Page 20 of Arseni
The woman looks up from the baseboard.Her leathery face looks worn and tired, but that could be normal for her.I doubt it, though.Nikita is vicious when it comes to his help.
“Fantastic, Mr.Petrov.I’m just finishing up.”She gives a big, decaying-toothed grin that looks so nervous I feel bad for her.She’s gotta be the twentieth maid I’ve seen at his house, which is saying a lot considering I don’t pay close attention to these things.
Nikita walks to a glass side table and leans down to inspect it, his face hovering above the glass.He runs a finger across it then peers down at his fingertip.His eyes close with a sigh.
“That’ll be all, Estelle,” Nikita says as he stands.
She nods and gets to her feet.After dusting herself off, she looks up with that nervous smile still plastered.Her smile makes me frown.“Thank you, sir.I’ll be back bright and early tomorrow.”
I turn my head to Nikita and watch his eyes narrow.“Are you as deaf as you are blind?”
Her face sinks as her mouth opens and closes.
“I saidyou’re fired.Get the fuck out of my house.”
The mop falls from the bucket and clacks on the floor after the woman bumps into it, her eyes wide with what I’m guessing is confusion.She goes to pick up the mop.
“Now.”
Startling, she abandons the mop and hurries toward the front door, not daring to meet either of our eyes on the way out.
Nikita shakes his head when the front door shuts and sniffs.“It smells filthy in here.”
“Really?”I lift my chin like I’m trying to smell it, but I’m just being a smart ass.“I think it smells like someone polished my nose with pine sol.”
Nikita glares at me without saying a word.He knows I get his game with the maids.Or the gardeners.Or really every person on his staff who he deems unimportant.
Once upon a time, Nikita was Pakhan—the ‘boss’ of the Bratva—and could take out his frustrations on whomever he wanted.Now that his nephew kicked him aside, he’s under strict orders not to harm anyone with Russian blood running through their body.The guy’s pretty fucking murderous, so his sadism has to havesomeoutlet.
As long as it isn’t me, it’s tolerable.
“Don’t you live in a barn?”he asks with zero humor in his tone.
I tip my head.“I mean it’s a trailer, but?—”
“Exactly.”
The single word is a bite that conveys the message he’s been sending me all day.Shut the fuck up.
I nod and take care not to allow amusement to curve my lips.He’s overly crabby today.All he’s had me do was drive him to a meeting at some shady bar where he made me wait in the car.Normally, I go in with him, he introduces me, talks as if I’m of equal stature to him… He isn’t always a dick, but when he is, he's insufferable.
But not today.Today I’m in an especially good mood.
When last night’s memory plays in my mind, I blink it away before I do something stupid like bulge through my pants.I can’t even imagine how awkward that would be.
The front door opens and slams shut, both our gazes drawing to it.I expect it to be the former maid, but this woman is way too fiery hot to be her.I can tell that before Mila’s pissed off face registers.
“Where the hell were you today?”she asks Nikita as she storms up to us.
“Please, come in.”Nikita spreads his arms in a welcoming gesture.“Make yourself at home.”
“We were expecting you,” she scowls, eyes wide with rage.Her hands are clenched into fists which are more destructive than you would imagine.For all my time spent with Luka, I never got to know his sister well, but one thing I know for certain is she can be deadly when she wants to be.Manipulative.Trained to seduce from a young age.Being a Pakhan’s wife wasn’t just her desire, it was her destiny.And I don’t mean that as a compliment.
“Was that today?”Nikita mock frowns like he’s puzzled.
“We hold our lieutenant meetings at the same time every week.Do notplay stupid.”
“Mila,” Nikita drags out her name.“I would never play stupid with you.You’re toosavvyto fool.”
