“You said you wanted this.” Aleksandr switches on the overhead light and the fluorescence is unbearable. He’s standing in the doorway smirking with satisfaction, as though he was right about something.
“I do want this,” I protest, in a tone that isn’t enough even to convince myself. I drag myself to a seated position, stretching with a yawn.
When I look back at Aleksandr, he’s staring at my nightdress.
Chanel. Silk. Pale teal, a color that offsets my eyes.Much too nice to be worn in a bed where the sheets are so rough they practically leave my skin in hives. I make a mental note to bring some linen with an acceptable thread count the next time I visit home.
The look on his face reminds me of what Vera said. That Aleksandr is attracted to me, whatever he said on our wedding night. In moments like this, I start to believe it, before he pushes me back to arms-length again.
He drags his gaze back to my face. “You want to work, princess? This is the time you have to wake up.”
He throws me a bundle of … nylon? In a fluorescent shade of orange?
“What is this?”
I stare at the bundle of brightly-colored fabric in my hand.
“That’s a hi-vis vest, princess. Never seen one before?”
He narrows his eyes at me as I unfurl the nylon and velcro.
“You don’t have to do this, you know,” he reminds me. “Not sure it’s going to match anything in your wardrobe.”
“Do you have to wear one of these?”
I’ve never seen him wear a color other than black.His wardrobe is as minimalist as the dark apartment decor.
A smirk pulls at the corner of his mouth, letting me know that no, he doesn’t wear an orange vest to work. He’s trying to mess with me.
I stretch and yawn, making clear that I’m really awake, and he slouches away from the door. Maybe it’s wishfulthinking, but I think I detect a hint of resentment in his footsteps.
Choosing an outfit is hard, given that I’m not sure what my day will hold, but I hope the bright yellow summer dress will make up for the hi-vis vest that I’m definitely not going to wear. By the time I’ve done my hair and a light layer of make-up, I almost forget the listening device.
I find the tote bag in the back of my wardrobe, casting a nervous glance over my shoulder. There’s no reason Aleksandr would come into the room right now…but I can’t help worrying that he’ll somehow know about it. My heart races as I slip three of the small black devices into my purse. My papa said I shouldn’t plant them all at once, to make sure no one notices.
I grab a banana before I head out the door, planning to eat while I walk to the office, but I’m shocked when Aleksandr slides a plate of French toast over the countertop, topped with freshly sliced bananas and blueberries.
“You made this?”
I don’t think my father’s ever set foot in a kitchen. I didn’t think men could cook…except for celebrity chefs. Okay, I didn’t thinkBratva mencould cook.
Aleksandr just shrugs his shoulders and looks around the room, as if to ask me,do you see any servants here?
I can’t resist the pull of the mouth-watering food, the fluffy bread cinnamon sweet and light on my tongue. Every time I glance up, his heavy blue gaze is on me, so I concentrate on the food. Aleksandr watching me eat food he cooked while he sips from a mug of bitter coffee feels almost as intimate as histouch.
As I head out the door, I can’t believe this plan actually worked.Aleksandr wasn’t the least bit interested in what might be in my purse. And he’s agreed to let me work with his friend, at the top levels of their operation.
How many Bratva men would put their wife to work on the docks, surrounded by other men?Then again, how many Bratva men refuse to touch their wife on their wedding night?
I guess I should give up on expecting Aleksandr to act normal. He obviously doesn’t see this marriage as any more real than I do.
At ground level, I can barely see where I’m going, even in platform boots.
I’m trying to find the warehouse Aleksandr pointed out from the window, where his friend Yuri works. As soon as I’m on the docks, in a sea of noise and men and vehicles, my head starts to spin.
This is hell.
Kill me now.
