My stomach rolls and I think I may throw up. This can't be happening. I didn't do anything wrong and now I'm being hunted by someone who's close enough to know which locker at work is mine, where I live, and they aren't afraid of hurting people close to me.
I gotta get out of here.
I pick up my duffel bag and sling it over my shoulder, then rush to the door. It sticks a little as I try to open it and I have to tug three times to get it open, but then I'm in a mad rush to the employee exit. I have my debit card and a bit of cash. My paycheck will go into the account tomorrow. I think I have enough for bus fare out of town, but I don't dare to go my mother's house and make these assholes go after her too.
But I know I can't stay here in St Petersburg and let them whittle away at my sanity anymore. I'll find a place in Moscow, maybe, or down in Yekaterinburg, and hide. I can warn my mother and send her money for bus fare. I'll just find a different job. It's my only choice. I can't stay here.
I rush so fast, I bump into a few bus boys carrying tubs of dirty dishes before I stumble to the door in a huff and swing it open so hard, it slams against the exterior of the building. I'm not more than three steps out the door when I slam into the very hard chest of Dimitri Gravitch, who wraps his arms around my waist to keep me from falling over, and I instantly know I’m fucked.
Someone I work with is going to hurt me, and my boss will never let me just run off without explaining why I'm doing it.
13
DIMITRI
Tatiana slams into my chest when she comes through the employee exit and her eyes go wide with panic. I grab her around the waist to steady her and she immediately tries to pull away. "Where are you going?" I ask, tightening my grip.
"I need to leave." She's breathing hard like she ran down here. "Please just let me go."
"Not happening." I keep my grip firm while scanning her face. She looks like hell. Dark circles under her eyes—hair a mess. Her uniform is wrinkled like she slept in it. "Have you even gone home? Are you wearing the same clothes as yesterday?"
"That's none of your business." She pulls harder against my hands, clawing with her fingernails. "Let me go."
I catch her bag as it slides off her shoulder. "Not until you tell me what's going on." I've had enough of her evasive maneuvers. She's gonna tell me everything now, and I'm not letting her out of my sight until she does.
"Someone put a picture in my locker." Her words tumble out in a rush of breathy air. "A photo of the dead man… Oh, my God." Her fingernails might very well draw blood, but I'm not loosening up.
The Kozlovs are already moving against her. "Show me the photo," I growl as I drag her back into the building out of which she just fled. I don't even have to ask her what the fuck is going on anymore. If she'd have just come to me from the beginning, I could've protected her from all of this.
"No." She shakes her head. "I'm leaving. I'm getting out of town and I'm not coming back. And you can't stop me."
"Yes, I can." I release one of her arms and gesture toward the elevators. "I'm not letting you out of my sight, Tatiana. We need to have a talk."
She opens her mouth to argue, but I don't have time for this. I turn my head and spot Ryder near the loading dock checking deliveries. "Ryder, get over here."
The security guard jogs over, and I transfer Tatiana's arm to his grip. "Take her up to my penthouse and don't let her leave. I'll be there in five minutes."
"Yes sir." Ryder nods and tightens his hold when Tatiana tries to twist away.
"You can't do this," she screams, pulling against Ryder now, but he outweighs her by at least eighty pounds. "Let me go."
"Take her upstairs." I hand Ryder her bag. "Now."
He starts walking her toward the employee elevators, and she's still fighting him every step. I watch them disappear inside before turning back toward my car. I need to grab my tablet fromthe front seat and then I'll follow them up to deal with whatever breakdown she's about to have.
But before I make it three steps, my phone buzzes. I pull it out and see a text from Matvey, my head of security.
Matvey 7:47 AM: Investigators are here. Need you in the security office immediately.
I swear under my breath and finish collecting my tablet before hitting the elevators to rise to the top floor. Tatiana has gotten herself into a dangerous mess I'll have to clean up for her, but at this point, there's little I wouldn't do for that woman. It's a bad place to be, with my emotions tangled up around someone who isn't mine to control, but it's where I find myself and it's where I find my preoccupied thoughts as I exit the elevator and walk into the security office.
Matvey stands near the monitors talking to two men in cheap suits whom I recognize immediately. Rashid and his partner, whose name I can never remember, are on the Gravitch payroll and have been for years. But that doesn't mean they're happy about being here or that I'm happy having them. Situations like this are exactly why it's necessary to keep men like them in my employ. I just wish situations like this didn’t happen.
"Gentlemen." I walk in and close the door behind me. "What can I do for you?"
Rashid turns around and his expression is dark and twisted. "Gravitch, we need to discuss the footage from the night of the incident."
"Of course." I lean against the desk and cross my arms, already reading their intentions. Rashid must be in hot water over our doctored files. He's not happy. "What would you like to see?"
