Page 79 of Savage Little Lies

With a nod, he pulls away from the sidewalk and drives toward the other side of town, where my temporary apartment is located.

Eagerness thrums through me as I think about tonight and all that will happen.

Everything will change soon, and I’m so ready to free myself from being crushed under my father’s thumb.

When we arrive at my apartment building, I thank the driver before heading up to my unit, thinking ahead and planning on what to wear to his place. These work clothes won’t do. I need something…irresistible.

I step inside my apartment and drop my things off on the kitchen counter, my eyes doing a brief sweep of my temporary home. I head into my bedroom and rifle through my closet for something to wear, filtering through all the dresses that I’ve bought while working for Dmitri.

Red and tight like the gala gown he picked speaks to me. I pull the dress off the hanger and lay it on my bed, only to pause and inspect my nightstand. The drawer is slightly open. I know I shut it.

It’s only by an inch at most, but I swear that I shut it fully this morning.

Uneasiness stirs within me as I walk closer to check the contents of the drawer. Everything looks untouched. That doesn’t mean it is.

I glance over my shoulder, my eyes sweeping over my bedroom. Everything seems normal, but an uncomfortable sensation creeps up the back of my neck that I can’t shake. I swear that it feels like someone was here.

Someone who shouldn’t have been.

I take my phone out of my pocket as I consider calling my father and asking him if he went as far as to send his men to poke around my apartment too. If he had the gall to have them kidnap me off the street, this wouldn’t be too out of scope for him.

My eyes sharpen as I stare at his contact, familiar anger burning within me. He’s crossed the line too many times, and I let him. I’ve let him push me around, use me, and degrade me.

No more.

It won’t be long before word spreads about the marriage falling through and reaches my father. I don’t want to wait around too long and see what he has in mind for me next.

I toss my phone onto my bed and get changed, turning my attention to tonight. This may be the last night of peace that Dmitri and I will both have for a while.

If so, I plan to burn it into my memory.

30

Dmitri

I can finally take a breath when I get home, the exhaustion of a long day weighing down my shoulders.

I’ve pushed off as many conversations with my family and others as possible today, promising to explain myself once the dust settles. It’s safe to say that my men are furious. They don’t understand my reasoning. My blatant disregard for their wellbeing. Gabe told me that the vor v zakone left a handwritten note for me at the office, voicing their disappointment in me as well.

I’m either an idiot or a selfish monster to everyone right now.

I doubt their opinion will change when I explain my side. Or part of it.

I don’t owe them an explanation, though.

And I really don’t give a shit what Artur, Annika, and the rest of the Suyunovs think.

All I care about right now is this night that I get to have with Cara. It’s the only escape that I’ll probably have for a while. And I intend to make it count, to use it to convince her to give me more nights together.

“Milaya?” I call out once I shut the door behind me.

The sound of light footsteps come closer until she emerges from the hallway leading to the master bedroom. A smile crosses my lips at the sight of her in my place wearing a tantalizing red dress and high heels, with her hair flowing down her back and around her shoulders.

“There you are,” I say before pulling off the leather duffle bag hanging from my shoulder. I motion for her to join me in the kitchen, where I see two takeout bags from my favorite Thai place on the counter.

Cara strides across the living room to meet me in the kitchen then nods at the duffle. “What’s in there?”

“What you asked for,” I reply before unzipping it and showing her the bands of cash.