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“Nobody has that.”
Andrei smiled, his handsome features flushed with amusement. “Are you speaking personally or generally, Officer Davis?”
Officer Davis. There it was again. Was he testing me or simply making it clear that I was nothing to him?
I shrugged. “Both.”
Andrei analyzed the expression on my face then leaned forward in his chair.
“See, there’s the problem.”
“And what problem is that?” I asked.
His smile vanished, his eyes narrowing and darkening.
“Don’t take this personally, well,Noah, but if you look at the picture more closely, you will realize that I, at least, was able to give my sister more than rags and dirt. I make sure she eats from priceless porcelain, never having to worry about surviving paycheck to paycheck, stuck in a marriage with more mouths to feed than she can afford fast food for.” He took another sip of his whiskey, his eyes still narrowed at me. “A middle-aged animal control officer with a salary that barely keeps himself alive. Not really the dream of any loving brother, is it?”
I kept my cool, held his gaze as he continued.
“I swore myself that I would never let her waste herself on a worthless man from a pathetic middle-class upbringing, and I will hold on to that promise with my dying breath if I have to.”
You rich, little prick, it’s called the real world, and most of us outside of castle-like mansions have to live in it and manage to do so with sheer willpower, hope, and strength.
“Do you understand me, Officer Davis?”
The air in the room was frozen as Andrei and I looked at each other with ice in our eyes. If I was smart, and a coward, I’d ignore him and walk away to find Mila. But I was a man with principles and pride, and most of all, I wasn’t a coward.
Still holding his gaze, I took a sip of the whiskey, then tilted my head to the side.
“I understand your point,” I said, loud and clear. I could literally see the wordgoodforming on Andrei’s lip, but I kept talking before he could. “But,” Andrei’s blue eyes widened, “unfortunately, I don’t agree with you.”
“Excuse me?” he asked as if to make sure he wasn't hallucinating.
“Well,Mr. Kowitsch, the thing is, I don’t believe in perfection, not in life itself, and especially not in love. And I’ve found that people who do usually end up disappointed.”
Andrei’s eyes narrowed at me like a tiger staring down its prey. But, frankly, I didn’t give a shit. This dude had insulted everything I was—what most people on this planet were, including my hard-working mother and father.
“I can respect that as an older brother you want to give your little sister the world, but if you lured me in here to give you promises of golden carriage rides for her, I can’t give you that. And since we’re being frank with one another, I don’t even care that I can’t make you this promise.” I threw my head back to finish the whiskey in one gulp, then I walked over to put the empty glass on the table next to him. Andrei clenched a fist as I straightened in front of him.
“You know why? Because last time I checked, this was still the United States of America, where women of legal age like your sister can choose for themselves if they prefer a lonely life weighed down by diamonds over a middle-class checkbook that won’t put a Porsche in the driveway, but will provide a real home with happiness and love.”
My words lingered in the air as we stared at one another. It was Andrei who made the first move, slowly rising to his feet to stand right in front of me. Close enough for a fistfight. But he didn’t seem the sort of guy to throw punches. No, he wasthe kind of man who would put a bullet in my head without blinking once. I, on the other hand,wasthe kind of guy to throw punches. My fists clenched at my sides.
Andrei was opening his mouth to speak when the doors to the study were thrown wide open. I turned to see who it was—Mila.
Even in an intense moment like this, the sight of her robbed me of my breath. She was wearing a short, black evening dress with high heels. A few curls fell out from her bun and outlined her face, which had light hints of black eyeshadow and red lipstick.
Mila looked back and forth between Andrei and I. Stepping into the study, lines of anger creased her beautiful face. She knew something was up. She knew we hadn’t been gabbing about our favorite football team. But who was she mad at...me?
“Andrei,” her voice snapped at him. He raised his gaze to her. “Why don’t you call Monaco’s to make sure they have a table for us for tonight? I heard they’re packed today.”
Andrei frowned. “I’m sure they’ll have a table for—”
“Call and make sure, anyway,” Mila interrupted him.
Andrei’s frown deepened. “Of course.”
“Good. We’ll give you some time to do so. Come on, Noah, I want to show you something.“
