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Ignoring all the things that didn’t matter, I got right to the point. “What do you want with me?”
“Before I tell you what I will be expecting of you, let me tell you that there isn’t anything that I do not know about you, Ms. Volkov. I know where you work, live, and more importantly, where your grandfather lives, and even the number of that darling bungalow in which he resides,” he said, and I could feel my blood run cold with his words. “Understand that I have done my homework thoroughly before approaching you, Ms. Volkov.”
“What do you want?” I repeated through clenched teeth, infuriated that someone would dare threaten my grandfather.
He leaned back in his seat as he said, “I want you to seduce Maksim Barychev and find out what you can about the man.”
My heart stopped in my chest as my eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. There wasn’t a person in Port Townsend that didn’t know who Maksim Barychev was, and if there was, then they were all under the age of ten. Everyone else in the city knew exactly who Maksim was, and only a fool or suicidal idiot would ever get involved with the man. He was Avgust Kotov’s right-hand man, and they ran the Russian Bratva together.
“Have you lost your mind?” I hissed.
“No,” he answered seriously, ignoring my incredulousness. “I am quite serious.”
My mind was spinning with a million different questions, though it really was just spinning all on its own at this man’s outrageous request. While I had no idea why he’d ask me to do such a thing, it didn’t take a genius to realize how dangerous betraying Maksim Barychev was. Not to mention that I was the furthest thing that you could get from a spy.
“If you know anything about Maksim Barychev, then you’d know that he’s not the type to be seduced by big tits,” I bit out. “What on earth makes you think that I could pull off such a thing?”
“I’ve been watching Maksim for a very long time now,” he answered, making my nerves fray with each word out of his mouth. “I am familiar with his type, and you are definitely his type.”
Ignoring that, I asked, “How do you even know me? How…out of all the women in this town, why choose me?”
“A few weeks ago, I passed you as you were exiting your place of work, and I…I noticed you,” he replied evenly. “There was something about you that caught my attention, and I thought that it would be the same for Maksim.”
I set my palms flat on the table as I let out a deep breath. “Are you seriously telling me that you just happened to pass me one day, then came up with some insane plan to have me seduce Maksim freakin’ Barychev to…to what, exactly? Play spy? Find out where he’s buried a secret Kotov treasure?”
“For reasons that are none of your business, I need to find a way to get close to him, and what better way than to use you to do that?”
I let out a dark laugh. “You’re asking me to risk my life by putting myself in the path of Maksim Barychev, but it’s none of my business why? Are you serious right now?”
“I am not asking you, Ms. Volkov,” he stated firmly, and I felt like I might throw up. “If you do not do as I’ve instructed, then your grandfather will not live to see next week.”
Tears of rage immediately sprang to my eyes. “You can’t do this.”
“Oh, but I can,” he replied coldly. “Perhaps he’ll find himself in dire straits after his chess match with Mr. Reasons. Or maybe an accident will befall him after one of his visits with Mrs. Turnbuckle’s great-granddaughter. Something unpleasant could happen during his walk after dinner, which would really be a shame, no?”
I could feel my entire body shaking, and my first thought was to call Windmill Gates, but what would I even tell them? Without any proof that my grandfather was in danger, I’d just sound like an unhinged lunatic. The same thing could be said if I went to the police. Of course, all my options were quickly cut off when Klive decided to go a little further with his intimidation.
“Yes, you can call Windmill Gates and the police to help you with this situation,” he said, reading my mind. “After all, we are in America, and America allows you freedoms that other countries do not. However, do you know what is more revered here than freedom? Money, Ms. Volkov. Money has replaced Jesus as the ultimate God, so how many people do you think have sold their souls to me for bigger bank accounts?” He leaned his arms on the table, his brown eyes locking me in place. “All it would take is one phone call, Ms. Volkov. One quick phone call to end your grandfather’s life. Unless, of course, you decide to do the selfless thing and get me the information that I need.”
I was just as terrified as I was enraged, so it was hard to speak. Still, I managed to ask, “And what if it doesn’t work?”
“You will make it work,” he insisted. “If you want your grandfather to survive our new friendship, then you will become the best fuck that Maksim Barychev has ever had. You will be so good that the man will refuse to let you out of his bed. You will be so enchanting that he will keep you with him at all times, and that will allow you enough time to identify any weaknesses in his security.”
“Maksim Barychev will kill me,” I hissed, quickly brushing away my tears.
“Yes, he will,” he agreed coldly. “But then, so will I, Ms. Volkov. Of course, after I kill your grandfather as well.”
I couldn’t stop the sneer that crossed my lips. “Because you think that Maksim won’t find out about my grandfather?”
“That is a chance that you will have to take,” he replied heartlessly. “You have until this Friday to decide.”
“That’s only two days away,” I spat.
“Yes, it is. So, I guess you better decide quickly.”
Before I could say anything more, he stood up, then walked out of the restaurant like he hadn’t just upended my entire life in less than fifteen minutes, and I was left with a fear that threatened to make me pass out. Suddenly, everyone was the enemy, and I had no idea how to keep my grandfather safe from whatever this was.
With shaky fingers, I finally opened the envelope that he’d left on the table, and when picture after picture of my grandfather spilled out, it was all that I could do not to fall apart.
