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Chapter 22 – Briana
The bistro was quaint. With reclaimed wood, rustic lighting, and a menu to die for, it was the perfect little spot to work in. Sophia and I were allowed outside of the villa for the first time in days and were having a work date. Despite the tatted soldiers pretending to read books while watching us, we blended in surprisingly well. Sophia explained that this neighborhood was safe because it was in the heart of Bratva territory. Viktor wouldn’t allow us to go anywhere else, not with the threat of the Serbs haunting us.
The canopy helped block the late afternoon sun’s blinding rays, but I found myself leaning back, letting the shafts hit my face and neck.
“California looks good on you,” Sophia murmured.
I let out a long breath. “I could get used to this. The summer heat is going to be hotter than Manhattan but not as oppressive because of the city streets and thousands of people.”
“And we don’t get the cold, snowy yuck.” Sophia laughed softly. “Can’t you see yourself here?”
“Soph,” I warned.
My friend gave me a tight smile and sipped her lemonade.
It wasn’t that I couldn’t. Hell, this had always been the dream. Get the credentials and move west and be close to my best friend. It would probably mean being disowned, but that never frightened me. Even now, knowing Sophia’s family wasn’t quite on the right side of the law didn’t raise as strong of an objection as it should have. What that said about my own moral compass, I wasn’t certain.
It was the other matter, the one I didn’t let myself think of, that made me want to run back to New York, throw myself into my cage, and force myself to be content with that life again.
Being in danger here made me stay put and face what was bothering me. It wasn’t the morally grey, illegal life my friends lived, it was that the chance I’d decided to take wasn’t available any longer. If Soph had just told me about what and who her family was, I would never have come out here for Viktor. Knowing I’d thrown myself at him when that door was now closed made me hate myself.
And I was fucking pissed at him for not telling me the truth in the truck.
With a sigh, I tapped on my laptop. There had been a cool email last night from one of the managing partners as to my extended absence, but Mr. Avery had emailed me this morning to say it was all taken care of, and I could stay out west as long as I needed.
Instead of editing some addendums to a merger, I was staring, once again, at his email. As a friend of the family, I’d been careful to never go to him if I had any difficulties, but his message made it feel as though I was getting some type of preferential treatment. I couldn’t figure it out.
Sophia tapped my foot. I cut her a look over my chunky sunglasses. She was sliding her finger over her phone. Sure enough, mine vibrated.
Without being obvious, I pecked at the screen to open it. Sophia wanted me to look at the businessman at six o’clock. I swiveled in my seat, pretending to be engrossed by my laptop screen, and saw brown hair buzzed short and pilot shades on his face.
Opening a messaging app on my computer, I asked Sophia who he was. Jakob Webber. I wanted to roll my eyes. The name had come up a time or two in the last few years. He was a security guru, and Sophia was obsessed with his company for reasons I couldn’t quite put together.
“Keep me out of it,” I said, pinning her with a look.
Sophia laughed softly.
Closing the email from Avery, I forced myself to focus on the addendum. I wanted it sent before the day was over.
Sophia jerked, inhaling sharply. Panic shot to my throat. What did she see? I carefully looked around, but all I could see was that the CEO she obsessed over had been joined by another man who was leaner but just as fierce. What was with these LA men? They all looked ready to tear each other apart with their bare hands.
A message pinged on my laptop. Before I could read it, the men shook hands and the lean one approached us. The security guru buttoned his suit jacket and left.
“Sophy,” the newcomer crooned. It was a name I never got away with using. “What are you doing out and about during these troubled times?”
Sophia cleared her throat. “Oh, I promise you, nothing good,” she said brightly. “May I introduce you to my roommate from Boston? This is Briana. Bri, this is James, a friend of my brother’s.”
“The pleasure is mine.” The man stuck out his hand.
“I didn’t know Viktor had friends,” I responded with a small smile. We shook hands, and I felt the strength in those five digits.
“Hard to believe, isn’t it?” James said, tugging his sleeves lower on his wrists.
The movement stole my attention, and I caught the sight of puckered skin before it was quickly hidden.That scar....I was grateful for the shades as they kept my field of vision covered. I wouldn’t want him to see me staring at the damage.
“What are you doing on this side of the tracks?” Sophia asked innocently.
“My security company had some damning images from outside one of my clubs. I can use them to prosecute some punks who have been destructive.” James patted the breast pocket of his jacket. “Lia wants you to come dancing sometime. Bring Briana. My wife would love to make some new friends.”
