Page 5 of Savage Little Lies

I rip the front page of the newspaper down the middle and toss the pieces off my desk just as my new assistant walks into my office.

Cara.

I breathe in sharply as I sink back in my chair, anger still radiating from me while watching her every move, something I’ve noticed myself doing more than I should.

“Do you enjoy reading the paper in the morning, Mr. Ivanov? I could pick up a copy for you on my way in,” she offers as she strides toward me with a large cup of coffee in her hand. She leans over my desk and places the cup in front of me, the neckline of her sheer white blouse low enough for me to see a tease of her cleavage.

“Net. No. I hate reading the paper,” I mutter as I tear my eyes away from her body.

She only started a few days ago, and it’s getting increasingly harder to keep my eyes off her. I’ve tried to tell myself that I hired her because she looked good on paper. Her former employers in Boston praised her for being quick on her feet and good under pressure. Not to mention that with her graduate degree she’s far smarter than anyone else who interviewed.

She’s efficient. Composed. And far too easy to look at.

Not that I can do anything about the attraction, though, other than continue to insist that she work in my office with me. I have an engagement announcement coming out any day now, one that I don’t even want. Of course, I want the alliance with the Suyunovs as required by the vor v zakone, the Bratva authority, to secure my position, but I’d rather not deal with the frills of a whole wedding. I’m just ready to sign the damn paperwork and be done with it all.

Once the alliance is finalized, Vegas is mine.

The Suyunovs get their cut. We get their infrastructure.

Everyone wins.

“I picked up your suits at the dry cleaners this morning. I left them in the coat closet near the elevators,” Cara tells me as she turns on her laptop and signs in, her manicured fingers flying over the keys. “I need to run out and pick up a few things for you today, but I’ll be back for whatever else you need me to do soon.”

I watch her for a few moments as she checks my emails and messages on her laptop. She doesn’t have access to my private messages, but I’m letting her handle a lot of the nitty-gritty business stuff that I don’t have time for.

I run multiple different businesses under my family’s LLC, and they each have an underlying purpose. One cleans money. One makes investment fraud a piece of cake. Another helps me transport large amounts of weapons, drugs, and other stolen goods without getting suspicious looks.

Every single thing that I do has a purpose. Everything is thought out. Everything is business. Well, except for the real reason I came to Vegas nearly a year ago.

“That’s fine,” I say. “Just be back by noon.”

“Yes, sir,” Cara replies as she lifts her green eyes to mine. A loose strand of her light brown hair falls onto her forehead, the sunlight giving it a reddish hue.

So far, she’s been good at her job. She does whatever I ask without question, and she’s quick about it. She doesn’t flinch at the kind of details that make other people nervous.

I assume that she understands the value of looking the other way in Sin City.

Muffled voices outside my office make both of us look toward the double doors right before they burst open. A tall, slender woman with her blonde hair slicked back into a tight chignon strides inside with Karly scrambling after her.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Ivanov. I told her I needed to ask you first before allowing visitors to walk into your office,” Karly tells me, her face reddening.

“I’m not just some visitor. I’m going to be his wife,” Annika says, scowling at Karly as she plants her manicured hands on her narrow waist. An out-of-place, out-of-season, overly thick fur coat cloaks her lean body, almost hiding the skin-tight, wine-colored dress that she wears underneath with a pair of black stockings and heels.

“I could’ve been in a meeting. You’ll wait next time instead of storming in here,” I tell her as I stand from my seat.

“Fine,” Annika huffs and sheds her coat before tossing it at Karly. “Put that somewhere.”

Karly stares down at the coat like she wants to burn it, but she forces a smile on her face before leaving the room with it.

I glance over at Cara to see her staring at Annika. She’s probably wondering why Annika has such an attitude. I assume it’s because her father gives her everything that she wants, including a marriage to a rich man.

Annika walks my way, her eyes quickly landing on Cara. She uncurls a long finger, jabbing her fingernail in Cara’s direction. “Who is this suka?”

Before I can answer, Cara stands from her seat and faces Annika, her hands joining in front of her. “I’m Cara, Mr. Ivanov’s new assistant.”

Annika looks at Cara like she’s a mangy stray someone dragged in off the street. “An assistant? You already have Karly. Why do you need another girl to bring you coffee?”

Anyone who is prettier, smarter, or richer than Annika is immediately on her radar to insult. It’s pathetic.