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My words taper off. These guys aren’t going to do shit for me. The only reason they tussled with Dimitri was for the power play. I’m of no importance aside from being a pawn in that game.
Vadik leans onto his desk, putting his hands together as if in prayer. But he’s not praying. Just posturing. “I’m not upset with you, Charleigh. It’s not a problem, your asking for help when you need it.”
Okay. Is he for real, or just fucking with me? Because he seems pissed off.
Or is he jealous?
Since I’m not sure, I keep quiet.
“We have some shit going down here, Charleigh. Things might seem tense over the next few days. Maybe longer.”
Whoa. Is he confiding in me?
Why would he do that?
“Niko… told me something about guns,” I venture. I’m not interested in their business dealings, but I can pretend to be.
Vadik nods. “Dimitri’s men have been back to the club, bragging about messing with my brothers and me.”
My ears perk up at this information. Can I find an opportunity to add to their drama?
Vadik laughs for a split second, and then shakes his head like he can’t believe Dimitri’s stupidity.
“They have?” I ask, hoping he’ll say more.
What does this mean for me? And why is he telling me?
I continue before he can answer. I can’t help it. “Vadik, are they going to buy me? Or try to? What about that man… Alexei?” I ask, my voice shaking.
He looks down, avoiding my gaze, which says it all.
He doesn’t give a shit about what happens to me, and yes, they’re selling my ass.
“You’ll kill me,” I whisper. “You’re sending me off with some horrible, dangerous, crazy men. I’ll end up dead somewhere, and you don’t care. You’re no better than my father. Actually, you are worse.”
I’m not normally one to poke a bear. But I want to do something to Vadik. I want to hurt him like he’s going to hurt me. And if I only have words, that’s what I’ll use.
But instead of being angry or insulted, the corner of his mouth crooks up into some sort of demented smile.
He likes it. He likes that I threw some vehemence his way. I wish I had more.Hewishes I had more.
“I get it,” he says. “I wouldn’t be happy to be in your shoes either.”
As much as my high heels are killing me, I straighten up and pull my shoulders back. I might be powerless. But I have self-respect. And I didn’t have to spend money to get that, like the other clowns around here.
“Vadik, can you and your brothers buy me?”
* * *
CHAPTERFORTY-NINE
Vadik
My office is silent for an unusual length of time after Charleigh’s question, the only sound an old industrial radiator snuffling along under one of the windows lining the wall behind me.
When this was my father’s office, he positioned his desk so he could see out the window. I was never exactly sure why because there isn’t much of a view in this part of town other than some derelict, abandoned warehouses and weed-infested parking lots.
I never got to ask him, but perhaps he liked watching the members as they came in? Which doesn’t make a lot of sense because we have cameras everywhere anyway, and he could just watch them on his computer monitor.
