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“He had business to attend to.”
I eye the bartender, but he’s indisposed on the other side of the bar. It’s gonna look too suspicious if I flag him down just so that Adrik can order a drink.
Wait it out. Be patient.
“Business? Not even that can justify leaving a beautiful woman all by herself at the bar.” He flashes me a smile and I have to try my hardest not to cringe away from him.
Instead, I reach for my seltzer water.
“Not in the mood for something stronger tonight?”
I roll my eyes. “Don’t try to be cute. It doesn’t suit you.”
He laughs, unfazed. “I like you, Emma. I can see why Ruslan’s head was turned. Of course, now that he has you…”
The bartender is on our side of the bar now but Adrik doesn’t seem to be interested in getting himself a drink.
Goddammit. Drink something, you useless piece of shit!
“What are you trying to imply?”
He shrugs innocently. “I’m not implying anything. I’m just making an observation. He’s over there somewhere schmoozing the VIPs, while you’re sitting here by your lonesome. Doesn’t seem very gentlemanly of him.”
“Oh, and you know something about being a gentleman, do you?”
“More than Ruslan, it seems.”
“Alright, then tell me, Adrik: is it ‘gentlemanly’ to make a woman drink alone?”
He arches his brow. A second later, he snaps his fingers in the direction of the bartender. “Gin and tonic. On the rocks.”
I slide my hand into the discreet side pocket in my dress. It’s starting to feel a little too tight. Of course, that could just be the nerves talking.
“No Jessica this evening?” My voice shakes a little but I’m hoping that the music drowns it out.Get it together, Em. You’re the one that wanted to do this.
“She’s on call if I need her.”
“Poor girl,” I sigh sarcastically. “Must get tiring being on call for a man.”
“She’s used to it. She was trained well by your man.”
The implication is not even remotely subtle. If I didn’t have an ulterior motive, I’d have walked—no,ran—a long time ago. Instead, I’m stuck here, waiting for my window of opportunity.
In the side pocket of my dress, my fingers close around the small pill and withdraw it in a closed fist beneath the bar counter. The bartender slides over Adrik’s drink a second later.
This is it.
Here goes nothing…
“Pass me a napkin,” I request. “They’re right behind you.”
Adrik twists around to reach for them and I act fast. I don’t have time to check to make sure no one’s watching me. I just suck in a breath and pop the little pill right into his gin and tonic. I’ve been assured that the pill is supposed to disintegrate the moment it hits liquid. Except that I’m pretty sure I can still see it, nestled between two ice cubes and fizzing away merrily.
Of course he had to order the fucking drink with rocks.
“Here you go.”
I take the napkin and hold eye contact. He can’t look at his drink until after the pill has dissolved or else this whole plan is shot to shit. “Can I ask you something?”
