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Viktor was on my mind more with every passing day. Every minute I spent with him, it seemed, the more he slipped into me—into my thoughts, into my body’s cravings. I’d dreamed of him just that morning and woken up reaching for him across my empty mattress.
I’m an idiot, I thought as I struggled to double-check all the documents needed for the auction. I kept telling myself not to get stuck on a Russian gangster, but then let him live rent-free in my head more and more.
“You okay?” Marcie had picked up on something, probably from my expression.
I smiled tightly. “Oh, you know how it is, it’s been a crazy week. Had to drop off my car this morning for a service and pick up the rental, now I’m just stressing over the upcoming auction series.”
“That’s new. You used to do that a lot in your first year, but you’ve been sailing through without a worry line for years now.”
“It’s the client.” I weighed how much to tell her for a few moments. “He’s not particularly difficult, just…”
Her eyebrows lifted. “Particularly hot? I saw the guy come in when he was looking for you.”
I blushed before I could stop myself, and she chuckled. Then her face went thoughtful. “How long have you known the guy?”
“Viktor? A few years, technically…”
“And you’ve never flirted with him or anything like that?”
She’d already figured it out. I should have guessed. Marcie missed so little that she probably could have become a detective. “I…well, he’s sure flirted with me. But not in a creepy way. Which is both great and really distracting.”
“Have you ever considered going for it? I’m assuming he’s not married.”
I hesitated. She was even more of a hopeless romantic than I. The more I told her, the more she would want to know. “If he’s married, he never wears a ring.” I touched my finger. “No tan line.”
“Good sign,” she teased. “If you’re this preoccupied by the guy, I’d say go for it. Unless you have reason to suspect he’s an asshole under the looks and charm.”
It would be easier if he was an asshole. But he had never been anything but charming, considerate, and seductive as hell. I resented how smugly assured he was of his power over me, but that was mostly because he was right. The guy could snap his fingers and I’d follow him to bed.
“No. He’s not perfect…”Because he’s a criminal.“But he’s not a bad person.”
And that was the craziest part. I had met guys with no parking tickets who were bigger assholes than Viktor, at least so far. Guys who verbally and mentally abused the women in their lives, or even slapped them around. Guys who were cruel and controlling as hell. Viktor was the first lover I’d had who had bothered to turn me on properly before plunging in.
Tough not to get hooked just on the “not a dick but knows how to use his properly” energy.
“So? Ask the guy out. It’s 2023, honey, he’ll love it.” She winked and I smiled awkwardly.
“I’ll think about it. Meanwhile, did I tell you what happened last night at my apartment building?” Easier to pretend I had that worrying me as well, instead of it being Viktor all the time.
“What was it? Not anything too crazy, I hope.” Her excited look turned to one of shrewd concern.
“They arrested my downstairs neighbor’s ex on stalking charges and attempted breaking and entering.” I stifled a yawn. I had ended up short on sleep because of these shenanigans, but it had been kind of interesting, in a very creepy way.
“Oh crap. She isn’t hurt, is she?”
“Nah, he didn’t even get in through her window. That’s where the story gets interesting.” She nodded and I went on. “See, my neighbor was dating this neckbeard guy for about six weeks. You know the type, half in a games-and-anime fantasy world with no social skills or personal hygiene, gets excruciatingly weird and demanding around girls every time no matter how often it backfires on him?”
Her worried look became exasperated. “Yeah. We’ve got a neighbor like that. Did he ask you for feet pics?”
“Twice, once in front of her.” I winced at the cringiness of it all. “Anyway, she finally dumps this jackass after he throws a tantrum so loud that I heard every single word, and when he won’t leave her alone after that, she gets a protection order.”
“Good on her.” She nodded her approval before tossing me a foil-wrapped caramel. “But that wasn’t the end of it.”
“Oh, no. Nobody gets stupid-angrier than a stalkery guy who’s been told no, after all. So last night, super late, I wake up and there are cop lights flashing through my window. I get up and put on a robe so I can go investigate. They’ve got this guy in handcuffs, face down on the back of a cruiser, with his coat torn to hell. And he’s crying and thanking them and babbling something about his ex’s new boyfriend.”
She barked a laugh. “Did the guy kick his ass or something?”
“The creep was apparently breaking into her window with a gun and a knife on him when some guy he’s never seen before comes running across the street out of nowhere and comes after him. Chased him through a few yards, took his weapons away, and said he’d kill him if he came back around that building again.”
