Page 53 of Savage Little Lies

“I have to put my wants and needs aside,” Dmitri replies, his voice sounding strained. “Like all of the others have done in my family.”

He’s willing to throw away his entire love life for a business arrangement. For the Bratva.

I would run far away without a penny to my name before I give up that much of my life.

“I guess that’s noble,” I say. “I do hope that you’re happy in the end.”

Despite being unable to completely reel him in yet, I still need to try to keep him close, within reach.

“Just don’t go anywhere, milaya,” Dmitri replies. “You keep me sane.”

Which means it’s time I stop holding back.

“Can I ask you about something?” I ask him in a quiet voice, a plan unfolding in my mind.

Dmitri leans closer to the table that separates us. “What is it?”

“I hate to eavesdrop and gossip, but I just want to share this with you in case my employment gets threatened,” I state, my expression serious.

Dmitri frowns. “Go on.”

“The day you sent me home early, I heard Annika outside the office on the phone with someone. She was ranting about you not helping with the wedding planning,” I tell him as I lean closer as well.

Dmitri rolls his eyes. “Of course, she was. What else did she say?”

I cast a glance to the side, feigning nervousness and keeping my face carefully neutral. I can’t believe that I didn’t think of this play before. “She was talking about all the things you could buy her and do for her after the wedding, wanting houses all over the world. She also mentioned making you get rid of me.”

Dmitri doesn’t look shocked, but he looks angry, his jaw tightening. “She thinks that I would fire you for her? That she could make me fire you?”

I nod. “She really doesn’t like me. And I don’t want to jeopardize your marriage...”

Dmitri shakes his head and takes my hand, making a surge of heat flow through my body. My heart immediately reacts. His hand feels solid. Steady. Dangerous. “I’m not going to fire you just because she doesn’t like you. Your job is safe. She can’t make me do shit.”

I almost ask him what he’ll do if Annika’s father demands that he fire me, but I keep that to myself. I’m not supposed to know that much. “Good. Because I love this job. I love working with you.”

A hint of a smile forms on Dmitri’s face as he nods. “Me too.”

My heart suddenly forgets how to work for a second, skipping a beat and catching me off guard.

Dmitri looks down at our joined hands, his thumb grazing my knuckles in a gentle stroke. “I’m surprised you’re not married yet. Or at least taken.”

“I’ve put school and work first for a while,” I tell him as I slip my hand out of his. He has to work for physical touch.

Disappointment flashes in his eyes, but he sips on his drink instead of complaining.

“You’re not just good at administrative work,” Dmitri assures me. “You’ve helped my business improve. More than I expected. And you did it all without being skittish or judgmental.”

“Like I told you before, I’ve seen a lot with my ex-boyfriend,” I tell him. “Nothing on the scale that you have with your business, but it’s still familiar territory.”

Dmitri stares at me as if he’s inspecting me. “I never would’ve guessed that about you.”

I’m a great liar. This mission has proved that if nothing else.

“Surprise,” I reply with a smile that prompts a grin of his own.

“You certainly are one,” Dmitri says before glancing past me, his expression hardening with the clenching of his jaw. “Here comes Luca.”

I look over my shoulder to see a young, dark-haired man in stylish clothes walking toward us. I scoot my chair closer to Dmitri, giving Luca room to pull up a chair to my left.