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But there were never more than two or three locked in a case behind the shop’s counter. And Niko is talking about a shipment.
How much is in a shipment?
I drop off the cocktails the bartender waved me over for and nearly run smack into Vadik.
“Oh. Excuse me,” I say with a polite laugh.
But he doesn’t move out of my way, as if he meant for us to collide.
Such an odd man.
“Come to my office, please,” he says.
* * *
CHAPTERFORTY-EIGHT
Charleigh
I look around the lounge. If I leave, will Dominika be mad?
“Don’t worry,” Vadik says. “The customers can get their own drinks from the bartender until the next girl clocks in.”
“Okay,” I say, and raise my eyebrows at the bartender, who nods back at me like everything is business as usual.
Which I guess it is. If nothing’s ever truly normal, then there’s no non-normal. Right?
I follow Vadik to his office and on the way, Dominika catches up. She glares at me, but Vadik shuts her down.
“Leave it, Dominika,” he growls without slowing his pace.
Well, shit.
I turn my back to her, pleased she can be overruled, and trot a couple steps to catch up to Vadik who, truth be told, is only slightly less intimidating than his club manager.
What is it about this guy? I’m well aware how the Alekseev brothers are selling me like I’m not even human, but Kir and Niko have… a certain humanity about them.
Vadik, not so much.
After we enter his office and he shuts the door, he takes a seat behind his massive desk, spotless save for a couple sheets of paper and two large computer screens. He leans back in his chair.
He does not invite me to sit.
Fine. He wants to be the alpha dog here. He’s welcome to it. I have no illusions that I am, or ever will be, at the top of the pack around here. Nor do I want to be.
He tilts his head before he speaks, as if to disarm me. Maybe to prove he does hide a bit of charm beneath that flinty exterior.
Not buying it.
“Seems as if you like my brothers. Especially Niko.”
I look at him, unsure how to reply. I wouldn’t say I particularly like Niko or any of the guys, knowing what they are about to do with me. I prefer to hate them in fact, but I’m not sure I’m pulling that off, either.
Vadik continues. “I noticed you turned to him just a while ago, with your concerns about Alexei.”
Oh. That.
“I… I did. I wasn’t sure what else to do. I’m sorry if that’s out of line. It’s just that the man scared me. And I guess I thought that since you protected me from Dimitri that maybe…”
