To say Zoe was exhausted as she entered the dining room the next morning was an understatement. She wished she could say it had been due to the explosive sex with Greg, but not even close. After her alarm woke her, she’d snuck back into the mansion and laid in bed staring at the canopy above her, worrying about today.
So much could happen between now and the meeting. Why did they have to pick eleven at night? Good thing she had plans to go to town. Going over plans with her boss would take some time.
Zoe stumbled to a halt in the doorway, seeing Viktor sitting in her seat. He wore a red button-up shirt that had the top two buttons undone revealing his fur-covered chest. “Viktor, what an unexpected surprise.” And not a good one at that.
He smiled at her as if she had just paid him a compliment. “Zoe, you are a vision as always.”
“Thank you. I didn’t expect to see you until this evening.”
“I wanted to spend the day with my friend before I go back home. I’m flying out tonight after the meeting.”
“So soon?”
“After business is concluded and a deal is struck, there is no reason to linger. My business can’t run itself.” He chuckled at himself.
“Will Diego be joining us as well or will he just meet us at the meet spot?” she asked, taking the seat next to Leo’s, who had yet to join them. That wasn’t a surprise. He was always last to join.
“Diego is not a social man. He’ll meet us at the location. Where is Leo?” Viktor looked around him.
“He will be along shortly.”
“You are too soft with him. If he wants to run a business, he needs to be up early.” Viktor wagged a scolding finger at Maxim.
“Viktor,” Leo exclaimed coming into the room. “What an unexpected surprise.”
“I seem to be surprising everyone this morning.” Viktor looked over at Zoe and winked. Zoe smiled back in return when she wanted to blanch.
“I’m glad you’re here; I want to talk to you about some of my ideas,” Leo said eagerly as he took his seat.
“I want to hear them,” Viktor replied eagerly.
Zoe saw this as her opening to leave. She’d get coffee in town. She couldn’t sit through another meal with Viktor. “If you’ll excuse me.”
“Where are you going?” Maxim demanded.
“I’m heading into town to take care of some errands.”
“Not today. I need you here. Have someone else do it.”
“Whatever for?”
Maxim gave her a side look. He didn’t like to be questioned, especially in front of others. “Because I said so. Many moving parts to today. I need everyone prepared.”
Every part of Zoe rebelled, but she knew she didn’t have a choice but to obey. “As you say.”
Zoe strolled out of the room even though she wanted to stomp in frustration. How was she supposed to get a message to her boss? It wasn’t like she could use a pigeon service. She didn’t dare risk using her phone. She needed someone else’s, but who? The guards weren’t supposed to have their phones on them, but she knew one who didn’t always follow the rules.
She looked up and down the desolate hallway and snuck down the servant corridor to the kitchen where she found Aleksei sweet-talking one of the kitchen staff, probably for a treat. The kid had a sweet tooth.
She spotted his phone sitting on a table a few feet away from him. She took one step inside and grabbed his phone before darting back into the hallway. She typed up a quick text to her boss and gave the best directions she could for placement and hit send.
“Come on,” Zoe whispered to herself as she watched the phone swirl while it thought until the sent message displayed. Zoe quickly deleted the message and put the phone back at the same time Aleksei looked over and did a double take when he saw her.
“Catching you harassing the cook. Again.”
The cook in question, Hazel, an old woman who had been working for Maxim for years, hummed. “He’s always in here.”
“I enjoy your company.”
