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ONE YEAR LATER
THE ONLY CONSTANT WAS THE FEELING OF DISAPPOINTMENT
KARINA
Nathan was never coming back.
Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and after waiting for almost a year, I stopped, hoping he’d return. I moved to Cosmos Circle in New York with Bunny and threw myself into styling outfits for the girls at Cherry Pops Strip club. I didn’t want to return to California or Boston. Both places required a person I no longer was.
And so there I was, sitting at the Blue Moon Diner; my gaze out the window where I could see a blonde male handing his helmet to the woman behind him on a motorcycle.
You can give it back to me when we see each other again.
Nathan’s words still haunted me. His face became a nightmare I was too afraid to wake up from because I knew he wouldn’t be there. And the touch of his fingers was slowly fading from my memory. The only constant was the feeling of disappointment. Nathan didn’t come back for me or his jacket and I was beginning to think our time spent together was nothing more than just a moment to forget.
And that was all I wanted, for the memory of Nathan to disappear.
“Are you going to eat that?” a familiar voice asked. I glanced over, seeing Matthews slide into the booth across from me. His brown hair, just a bit longer than I remembered, but still pretty short. Pink lips curved into a smile that reached up to his gray eyes; eyes that made me think of Nathan.
Shaking the thought of him from my head, I glanced down at my uneaten eggs. I pushed the plate in his direction. “I’m surprised to see you here.”
“Could say the same to you.” He shrugged, reaching over the table for the fork by my elbow. “It’s been what, eight months, give or take, since I last saw you?”
I nodded, giving a small hum for an answer.
“I heard about your dad, my condolences.”
I hated that word. What were people supposed to say after it other than, “Thank you.”
“So why are you here, in New York, all alone?”
“Honestly, I don’t know. I first came here to wait for the bodyguard, but he never showed and now, I just live here. You?”
“Same, kind of, scoping out apartments.” Matthews took another bite of my food before pointing the fork in my direction. “Do you know why he hasn’t shown up?”
There is no Matthews who works for your father, Karina. He’s probably a spy trying to hurt you.
Nathan’s words rang in my head like an alarm, reminding me not to trust the person in front of me.
“Can I ask you something?” I asked.
“You just did, but go ahead.” Matthews responded with a cheeky smile.
“Are you a spy?”
He raised an eyebrow and leaned back into the booth. “What kind of question is that?”
“A legitimate one.” I shrugged. “Are you a spy or not?”
“Technically, I guess you can consider that.” He told me, his eyes sharp.
“So, you don’t work for my father?”
“I never said that.” He shook his head. “What’s with all the questions?”
“You were there the day we got attacked.”
“Your dad asked me to be there.” He leaned forward, placing his hands on the table. “Did you ever stop to think that I might have been the one who got him out?”
No, but that wasn’t the point. “No one named Matthews works for my dad.”
His eyebrows raised in realization. “Oh, I see.” He tilted his head from left to right, cracking his neck. “Look, Karina.”
My fingers slid over the butter knife on the counter.
“First off, that won’t kill me.” His attention never left my face. “Second, no one knows I work for him. It’s a secret deal your father and I made.”
“Why?”
“Because my family doesn’t know I’m still alive.”
“That’s messed up, isn’t it?” I asked.
“It’s the deal I made with your father almost two years ago now.” He sighed. “Someone was trying to get rid of me and to keep my family safe. We made it look like I disappeared.”
“So, you just let them think you’re dead. How are they handling it?”
“I’m not dead. There’s no date on my gravestone.” He leaned back into the booth. “Everyone handles loss differently. Some of us drink, others sulk for years, and a rare few can move on without letting it get to them.”
Matthews had a point. Nathan drank for days when he was grieving for his missing…
The more I want to put a time stamp on that gravestone of his.
Was he—
“I can see the wheels turning in that head of yours.” Matthews cut off my thought process. “And I’m not going to lie or give you the truth, so let’s leave it where it is.”
I crossed my arms over my chest as he shot down my thoughts before I could even process the possibilities.
“Fine. But since you won’t answer me. Maybe you can do me a favor.”
“Depends.”
I told myself I wanted to forget about Nathan, but… it wasn’t a crime to keep tabs on his well-being, was it? “Is there a way you can go to my father’s mansion and check in on Mr. James?”
He paused, thinking. “Yes. Will I do it? Only if you do something for me in return.”
I leaned back into the booth, gesturing for him to continue.
“Ever heard of Adam Prince?”
Of course, I did. How could I forget the way he tried his hardest to get me to marry him when my father was alive? “I’ve known him since we were young.”
“Good, then the task might be easy for you.”
I raised an eyebrow at him. “What makes you think I want to be anywhere near him?”
“From that look in your eyes, you don’t want to see Mr. Prince, but hear me out.” Matthews took a bite of the food still in front of it. “What if I told you he was overseeing your father’s company?”
“I wouldn’t doubt it. They were partners. Adam helped with legal documents.”
“Contracts are resurfacing. Ones that your father tucked away.”
Although Adam had the right to do that, I couldn’t help but wonder why. Sure, he no longer needed anyone’s permission and my brother was still too young to take over the company, but what would Adam gain from any of it?
“One which includes your business with Risque Dreams.”
His words pulled me from my thoughts. I tilted my head. “Excuse me?”
Matthews smirked, knowing he finally had my full attention. He pulled out a paper and slid it over the table. “A permanent five-year contract with your former employer.”
I glanced over the same paper I once had my father rip apart years ago.
“Signed by none other than…”
“Dmitry Vasiliev…” I read aloud. It just wasn’t in his handwriting.
“And dated after his death, which, by the way, has been kept secret from the public.”
I always get what I want, Miss Karina. No matter how long it takes.
He was finally doing that. Getting things right where he wanted so he could take me and my father’s company. But I wouldn’t let anyone dictate me. My life was my own and I damn sure didn’t need Adam to make my choices for me. “What do you want me to do?”
“Word around is that he’s infatuated by you, and this is to lure you out of the shadows.” He shrugged his shoulders. “To be fair, I’m surprised he hasn’t found you yet, considering how easily I found you here all alone.”
“He doesn’t know I have friends here in New York,” I said. “He probably thinks I moved back to Los Angeles.”
“That’s good. Go for a week or something. Let him believe you still live there.”
“You want me to lead him on?” I asked.
“More like, keep him distracted.” He said.
“You know, if I do this, I’m going to need help.”
“You won’t be alone. Trust me.” Matthews smiled, taking another bite of his food. “I just need you to give me enough time to convince James to get back to his job.”
“He might not even listen to you.”
“No, but I’m sure once he finds out you’re dating Adam, he’ll come for you,” he said as he slid out of the booth and placed money on the table. I looked up at him with curiosity. “You ordered, but I ate it. There’s a little extra for you to eat when I’m gone.”
I shook my head. “I never said I agreed.”
“I know.” He smiled. “But I’m giving you an option; keep living your life in hiding or show him exactly what a Vasiliev is capable of.”
