AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She stands and walks to another room and knocks politely on its door. I take a deep breath and will myself not to glance at the guards all looking directly at me.
Here we go. Enter, the Romanovs.
When the door opens, the gentleman on the other side looks exactly the way Tatiana described these guys — huge, gorgeous, muscular, with perfectly symmetrical features and stunningly rugged looks.
This isaRomanov…just not the one I’m looking for. This one looks younger with his scar across his eyebrow. He has a chiseled jawline etched in neatly trimmed stubble, striking blue eyes, and a close-cropped haircut. A black dress shirt stretches across taut muscles and is tucked into charcoal gray dress pants. He wears no tie, an effortless nod toward business casual. He’s ruggedly handsome and dangerous as fuck.
“Yes?" He eyes me suspiciously while she fills him in.
"I’m so sorry to bother you, sir," she says in a low voice. "I can't access our database of appointments and records. It’s gone completely blank. This woman says that she's here to see Mr. Romanov, but I have no record to compare or…” she gives me a quick glance and then looks back to him, “…memory of booking the appointment.”
The man scowls at me. I shiver and promise her she can buy herself whatever it is her little heart desires tonight.Just help a girl out, please,I silently beg.
"Who are you?" he bites out without any semblance of professionalism. I’m reminded of a pit bull.
Fortunately for me, constructing a false identity was also very easy. “Linda Rogue. Mr. Romanov brought me in here as a cybersecurity consultant."
His eyebrows raise. "I'mthe cybersecurity consultant."
Shit shit shit.
I took a gamble and I lost. Time to pivot.
"So nice to meet you,” I say warmly. "My hope is to show Mr. Romanov the latest digital defenses that we have against cybersecurity issues. I'm not here to take your job, of course, butto offer my expertise and services to strengthen your empire. Our goal is to make your security impenetrable." I give him a delicate smile and hope tossing the word “empire” in there stroked his ego just enough.
The way his ice blue eyes narrow on me makes my belly dip. Maybe this was a bad idea.
“Interesting. What did you say your name was?"
“Linda Rogue.”
I just have to get into Mikhail Romanov’s office. By the time I get in there, they might’ve already realized this is a front, but I’ll have my audience.
"What time is your appointment?"
I glance at my watch and frown. "Five minutes ago?" I say, hoping that they'll believe it. "I'm sorry, but I can't wait much longer. I'm happy to schedule another appointment, though unfortunately I’m booking six months out.” I pull out my phone and pretend to open up the calendar app.
I feel the heat of his glare across the room. “Fine. Take her in. I’ll get our database back up.”
My heart thumps. I swallow. I can almost audibly hear the clicking of an imaginary clock on how much time I have before I’m discovered.
I may have done my research before I came in here. I may know that the man I’m about to face is Mikhail Romanov, eldest of the Bratva brotherhood here in The Cove, and the man that works with him here is either Aleksandr or Lev. Likely Aleksandr, because he’s closer in age to Mikhail.
The Romanovs are widely known in these parts for ruthless extortion outside The Cove, but here, they run things at a quieter pace. Most suspect their businesses are a front for extortion and money laundering, but a perusal of the Dark Web reveals contractual assassinations and elite levels of espionage. They maintain respect from those outside their family by exacting revenge on those that betray them and making no effort at hiding the discipline they require within their own family.
The local papers are notably quiet about their presence here, but the Dark Web tells another story – violent turf wars, brutal public punishments for crimes against them, high-profile assassinations to eliminate anyone who stands in their way.
I’ve made a terrible mistake.
Their assistant’s heels click on the marble floor as she walks away from me. “Miss Rogue? This way, please.”
I have to do this.
When she opens the door to his office, I have to force myself not to gape. If I didn’t already know Mikhail Romanov was a former military officer and billionaire with a cutthroat reputation, his office would tell me. It screams power, efficiency, and ruthless determination.
Dominated by dark yet simple mahogany furniture, the space is immaculate. The largest leather chair I’ve ever seen sits behind an imposing executive-style desk positioned to command immediate attention.
I nearly salivate at the state-of-the-art computer setup — multiple screens, a custom keyboard you can’t find in any shop, complete with an ergonomic wireless mouse. Not a cable’s in sight, hidden from view, a wireless charging pad to the right.
