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“I—” I stammered, conflicted after my long day. “I’m not so sure.”
“If you’re worried about Kat, my nanny Rose is here. She’ll keep an eye on the girls until we get back,” Reina reassured me, to which Rose nodded and made her way into the living room, rocking Anya.
Before I could answer, Reina brought our hands up in a pleading fashion. “Oh, please come with me, Reina. You’re the only other wife, and I would appreciate the company. Besides, I’m sure you’d like to get some time away from here, and away from those brutes.” A humored smile danced on her lips, fully aware that her husband was one of those brutes as well.
“I had a long day today,” I murmured, pulling my hands away carefully enough to not seem rude.
“All I ask is an hour or two of your time. We can have a fun girl’s night,” Reina smiled, surprisingly nice for someone married to the Morozov head.
Not wanting to seem like a prude, I sighed. “Fine. Only an hour or two.”
Reina’s face lit up immediately, and she examined my outfit. “Perfect! Just give me five minutes in your closet and we’ll have you looking like the sexiest woman there.”
Unable to play the stowed-away prisoner with Reina’s excitement, I stifled a laugh and followed her, at the mercy of her hands while she got me ready.
Before long, she had me put on a small black dress she fished out from the closet. My eyes narrowed suspiciously, putting two and two together.
“None of these clothes are mine in here. Did Nikolai pick these out for me?” I questioned, stripping out of my more casual outfit.
Reina rummaged through the stash of shoes I scarcely spent time rifling through, laughing to herself. “Nikolai came to me when he found out you’d be staying here. He figured I had a good sense of what you’d want, so I did a fun shopping spree with his card. He had the final say of course.”
Laughing at the thought of Nikolai approving the dresses and more interesting pieces Reina had chosen, it warmed me to know he had even considered it. Realizing he had bought the more revealing tops and lacey material made my cheeks warm.
Eventually, I was dressed, my makeup was done, and Reina had spent a considerable amount of time curling my hair. While Reina adjusted her own makeup, I was sure to write a note for Nikolai.
Even if he didn’t care to offer me the same courtesy, I wouldn’t let myself drop to his level. Maybe then he’d catch a hint.
The bodyguard doubled as a driver apparently, as he took us to the club in the blacked-out SUV. Nothing screamed mob louder than that. Reina had him play some pop music to get us in the right spirits, and we chatted casually in the back.
“Do you know where Nikolai might’ve gone?” I ended up asking. The question had eaten away at me long enough, and my curiosity got the better of me.
Reina gave me an empathetic look and shook her head. “I’m not sure. I didn’t hear anything before I left. Nikolai is a bit of a loose cannon.”
The slight widening of Reina’s eyes silently told me that part had slipped out by accident, and rather than dwell on the comment, she continued. “Do you plan on spending much time with your father before he goes back to Russia?”
Back to Russia. I had no idea that was even his plan. I couldn’t ignore how much of a relief it was to hear it, however.
While Reina was a friendly face to me, I didn’t want to divulge too much about my relationship with my father. I didn’t care to stay on the topic much, either.
“I’m not sure. It seems like he’s been fairly busy recently,” I answered, steeling myself from showing too much emotion. I was glad he was going back. That would be one less stressor in my life, and one less person to protect Kat from.
“We’re here!” Reina said while looking out the window. Already, I could hear the pounding music even inside the car.
Reina thanked the driver, who eventually walked out behind us, making sure nothing happened to us. She moved with a guiding hand against my back, leading me into the club. The bouncer greeted us and wasted no time letting us in.
“I’m so glad to have another woman to hang out with,” Reina sighed, grabbing my hand to pull me further into the club. “I want to pop in and say hi to Ivan before we dance!”
Following along with her plans, I simply coasted through the rather busy place, somewhat intrigued since I had never seen any of their other businesses before.
Loud music poured from the speakers, and the lights were dimmed, save the colored ones that streaked around the room. Many people danced together on the floor, grinding, and moving fluidly with strangers and friends alike.
We moved through the empty VIP section, to Reina’s surprise, but she guided me further into the club. We went through a doorway that led to a quiet hall. The second the door closed behind us, the music was silenced.
“Only family is allowed back here,” Reina murmured to me, careful in her heels. “They conduct a lot of meetings in the office.
That piqued my interest. I didn’t know nearly enough about the family businesses, or where anything took place. For being married to one of the prominent Morozov brothers, I didn’t know anything.
Reina made a face the moment we reached a door that led to the office, and she paused. Loud shouts came from inside, freezing us both in our places. It was enough for her to look concerned.
