Page 1 of Savage Little Lies

1

Cara

I wipe my sweaty palms on my gray suit pants and force my breathing to slow as the elevator rises.

It’s only my entire future that hinges on the next thirty minutes.

The elevator doors slide open and a young, blonde woman appears in the hallway before I can even consider bailing.

“Miss Reynolds?” she asks.

“Yes,” I answer.

“Congratulations on being selected to interview for such a competitive position,” she remarks.

I plaster a polite smile on my face even though I’m overqualified for this “competitive position.”

“Thank you. I’m so excited for this opportunity,” I tell her.

The woman, a secretary named Karly based on her badge, gestures for me to follow her before striding ahead of me, walking briskly enough to make her blonde ponytail sway back and forth in rhythm with her steps.

The entire office is quiet and immaculate.

The big boss runs a tight ship here.

God knows the vetting process is thorough enough. Not only did I have to pass a drug test and background check, but my references and former employer were scrutinized under a microscope as well. Dean, my boss in Boston, said someone from Ivanov Holdings interrogated him like he was on trial.

Somehow, I successfully jumped through every hoop required to get an interview with Dmitri Ivanov.

We pass half a dozen private offices and conference rooms, all with their doors closed. I’m starting to wonder if anyone else actually works on the floor when I notice faint murmuring and shuffling from within the enclosed rooms, my ears straining to hear anything at all.

The secretary comes to a stop at the end of the hallway in front of a set of matte black double doors, a jarring contrast from the rest of the brightly lit, minimalist-style office.

Karly smiles at me, but there’s still a glimmer of wariness in her eyes. “You can go on in. Mr. Ivanov’s waiting for you.”

Her words make my heart rate spike. But I can’t afford to look nervous. Not today.

The last thing I need is to meet the intimidating man stinking of sweat. As the saying goes, you only get one chance to make a good first impression.

“Thank you,” I reply before grasping the door handles to pull the doors open.

A massive black desk dominates the room, framed by floor-to-ceiling windows and dark shelves lined with books.

I step inside, my heels clicking against the polished wooden floor. It takes only a second for my eyes to land on my new boss standing behind his black desk, his attention still focused on his work before him.

“Hello, Mr. Ivanov. I’m Cara Reynolds,” I introduce myself as I stride up to him.

Dmitri Ivanov doesn’t look up at me. He writes something down on a sticky note and places it on a large sheet of paper. Only when I get close enough do I realize that it’s a blueprint of a casino. There are so many here in Las Vegas that I can’t even begin to guess which one.

While he’s distracted, I take a moment to study him.

If I get this job, I’ll need to get to know him really well, beyond the typical information that I’ve been told by my father.

Rumor has it that he’s being appointed boss of the Bratva’s Las Vegas empire after he marries an heiress of a local Bratva family. I’ve been told that Dmitri Ivanov is cold-hearted, calculating, and as cruel as they come.

No one thought to mention that he’s also jaw-droppingly handsome. He has a sharp, deadly look about his face, like he could kill anyone who defies him with his bare hands and no regrets. But that’s typical of the Bratva. They built their reputation on brutality.

His phone vibrates against the desk. He ignores it as well.