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I didn’t really have a good answer, so I turned it back on her. “What’s up? Do you need something?”
“Yeah, I just came out to make sure I could get one tamale before you heifers ate them all,” she replied with a brilliant smile and a chipper tone. Dropping the nice act immediately, she punched my shoulder. Hard. “I came out here to make sure he didn’t decide to kidnap you again, you idiot!”
“That was a...” I glanced at Sasha, looking for the right word. “Misunderstanding.”
“Misunderstanding my ass! Was this a ‘misunderstanding’?” She picked up my left hand and bent it back, all but shoving it in my face. “How about the bruises all over your face? You told mehedid that!”
“Ow, Jesus!” I ripped my hand away from her and rubbed my elbow. “You made your point!”
Sasha took a step forward and Frankie jumped about a foot in the air, circling behind me and shrieking. “Oh my God! I’m sorry! Please don’t kill me!”
“He’s not going to kill you,” I said, giving Sasha a pointed look.
“Is she always like this?” he asked.
I made a noncommittal noise.
Frankie jabbed me in the ribs with a scowl.
Rolling his eyes, Sasha reached for his wallet and pulled out a business card for a Russian restaurant. “Meet me tomorrow at one. We’ll discuss the rest of the plan.” He emphasized the last word by arching an eyebrow.
I took the card, trying not to grin like a goddamn idiot. “See you at one.”
With a curt nod, Sasha turned and headed for his SUV.
Frankie and I watched him walk away in silence. She tilted her head and crossed her arms, while I bit my lip and tried to subtly adjust my hard-on.
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Frankie muttered.
I expelled a breath and looked down at the card. “Me too.”
34
Sasha
Cigarette smoke driftedup into the air, melding with the rest of the pollution floating through the streets of Chicago. I shifted my lean against the building, scanning the other end of the street for a while. Tucking the cigarette between my lips, I pulled my phone out and double checked the time. It was ten to one.
I’d just slipped my phone back into my pocket when an Audi SUV pulled up in front of the restaurant and stopped. Pinching the cigarette between my thumb and forefinger, I took one last drag and flicked the butt to the sidewalk, crushing it under my heel. At least he was punctual.
Popping a piece of gum in my mouth, I waited while Roan climbed out of the car, staring up at the building. His gaze dropped from the sign above the restaurant, landing on me, and a smile spread across his face. It was so infectious, I almost smiled back. Almost.
I made my way to the front door and opened it for him, throwing a glance up and down the street to make sure no one was paying us any attention. “This way.”
“Always such a gentleman,” Roan said, brushing past me.
My only response was an irritated noise. Once we were inside, I stepped around him and led the way through the restaurant. There was a brown paper bag set out on the pass through between the kitchen and the server’s area that I grabbed before pushing through another door in the back.
“Where are we going?” Roan asked, following me up the back stairs. Technically it was an emergency exit, but I preferred this way as opposed to using the regular entrance.
“To my apartment.”
“You live here?”
“Not all of us live in mansions.” I dug my key out of my pocket and shoved it in the lock.
Down the hall, the other apartment door opened and Bohdana stuck her gray head out, glaring at me and muttering away.
“Hi!” Roan chirped, actually waving to the old bat.
