“Go find me a woman for the night.”
I could feel everyone’s eyes on me. The particular quality of attention from men who know better than to say anything and are choosing carefully not to.
Bogdan moved behind me without a word.
“I’ll be waiting by the car,” I said, motioning to Tikhon.
“Not a fucking blonde,” I shouted after him.
??????
The woman needed no prompting. She followed me upstairs without hesitation, her laughter echoing in the stairwell—bright and entirely irritating. I hoped Iskra heard it.
The landing was quiet.
She moved toward the west wing without being told and I watched her go for a moment.
“Not there,” I shouted.“My wife sleeps in that room.”
If she wasn't awake before, she would be now.
Her hand flew to her mouth. More giggling. She walked back toward me with the unsteady certainty of a woman who had drunk enough to find everything amusing.
Radovan sat outside Iskra’s door with his arms crossed. He didn’t look up.
I hooked my arm around the woman and steered her toward my bedroom.
Bogdan followed close behind.
“Do you have a condom?” I asked him.
“I have one,” the woman said, waving her purse.
I ignored her and waited for Bogdan.
He shook his head.
“Give me two minutes,” he said, pulling his phone out and typing rapidly.
I looked at the woman. She looked back at me with an expression that suggested she had opinions about the logistics but had decided not to share them.
“Never mind,” I said, opening the door and steering her inside.“Her mouth will do.”
??????
When I stretched my arms out something weighed me down.
The scent hit before my eyes opened—foreign perfume, stale and sweet, entirely wrong against the sheets.
My eyes snapped open.
I almost gagged.
Ugh.
Was this what morning sickness felt like?
I shoved her off my arm and slid out of the bed. She stirred and made a sound. I ignored it and walked into the shower, turning the water on cold enough to think.
