Page 25 of Caught By the Bratva Boss

What the hell was I doing? It was one thing to give myself to Daniil when I thought he was single, but to find out he had a bride and a son? It made me want to vomit.

More than that, it made me want to storm in there and tell him to go to hell and tell his wife everything. I couldn’t do that, though, no matter how much I wanted to. Greg needed this money to pay for his graduate classes, and I needed my job.

Almost crawling from the stall, I quickly splashed water on my face. I had just straightened my clothes when Claire sauntered in. The laughter died on her lips when she saw me.

“Are you ok?”

Forcing my lips to curve up in a smile, I nodded. “Yes, thanks.”

I wasn’t going to give her something else to gossip over.

“I just ate something that made me feel a little uneasy, that’s all.” The lie left my lips smoothly. I didn’t even think about it.

“That’s good because I think—” Her eyes glittered with a malicious light. “Daniil, I mean your boss, is looking for you.”

That was no innocent slip-up, and we both knew it. I stared her down until she looked away guiltily. “I’m pretty sure Mr. Popov is your boss as well, Claire,” I countered and was rewarded when her face fell.

“I think,” she said slyly. “That your relationship with him is a little different than mine. Or are you going to deny it?”

Hands on my hips, I took a deep breath. “There’s nothing to deny.”

She rolled her eyes at me. “No, we were all there last week in the bar, Lily. We have all heard the gossip. Sleeping with your boss.” She laughed. “Is that how you plan to keep your promotion?” Claire took an almost threatening step forward. “Maybe if we all fucked him, then we would all get promotions.”

She was jealous, I realized in a rush. Claire was jealous because a man like Daniil had chosen me and didn’t even give her a second glance.

I sucked back the retort on my lips and shouldered past her to push open the bathroom door. “You shouldn’t listen to gossip, Claire,” I threw over my shoulder. “It’s beneath a woman of your intellect, but let’s say it’s all true. Maybe you should be kinder to the woman who you think is sharing your boss’s bed. I mean, it’s up to you, but I would be. After all, a woman like that could probably get you fired.”

“Don’t threaten me, Lily,” she said in a low, hissing whisper. “A talentless slut like you is easily replaced. Next week, it will probably be someone else. You aren’t special.”

I shrugged. “Maybe not, but I know one thing for certain. It will never be you.”

Without waiting for a reply, I let the door slam shut. I was still upset, but now anger was my strongest emotion. Anger at her and at Daniil, but mostly anger at myself for being such a fool.

Daniil Popov, my boss, suspected Bratva, and the only man to completely rock my world was a married low-life. He was disgusting, and I hated his guts. He would never touch me again.

“Lily?”

I jumped at the sound of his voice.

“Miss Ridgeway, will you come in a second, please?” he called out again, even more insistently. Smoothing my suddenly sweaty palms down my pants, I moved towards his door. He was sitting in exactly the same place as he had been before, leaning back in his leather chair like he didn’t have a care in the world. The smile on his face was as darkly beautiful as ever.

He was also alone. There was no sign of his beautiful young bride.

“Is there something I can do for you, Mr. Popov?” I asked sweetly. “Maybe coffee for you and your guest?” I made a show of looking around innocently. “Is she coming back?”

Daniil’s lips thinned. A line appeared between his eyebrows. “No, Anya won’t be back today,” he said flatly.

Anya, his beautiful bride’s name was Anya.

“So, a coffee just for you?”

“No,” he snapped, and I froze. There was anger in his voice that hadn’t been there before, maybe because I had mentioned his wife. But how dare he be angry at me for that? He had no right to be. If anyone should be furious, it was me.

And maybe Anya. Yeah, she had the right to be angry as well because her husband, who she clearly adored, was a cheating, two-timing, disgusting pig.

“No, I don’t want coffee, Lily.” Sitting forward, Daniil speared me to the point with his eyes. “Now, come in here and shut the door.”

I swallowed hard. “Am I in trouble?” I scuttled into the room and clicked the door closed behind me. The instant I did, the glass that surrounded us turned opaque again. It gave us privacy, but I wasn’t sure I wanted privacy with this man. Being alone with him was dangerous.