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“Fuck no,” he snorts. “You aren’t coming within a thousand feet of those brutes so long as I can help it. We’ve tried that once before. And once was enough.”
I think back to the day I showed up at Timofey’s house to work for him. He dragged me into a Bratva meeting. Rodion threatened me. The rest of them leered.
I felt like a ribeye being dangled in front of a den of lions.
“So then where are we going?”
He shuttles me towards the door and into the hallway. “Viktorov Industries.”
“I’ve never even been to the building before; now, you are taking me to a meeting? Why?”
He sighs. “Do you always have to ask so many questions?”
“Excuse me, but something about being locked in a panic room and then whisked off to the board meeting of a billion-dollar company is a bit jarring. I just don’t understand—”
“The board wants to talk to you,” he growls.
And suddenly, it all makes sense.
“You don’t even want to bring me, do you?” I turn to face him. “You would have left me in that panic room for the entire meeting.”
He doesn’t deny the accusation, and my hand itches to slap him again.
“Youwereactually going to leave me in there!” I gasp. “I cannot believe you would—”
Timofey turns, towering over me, his blue eyes vibrant. “Yes, you can. You can believe I would do that to you, Piper. You can believe a lot of terrible things about me. You just don’t want to. Maybe it’s time you stop wishing for the best in me and accept me for who I am.”
No. This isn’t who you are.
Maybe I’m being naïve, but I want to believe Timofey is better than this. That he could be.
“Why are you bringing me?” I ask, ignoring him. “What do they want from me?”
Timofey’s eyes drift over me. Then he backs away slowly. Finally, he turns to keep walking. I follow along behind him.
“They want you to confirm my story,” he says. “You are a major player in the damage control efforts. They want to hear your side of things.”
I guess that makes sense. It doesn’t mean I have to like it. “Whatismy story?”
“Exactly what I said earlier. Kreshnik was drunk on the flight, he assaulted you as we left the plane, and I defended your honor. I’m a hothead, but everyone knows that. It doesn’t mean Kreshnik didn’t deserve it.”
After what Timofey just did to me, I’m not exactly in the mood to lie for him.
Then again, I know he’s capable of better. Even if he doesn’t believe it himself.
I don’t want him to lose the reputation he’s cultivated all because of Kreshnik taunting him. Because in reality, Kreshnik has done something so much worse than assault Timofey’s “girlfriend”.
He kidnapped his son. Maybe even killed him, though I still can’t bring myself to believe Benjamin is dead.
If I have to choose sides in this war, I know exactly whose side I’m on.
“Okay,” I say finally, quickening my pace so I’m walking next to Timofey. “Just let me fix my makeup first. My mascara is a mess.”
Timofey glances over at the tear tracks on my cheeks and then quickly away. If he’s surprised I’m agreeing to help him, he doesn’t show it.
But I’m not surprised, either.
No matter what happens, I can’t seem to quit Timofey Viktorov.
