Sándor closed it carefully and walked to the chair on the other side of her desk, keeping his voice low. “What is it? The young man at the concert tonight?”
“The Hazar told you that I met with Oleg’s cybersecurity contractor.”
Sándor nodded. “I didn’t know he was a security contractor. And they said you kept your voice low. Is there a problem?”
“Not with Grimace. Kostya.” She corrected herself. “His name is Konstantyn, and he’s actually an old friend from my hacker days. He’s working for Gavin Wallace but on contract to Oleg right now.”
“I understand.”
“He received permission from Mika to share that Ivan has been in regular contact with Diana.”
He frowned. “Your Diana?”
Tatyana nodded. “Did we do a background check before we hired her?”
“Of course. Yes.”
“Do another one.”
Sándor nodded. “When did he start calling her?”
“It sounds like Budapest.”
Sándor nodded slowly. “He could be trying to seduce her. She’s an objectively beautiful human, and we have not been open about the fact that Ivan is an antagonist. I am sure if he wants something from her, he can be quite charming.”
“True, and I am hoping that is all this is about,” Tatyana said. “But we need to know if she’s compromised, and if she is, how long she has been so.”
He nodded again. “In retrospect, it’s very wise that you did not share with her the true nature of your relationship with Oleg.”
“Exactly,” Tatyana said. “Once we’ve been married publicly for some time, no one in the clan will question my loyalty should our marriage grow into a genuine relationship, but to find out that I have been concealing it from the beginning?” She shook her head slowly. “It would shatter their trust.”
Sándor frowned. “I don’t know that it would be as bad as you’re imagining, but it would not be good. Oleg’s scheme is much better.”
She kept her eyes locked with his. “You were amused last night when he attacked Ivan.”
Sándor smiled. “I would hardly call that an attack. An attack would have left Ivan much more charred.”
“What would you call it then?”
“A correction.” Sándor snapped his teeth. “Like a bitch correcting a puppy, no? Just a little snap to remind Ivan who is boss.”
Tatyana narrowed her eyes. “Did you just call my husband a bitch?”
Sándor laughed, and the sound was such a rarity it immediately brightened Tatyana’s mood.
“He has been their leader for hundreds of years,” Sándor said. “There is a history there that we cannot comprehend, just as he cannot comprehend the dynamics of the Poshani clan.”
“I know you’re right.”
“Yes, I’m usually correct.”
Tatyana rolled her eyes. “My god, who will save me from the humility of the men around me?”
She wokeat dusk to the knowledge that Oleg was still out of range of her amnis, which meant he was likely still out of the city. She would be going to another event alone and fielding questions about where her groom was.
How delightful.
Luckily, when she left her day chamber and walked into her dressing room, there was a note from Oksana, who had arrived in Saint Petersburg and wanted to meet Tatyana for one of her favorite activities.
