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“Oh?” Matvei says it almost sarcastically. “Going behind your boss’s back, are you? And I suppose you’re going to charge me more than you would have at the Rose, for the pleasure of yourprivatecompany?” He chuckles. “Whores are so predictable.”
I have to bite back every acid retort I want to make to that, to keep my voice pleasant, to entertain this absolute bullshit that I know is only the beginning of what I’m going to have to deal with when it comes to this man. “No, in fact—I hadn’t planned on charging you more than my usual fee. I thought you might prefer to continue this arrangement—outside of the restrictions of the Rose.” My voice tightens on the last sentence, that cold fear snaking its way down my spine. I close my eyes briefly, glad that this conversation is happening over the phone and not in person.
“Oh, I wouldverymuch like that,devochka.” Matvei’s voice is a low, dangerous purr now, pleasure evident in his voice. “You understand that you would be doing asIplease, yes? I am not a man who likes to submit to a woman’s pleasures. We would—pick up where we left off, when we were so rudely interrupted.”
I know what he’s saying. And I know that he’s not going to entertain ideas of rules and safewords. If it goes too far, I’ll have to rely on Finn’s protection to keep me safe—alive, even.
It’s then that I know I need Finn to send someone other than himself to watch my back. Professional or not, Finn has feelings for me that go beyond the realm of this job, and I can’t trust him not to let those feelings get in the way of mine. We need to do this separately, as difficult as I know it will be to convince him of that.
“I think I have a good grasp of what it is that you want,” I tell Matvei smoothly. “When would you like to meet? And where? I have the next two evenings free, if that works for—”
“Eager littlekotenok, aren’t you?Soeager for my firm hand to put you back into your place.” His voice thickens, full of an excited lust that makes my skin crawl. “Tomorrow night, then. At a more—private place. I will send you the address.”
I swallow hard, nodding, before remembering that he can’t see me. “Tomorrow night, then. I expect the money up front, the same as the Rose,” I remind him. “And I’ll be bringing a man with me. A bodyguard.”
Matvei snorts. “If that makes you feel better, by all means,devochka. And don’t worry. You will see your envelope of cash before I lay a finger on you. I know how to pay my whores.”
“Ten p.m. tomorrow, then.” My heart is in my throat, and I feel sick, but I remind myself of the payoff. Of the absolute freedom I can enjoy if there’s no more reason to be concerned with money. “I’ll see you then.”
“See you then,devochka.”
The phone clicks off, but those last words hang in the air, heavy with foreboding. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry—I’m terrified of seeing him again, but it’s almost laughable how easy it was, how the man is so fucking full of himself that he didn’t even consider that my “bodyguard” might be someone spying on him…or using me to spy. I can see what Nikolai meant when he called Matvei reckless, but he’s arrogant, too, and clearly thinks he’s invincible.
Not a wise thing to think, in a city with men like Nikolai and Theo running things.
I still need to speak with Finn. I consider texting him, avoiding the complications that would come with hearing his voice, the way it would make me feel right now—but what comes next needs to be clear.
“Asha.” His thick burr comes over the line after the first ring. I sink my teeth into my lower lip, trying to ignore the way a shiver of desire replaces the fear I’d felt before, the moment I hear Finn’s voice.
A part of me wants him to be there while I’m with Matvei. That part would feel safer—and that’s exactly why it needs to be someone else.
“I called Matvei. Ten p.m. tomorrow. He’s going to send me the address. And I told him that I would have a guard with me.”
“Good.” Finn pauses. “No issues? Nothing—”
“Aside from his general attitude?” I sink my teeth harder into my lip. “No, nothing in particular. But Finn—”
“Yes?” His voice goes softer, quieter, and I close my eyes. I can imagine him in the bed next to me right now, that voice murmuring close by. I have a sudden ache that I haven’t felt in years—the need to feel broad, strong arms around me, a chest to sink against, and a shoulder to press my face into, someone to help bear the weight of what I’m feeling. I never had that with Nikolai. He always held a part of himself separate, as I’d always expected that he would. It’s been—
Longer than I care to remember. Long enough that I don’t want to let that need back in.
“You need to send someone else as that guard,” I say slowly. “Not you. Someone else can come with me, someone you trust.”
“Asha—”
“No. I’m putting my foot down about this. Not you.”
There’s a long silence, and then when Finn speaks again, I can hear the faintest sound of hurt and confusion somewhere in his voice. “Why?”
“I don’t want to talk about it. But pick someone else. I’m sure you have plenty of men capable of watching one whore’s back while she goes to gather information for you.”
I can almost feel his shock radiating through the phone as he absorbs what I said. “Asha, I—”
“Ten p.m. tomorrow. I’ll let you know the address once Matvei sends it to me. We can meet—”
“I’ll send you an address as well.” Finn’s voice is flat, faraway, as if he’s thinking about something else. “We’ll make plans tomorrow.”
“Just remember what I said—”
