AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Not in this case,” Katarina admits. “I’m intrigued.”
I pour more wine into her glass and push it closer to her. I don’t want Katarina to think much. I want her to believe me, and because she would get suspicious if I started acting gentler, I offer her an idea.
“Maybe if you ask me something more personal and to the point, you’ll get to know me better.”
“Ask you a question?”
I nod. “We should be getting to know each other.”
She thinks about it, even going as far as finishing her glass of wine and pouring some more from the bottle.
“What did your father do for a living?”
“He worked on an oil rig,” I reply. “Moved us to New York when my mother was pregnant with me. Said the winters were too harsh for family life.”
“Why not return to Russia and continue working in the oil fields? And why didn’t he get a new job in the States?”
“You’re curious, aren’t you?” I ask with a smile.
“You did tell me to get to know you better,” she replies. “Though it sounds as if you’ve made up your own version of reality to shield yourself.”
“I’ve already given you the real explanation.”
“What do you mean the real one?”
“My father worked on an oil rig in Russia. When we moved to the States, he got mixed up with the Bratva. That was how he made his living. I used his money to create Volkov Enterprises.”
Katarina nods. “What happened to him?”
“Father? He died. Soon after Katya was born.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m not,” I retort.
“Because you killed him?” she asks, an amused grin appearing on her face.
“Because I think he deserved what he got,” I say. “Can we change the topic now?”
“Is Katya your sister?” she asks, and I nod. “Where is she now?”
“In Russia,” I reply. “She’s a lawyer in Moscow.”
“And your mother?”
“Dead.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, me too,” I say, grabbing my glass of wine. “Can you talk about yourself for a bit?”
“Like what?” she asks.
“Tell me about your job,” I suggest. “I want to know everything.”
Her face transforms as she begins to tell me how she spends her nights looking for talented artists to sign to the record label. Her work is all about music, partying, dancing, and making connections. It sounds like she really enjoys it.
“Did you ever want to have your own record label?” I ask.
