If it was about the money, or her being paid or anything like that, she’d rebuff me about the outlandish promotional raise, or how I gave her flowers and a wardrobe and countless other items to pamper her.
But there’s something else.
I knew there had to be. She’d never explained her sadness that night or why she’d caved to find a naughty distraction in me.
Furrowing my brow as I watched out the window, my suspicion about Sofia and who she was sharpened.
He doubted her too.
My father’s initial warnings about letting my maid distract me had first seemed like nothing more than his typical jadedness. But now… I had to wonder what Sofia could be hiding, if anything.
How did she come to be in my life?
A random happenstance of her looking for a maid job when I needed a replacement?
I let out a troubled breath, wishing I could shove away all these nagging thoughts that weren’t welcome.
Doubting her and not being able to fully trust her didn’t jibe with how easily she fit with me and in my life as my lover. As someone I could see as a friend.
She’s too good to lose, dammit.
I willed the idea out of my mind, stubbornly shaking off the shadow of doubt and worry.
16
SOFIA
Andre began to resume more duties. Still taking it easy, and going nice and slow, he stepped back into more of what he did for his family. Meetings. Calls. Reviewing emails. He was the one who orchestrated the structure of deals, more of an administrative role for his father, but he wasn’tinthe office.
It should’ve made my new role as his office assistant more hectic too. But it didn’t. He left the building more often now, mostly with Oleg as his bodyguard and backup.
I wasn’t at a loss for anything to do, though. Renee was friendlier, and I’d assist her with the general upkeep of the house. When I wasn’t with her, I fell more into what seemed like my vocation—nursing.
Claire often asked me to come to their building. If not to help in the clinic with minor things, then just to talk and spend time with her and the others.
Anya seemed like the best friend I never realized I’d been missing out on. Close to my age, yet younger, she had started to look up to me in such a way that I could loosen up and justbe.
Natalie was busiest, with Maisie and her pregnancy as it progressed, but she was around too.
One afternoon, I jolted at the sharp orderly tone in Claire’s voice as she called me. I answered my phone and frowned, paused in playing cards with Renee since it was a slow day.
“I need your assistance now.”
With that one, curt statement, Claire sounded exactly like what I expected an ER physician would sound like in a crisis.
I hurried over, ready to assist with some bloodied men who’d been hit with a drive-by. Any time I was near more of the Orlov force, my nervousness worsened. Uncle Roberto kept me so sheltered that I was never “out” there. The chances of any Orlov soldier recognizing me was nil, yet being amid the “enemy” was an unsettling feeling.
Helping them with their wounds wasn’t weird, though. My bleeding heart didn’t discriminate. If I could help, I would.
Anya, Daria, Claire, and I, plus a couple of guards who’d begun to take training to help out in this clinic, all teamed up to compress the wounds and assess the injuries. Claire managed the imaging, and since I had the most practice, I headed up the step of stitching the lacerations.
Later, once it all calmed down, Claire approached me. “You’ve missed your calling.”
I accepted the iced coffee she handed me. “If I drink this so late in the afternoon, I’ll never sleep tonight.”
She arched a brow. “Oh, Andre’s not keeping you up anyway?” She winked, proving she could be playful and teasing too.
I blushed and sipped the cool, sugary drink, a luxury I had never been able to get used to when living with my uncle.
