AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Laila looks at him like he’s her last lifeboat disappearing over the horizon. She shuffles from one foot to the other, fidgeting with her dress and her hair.
“Do you need a sedative?”
She scowls at me. “I’m new at this, okay? I’ve never gotten along very well with other women.”
“How is that possible?”
Our relationship has been rocky, but based on the way everyone else fawns over her, I’m an outlier. Laila isnice. Who wouldn’t like her?
“You’d have to ask them.” She’s tearing at her bottom lip so much I’m worried it’s going to bleed.
I cross the room, and she’s so focused on the driveway that she doesn’t notice me until I’m standing right in front of her. I brush a hand across her cheek. “She’s going to love you.”
I’m still admiring the blush on her cheeks when Dominik and Kira arrive.
A second ago, she was worried about meeting Kira. Now, Laila practically sprints to the woman to put some distance between herself and me.
Kira ignores Laila’s extended hand and goes straight in for a hug. “It’s nice to finally meet you. Dominik has told me all about you.”
Laila cringes. “Don’t listen to a word. It’s all lies.”
“I told her you’re a pain in the ass, mostly.” Dominik shrugs.
“Like I said—” Laila playfully scowls at him. “—all lies.”
Kira slaps her husband’s arm. “Ignore him. He’s been doing nothing but sing your praises for the last eight months.”
Laila wags her brows at Dominik. “Oh? Then I changed my mind. Dominik is a fount of truth. Now, I want to hear everything.”
“So do I,” I agree.
Kira turns at the sound of my voice. “Wow, a rare sighting of the elusive Arsen Adamov. How lucky am I?”
“Not that lucky,” Dominik says through a smirk. “He comes around more often when Laila is here.”
I ignore my second and give Kira a hug. “Congratulations are in order, I hear.”
She beams, curling both hands around her belly. “Feels strange walking around while a little alien kicks you from the inside.”
“It’s so trippy,” Laila says.
“Finally! I’ve been dying for a little more estrogen around here.” Kira links an arm with Laila’s. “Walk with me, talk with me, Laila darling.”
The women head out to the patio while Dominik turns to me with a knowing smile. “Fancy seeing you here on a Saturday.”
“Shut it.”
Dominik chuckles. “Shutting.”
“Did you look into this Kevin O’Neilmudakwe met last night?” I ask as laughter drifts towards us from the patio. If we’re talking business, we can’t be accused of eavesdropping.
Dominik peeks out onto the patio, distracted as he rattles off what he knows. “He’s corporate. Banks, loans, boring shit I fell asleep reading about. He’s not connected to our crowd. Totally legit from what I could see.”
I should be happy to hear that. But something doesn’t sit right. “He seemed to know more about Charles than he let on.”
“You did say that he and Laila lived down the block from each other. It’s probably neighborhood gossip.” When I don’t respond, he claps me on the shoulder. “You can’t murder every man she comes into contact with, ya know?”
“You underestimate me.”
