Page 61 of Vienna Bliss

“Please don’t plan a murder in front of me,” Rolf said softly.

“Zakaria, can you have someone do it?” Alexander asked.

“Of course.”

“Please don’t arrange to hire an assassin in front of me,” Rolf said.

“You’ll have to kill him too,” Alena said. “Get rid of all the witnesses.”

At her side, Alexander relaxed enough to laugh softly.

Sofie wove through the crowd. She kept her voice low since the wait staff were circling offering more drinks and clearing empty demitasse glasses that had once held the elegant petite desserts.

“Absolon is in his office,” she reported. “If you leave out the front door he’ll see you, though you might need to linger on the curb.”

Rolf sighed, and seemed to relax. “Can you have my car brought around?”

“Already on its way,” Sofie said.

And just like that, it was all coming to a close. Alena wasn’t ready. She thought there would be more time. She was glad they weren’t going to have to go through with the mock auction, but she wasn’t ready to leave.

“Is everything you need in your bag, Alena?” Rolf asked.

“I…I…Yes. I have shoes. A jacket.” The words came out of her mouth but all she could think about was Alexander. She wanted to throw her arms around him…but she was scared to even look at him in case she started crying.

Sofie glanced at her phone, which she had balanced on her clipboard. “The car is here.”

“Has enough time passed since he left?” Did she sound as desperate as she felt when asking that question? “I mean for there to have been an auction.”

“Yes, it’s good timing,” Sofie said, while Rolf nodded.

“Alena?” Rolf offered his arm.

No. No.

She wasn’t ready to say goodbye. Her heart was breaking. Could they hear it? Was the pain she felt visible on her face?

“A moment,” Alexander said calmly.

Then he led her away from everyone else.

When he turned to face her, Alena couldn’t help herself, she grabbed the lapels of his jacket, clinging tightly.

Alexander frowned down at her. “Are you afraid of Rolf?”

I’m afraid of losing you.

“No. I just…after all this to have him sneak out after dinner…It was rather anticlimactic.”

“I’m giving Interpol a month, then I’m firing him. I don’t care if their investigation isn’t done.”

“Have you told them that yet?”

“No.”

“Oh.”

They were silent, and Alena felt stupid and antsy all at the same time. She needed to pull it together, say something, and then walk away.