Viktor(61)

“Yeah … and unless you’ve changed your mind about jumping out that window, we’re gonna do it a lot more.” The grin on his face only grows.

Suddenly, a phone rings.

Viktor jumps out of bed to grab his pants, pulling the cell phone from his pocket. “Yeah?”

He turns around to face me, but his eyes grow wider with every passing second. He scowls and shouts. “Why? What’s he doing here? Fuck.” He runs his fingers through his hair. “Fine.”

He stops the conversation and tucks the phone back into his pocket. “I gotta go.”

“Who was that?” I ask.

“Winston,” he says, pulling on his clothes hastily.

“What’s it about?” I frown, wondering why he seems so agitated all of a sudden.

The look on his face says it all. “We’ve got a visitor.”





Chapter 20





Viktor





I can’t believe he’s here.

Is he here to lecture me? Probably.

I don’t have time for his bullshit, but I can’t ignore him either.

So I put my clothes on and grab a spare mask from my closet, covering my face again.

Alexis leans against the doorpost behind me, dressed in a skimpy dress that still sets me on fire as I look at her. I’ll die before I lose someone like her.

“How do I look?” I ask her.

She folds her arms. “Charming.” The smile on her face tells me she thinks I’m messing around, but I’m not. I’m dead serious.

I walk past her and say, “Stay here.”

“Why?”

“Because I said so.”

“Wrong answer,” she says, walking behind me in her brown boots that click on the floor.

“Why don’t you ever listen?” I ask.

“Because I’m a rebel girl.” She starts singing, making me a little less nervous. Doesn’t mean I want her there, though.

“You really have to stay in the room,” I say.

“What’s so important about it that I can’t be there? You wanna keep more secrets from me?”

“It’s … complicated,” I say, cringing when I think about him.

“But not dangerous …” she says, still clinging to me.

“Don’t know, don’t wanna find out. Stay here,” I growl, walking through the corridor.

“I’m not some fucking damsel in distress. I can take care of myself,” she says, still following me.

I sigh. “Don’t you ever take a hint?”

“Want me to leave?”

When I glance over my shoulder, she has her brows up high, taunting the ever-living shit out of me. I don’t answer, I just growl again.

“Didn’t think so,” she adds. “So if you expect me not to leave this place, you’ll let me in on your dirty business.”

I sigh as I go downstairs. “Just stay out of my way.”

“Well, hello, Viktor.”

The moment I hear his voice, my eyes shoot up, and I freeze.

“Marcus.” It’s been a long time since I last spoke his name. And since I last saw him. Jesus Christ, he looks bad … Sick, even.

Winston’s just outside the kitchen door. “Ah, there you are.”

“You didn’t tell me he was already here,” I whisper-yell at him.

Winston makes a face. “I tried. Too late. Couldn’t stop him from—”

“Is that how you say hello to an old friend?” Marcus asks.

“When that friend shows up uninvited … hell, yeah,” I say. “You couldn’t even fucking wait at the door?”

“It’s chilly outside.” He rubs his arms.

“I’ll go make some coffee,” Winston says, scurrying off into the kitchen.

“Fine, coward,” I say to him, but of course, he doesn’t hear me. I don’t need a second eavesdropper telling me what to do anyway. One is enough.

“Oh … and who’s this?” Marcus asks, his eyes falling onto something … or rather someone behind me.

“Alexis,” I say, looking at her over my shoulder. She seems a bit unsure whether she should come closer.

“C’mon,” I say, beckoning her.

“He’s not …”

“No, I’m not that old dog Vladim,” Marcus says, laughing a bit. “Name’s Marcus Knight. I’m an old friend.”

“Old friend?” She folds her arms. “Right.”

“It’s true,” Marcus says, raising a brow. “I might not look it, but I’m quite friendly.”

“Jesus …” I roll my eyes. “Just tell her. She already knows about the company.”

“Really? Well, let me introduce myself then.” He makes a short bow. “Marcus Knight, head of the Tribunal.”