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“Nope, just me. The boss thought you might like to skip the subway today. Rumor has it there are long delays.”
“You keep calling Kirill boss, but I don’t know what you guys do,” I said, getting into the car beside Max. This time he drove, and I sat in the front seat.
“Investments mostly. Trading, that sort of thing.”
“Finance? Weird, he was never interested in any of that before,” I observed.
Max merely nodded, a smirk playing around his mouth.“It’s a family business. His father got him into it.”
“He still sees his father? They didn’t get on in the past,” I mused, thinking about that night and how reluctant I’d been to let him go to his father for help.
“I don’t know if they get on any better, but they work together. Any more questions, and I’m afraid I’m pleading the fifth. Take it up with Kirill,” Max said, holding up a hand like he was surrendering.
I watched the city blur past.“How do you always know where I am?” The niggling question finally forced itself to the front of my aching brain.
“It’s my job to know. Did you have a good night off?”
His question distracted me and forced a hot red blush to my cheeks.
Max grinned. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
“Stop. You’re embarrassing me. Yes, I had a good time. A very good time, but my boss won’t be happy.”
“Do you know who he is? Your boss?” Max asked suddenly.
I shook my head. “He seems like an arrogant millionaire playing at being a club owner.”
Max laughed. “You’d better not let him hear you say that. You’re wrong, just for the record.”
“Really? I’m not surprised. I’m not known for being able to read people. I’ve always trusted the wrong ones, except Kirill.”
Max fell quiet. “Who are you trusting mistakenly now? Rafael? Or your friend, Federica?”
“What’s your problem with Fede? Does it bother you that she isn’t falling for your hard, tattooed beast act?”
“Hey, who says it’s an act? I’m all beast, baby,” Max said with a straight face.
I laughed.“I wish your boss would remember he used to have a sense of humor. He never laughs anymore. Did you notice?”
Max was quiet for a long while. “Maybe he doesn’t have anything to laugh about?”
“Fuck, that’s the saddest thing I’ve ever heard. My life is depressing and utterly miserable half the time, but I can still see something funny in it, now and again.”
“Maybe that’s a rare talent. There are different levels of misery, Mallory. One day you’ll see that.”
With that cheerful statement sitting between us, the rest of the drive passed in silence.
“Thanks for the ride. Pull over here. I can’t be late again, or Rafael will fire me,” I fretted as he pulled up.
“Let him. You’ve got Kirill now. You don’t need to work here,” Max said, pulling in and killing the engine.
I rolled my eyes. “Right, and I can count on him to pay for everything for me. He’s my old friend and someone I’m seeing, though we haven’t talked about it. I don’t even know if he wants more.”
“I think I can safely say he wants more,” Max’s voice was full of amusement, like there was some joke I wasn’t in on. “If I come in there, will Federica be inside?”
“Yes, so don’t bother. She’s got a stick up her ass about you.”
His eyes pinned mine in the mirror. “Tell her I’d love to replace that stick with something else.”
