditch me in some hotel?”
“It’s a very nice hotel. Get room service.”
“You bastard. I don’t want room service. I want to go home.” She looked perfect in that bed with messy hair and a sleepy glare.
“You’re so lovely when you want to strangle me.”
“Don’t be a sick freak.”
“I know this is frustrating, but I can’t bring you. I’ll be back as soon as I can and then we’ll spend time together.”
“I don’t want to spend time with you.” She threw her hands up in frustration. “I want to go home.”
I shifted closer, staring into her eyes. “You’re not going anywhere. Wait for me here. Don’t make a mess. My men have orders to keep you happy.” I put emphasis on the word happy. She’d come to her own conclusions. In reality, the men were under strict orders not to touch her, only to make sure she couldn’t leave and was completely safe.
She scowled but pulled the sheets up tighter against her chin.
I left her like that. She’d behave, for now at least. I met Matthias out in the hallway, and he gave me a flat look as we rode the elevator down together.
“Slept well?”
“Not at all.” I leaned my head against the mirrored wall. “Robyn’s not happy.”
“Did you think she would be?”
“I hoped.”
He snorted. “You’re usually more realistic then that.”
I ignored him. We reached the ground floor, went outside, and climbed into a car. The driver pulled out.
“How much do you trust those men?” I asked quietly, staring at the hotel as it disappeared around the corner.
“They won’t touch her. You have my word.”
I grunted in response.
Leaving Robyn with hired thugs wasn’t an ideal plan, but I needed Matthias for this meeting. The guards would follow orders and wouldn’t touch her—not if they wanted to get paid, and paid extremely well for such a boring job.
I forced myself to pay attention as we drove into a quieter, more residential section of the city. The streets were narrow and packed with people and cars. It was the Old World again, a place built for carts and pedestrians, not for cars. Back then, a man could be born and die and never leave a ten-block radius.
