Page 25 of Cruel Promise


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So yeah, I might have a little boyhood crush on our new girl Charleigh. But I have it under control. It won’t impact the way we do anything around here. Besides, I’m not alone. Vadik looks at her as if he’s about to drop to one knee and freaking propose, and Kir can’t take his eyes off her because she resembles Clara, the woman he lost.

As it turns out, we three are not alone in finding Charleigh attractive. A couple of the old pervs who frequent the club haven’t been able to keep their hands to themselves during her shifts. That’s to be expected, and is usually tolerated. Like we always say, we want to get the bastards thinking with their little heads. That’s when they start spending real money. Their grab-ass antics are usually pretty harmless. The only time I’ve ever had to step in and get involved was with a particularly handsy guest who had way too much to drink. Turned out he was going through a bad divorce, and the waitress reminded him of his soon-to-be ex. He pushed her to the ground and straddled her, ready to throw a closed-fist punch until the bartender tackled him.

Needless to say, the man was never permitted back here. He’ll never throw a punch again, and in fact, he won’t write, shave, hold a fork, or wipe his ass with his right hand, either.

That’s how serious we are about the few rules we have. And punching out a waitress is against the fucking rules.

When Charleigh finishes today’s three-hour shift, I decide to stretch my legs and say hello. But before I do, I turn to the camera in the hallway just outside the lounge and see her stop on her way out. I turn on the sound.

It takes me seconds to realize she’s speaking with Dimitri Yegorov, and from the look of it, he’s traveling with his usual posse of flatterers.

“Ah, here is a new girl. I do not know you,” his voice croons through the tinny sound system. He lifts Charleigh’s hand and brings it to his lips.

“What is your name, beautiful?” he asks, still holding her hand.

She sniffles. If Dominika sees that, she’ll be all over her. She hates girls who cry. “Um, my name is Charleigh.”

Dimitri laughs. “Interesting name for a woman. But Americans do things different from us Russians, right, boys?”

His hangers-on nod and express their agreement with him like he said something brilliant.

I doubt they ever do otherwise. They wouldn’t dare. He’s bad news.

And we don’t like him.

In fact, we prefer he stay as far away from our club as possible, but thePakhanfeels it’s better for the region if we permit him and his friends. So, Dimitri shows up here as often as possible, not only because our club is one-of-a-kind, but also to rub our faces in the fact that he can come and go as he pleases.

As inconceivable as it is, we have a lifelong connection to this guy. We played together as children and our families spent holidays and vacations together. Our fathers founded this club, my Papa and his. One might think that since our fathers are now gone, we’d take up where they left off and be the best of business partners. But no. Not by a longshot.

Dimitri’s dad, when he passed, left my dad as sole owner. The club became one hundred percent his, and now that Papa’s gone, it belongs to my brothers and me. Dimitri has his own opinions about how and why this happened, but the facts are incontestable. Mr. Yegorov left the club to my dad. Not his son. It’s that simple, and Dimitri has been angry about it for years. He feels he still owns an interest in it because it was, in his mind, somehow wrested away from his papa.

Which is part of the reason my brothers and I suspect he’s behind the house fire that killed our parents.

* * *

CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE

Niko

When I think about it, and how Dimitri has the nerve to show his ugly face as often as he does around here, my fingers itch to wrap themselves around his neck.

And squeeze.

So, I don’t think about it too much. Unless it’s being rubbed in my face, like right now.

I blow up the video on my monitor so I can see exactly what he’s up to, holding Charleigh’s hand and pulling her closer. I don’t like it. I don’t like that he’s touching her. I don’t like that he is even looking at her.

“My poor girl,” he croons like he’s some sort of gentleman. “Why are you sad? Are they not treating you well here?” He looks around at his buddies, who nod like the toadies they are.

“I… I am adjusting. I’ll be fine, really,” Charleigh insists, attempting to back away from him.

The girl has good instincts, I’ll give her that.

“Where do you come from, child?” he asks, as if he’s really interested.

He hands her his handkerchief and she blows her nose, oblivious to how he’s eating her up with his eyes.

While she explains she’s local and talks about her dad’s shop, the whole time Dimitri is licking his chops, most likely trying to figure out when he can get into her pants. If there’s anyone with a fetish for new blood, it’s him.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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