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She wasn’t stupid. She knew not to piss off the Russian mobster. Well, at least to his face. Behind closed doors, during a huge business deal? That was a different story. The only way to seek revenge against a man like Andrei was to hit him in the wallet. She could snap a little here and there, and let him know he didn’t have control over her, but she also knew his resources. If he were truly bent about the business opportunity she took out from under him, then he would make her aware of the consequences soon enough. They walked along the crowd of people and out toward the balcony. It was a bit too secluded, almost intimate for her liking but she had no choice. She would hear the man out.
He turned around to face her as two of his guards took position at the entrance to the balcony. Her heart pounded inside of her chest, but she had been around mobsters long enough to know not to show intimidation. Especially around this man she disliked immensely.
He eyed her over from head to toe and pulled his bottom lip between his teeth as he watched her. He was older. By at least ten years, with dark black hair he definitely dyed, and a well-maintained body. Not quite fifty and the man was filthy rich and well feared in certain circles.
“So what was it that you wanted to discuss?” she asked him, trying not to show any fear even though that was foolish of her.
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He stepped closer and she found her back against the railing that looked out over the city. His hand fell to her waist and the other over her shoulder and against the stone balcony railing.
She could smell his cologne combined with expensive cigars as the sleeve of his tux brushed against her bare shoulder.
“Your business savvy may cost you a bit of making up with me,” he said, eyeing over her lips as if he were going to kiss her. She tilted her head up with confidence despite his six-inch difference in height and his position in front of her. He squeezed her hip and let his hand glide along her ribs.
“Making up for what?”
“Well let’s see, Aspen. How about sneaking behind my back and stealing a forty-million-dollar construction job right out from under my nose and giving it to that weasel Dmitri? Do you realize how many people you’ve pissed off?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Andrei.”
His grip tightened. “Are you really going to play this game with me? I know it was you. I know you were on his yacht, had meetings with Clarence. Maybe even fucked him on his yacht to seal the deal.” He brushed his thumb along the underside of her breast.
She inhaled. “I don’t spread my legs to seal deals. Never have, and never will. I would check your sources. Sir,” she added with attitude.
He gave a short chuckle and looked over her breasts. “Yes, I’ve heard you’re very particular with who you spread your legs for. But you see, Aspen, you’ve gone and got involved in something that you should never have touched. I’ve allowed you to get this far in business.”
“Allowed me?”
“You negotiated a deal that was set to be mine.”
“The construction job was Dmitri’s opportunity eight months ago. He called me and hired me on as a consultant with experience in all aspects of this type of business because he was too busy with a few other business ventures he was partaking in.”
He pressed closer, his hand inches below her breast.
She gasped and he used his other hand to grip the back of her neck under her hairline. Teeth clenched he whispered to her.
“It was mine and you fucked me over. Do you know what I do to women like you who think they can play in a man’s world?”
She knew she was in trouble, but then again she knew when she negotiated with Clarence in Texas for the huge job that she was indeed manipulating the situation to take Andrei and his company out of the running for the job. After all, because of his participation in an illegal sex slave business, she had been abducted, tortured, and nearly raped before she was sold to the highest bidder in some corrupt underground operation. She didn’t even remember being saved she was so drugged out from the sedatives they forced on her during transport. The man was a monster.
She needed to play this cool. To make him think she would respect him because of his position and his role as a mob boss. Truth was, she hoped he got killed in one of those old-fashioned hits. The kind where some hit man filled Andrei with lead as he fired off a semi automation machine gun tearing his flesh to pieces. The thought sickened her.
“You don’t scare me, Andrei. I didn’t do anything wrong. I was negotiating a deal for a close friend. It was all business.”
He raised one eyebrow at her. “I should scare you. I can make you disappear. For good this time,” he threatened her.
Was he admitting to being involved in her abduction? Was she supposed to play dumb here? Maybe tell him to go to hell and fuck off? He had a gun on him. He could take her out right here. She could reach for the gun and blow his head off. That would take courage and her life would be over. Was he worth it? As these thoughts went through her head, she realized that she felt nothing. Not accomplished. Not proud. Not stronger. She didn’t feel scared or fearful. No, she felt nothing. He made her this way.
“You’re admitting to taking me from my family years ago and trying to sell me as some sex slave?” she asked, her voice cracking with anger.
He smirked as he looked her lips over again. “I’m not admitting to anything. I’m just saying, knowing through my close sources what happened to you, if it was me it wouldn’t have happened that way. You would be all mine. The guys screwed up, probably sedated you and shipped you out. It was a major screwup. What fool would give up this body, this spunk, and these tits to another man? Not when he can keep you as his own sex slave to fuck whenever he wanted.” He caressed the hair from her cheek and rubbed his thumb along the skin on her cheek.
She gave a snort and stared up at him wanting nothing more than to punch the pompous bastard in the mouth. “You ruined me. Made me feel nothing for anything. So you’re pissed off about a business deal you lost out on? That’s your problem. I’m sure you can make it up somewhere along the way in your corrupt, violent world.”
“It would be my pleasure to take you the right way this time, Aspen. But you see, there’s so much more at stake here. More than you can even begin to comprehend.”
“You have some nerve coming here and talking to me like this after all this time. I should have died.”
