My hands shook as I entered the law firm building with Dimitri’s breakfast. Mia sat at the help desk, her gaze on the computer in front of her. She hadn’t noticed me yet, and I prayed she wouldn’t. Different scenarios kept playing out in my mind. What would have happened if Mia had caught me trying to sneak past her? I came up with a pretend situation where I demanded to know if she was carrying Dimitri’s baby.
Ducking my head, I strode closer and closer to the desk. All I needed was to pass by it, and I was golden. I whispered beneath my breath, praying she wouldn’t look at me. I approached within three feet, and Mia immediately looked up and saw me.
Crap.
Mia’s eyes widened. She shot up from her seat and went around the desk to approach me. I stumbled a step and stopped walking as she crossed the small space between us. Her baby-blue eyes held pain and desperation. My nice side wanted to be there for her and ensure she’d be all right. But the selfish and mean side of me wanted to shove past her and get away from her as quickly as possible.
“Emma,” she said in relief. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you.”
I swallowed hard. The lump forming in my throat made it challenging. “Really? About what?”
“I’d like for us to get lunch together. Have a little girl time. I really enjoyed your company when we got coffee.”
I averted my gaze, and panic settled in my chest and stomach, choking off my lungs. My hands trembled more, and I feared she could see. I was on the brink of getting sick and humiliating myself in front of her and anyone who entered the lobby. “I-I don’t know. I’m very busy.”
Because of the news of Mia’s possible pregnancy, I hesitated to spend extended periods of time with Dimitri despite his usual invitation to lunch. When we couldn’t leave the office, he’d order something from Uber Eats. On one side, it sounded nice to eat with someone other than Dimitri. On the other, I didn’t know what Mia wanted to talk about if we went to lunch together. She was the reason there was a large gap between Dimitri and me.
“I’m sure Mr. Volkov would allow you to take a break. You’re sleeping with him, right? So you can suck his cock to get on his good side and have lunch with me,” Mia said. From the corner of my vision, I saw her smiling in a way which didn’t meet her eyes.
I swung my gaze to her. The air in my lungswhooshedout. “What did you say?”
Mia frowned. “I said I’m sure Mr. Volkov wouldn’t mind you taking a break. Legally, he’d have to give you one.”
I stared at her, wide-eyed, my heart now in my throat. She was lying. I heard with my own ears that she said I should suck Dimitri’s cock.
“Are you okay?” Mia looked me over and timidly stepped closer, her hand stretched like she was about to touch me.
I backed away from her, putting more space between us. I nodded and tightened my hold on the bag of beignets. “I’m fine. Just...just a little stressed, is all.”
“Lunch will be on me,” Mia persisted.
Why did she want to take me out so badly? What was her goal? As much as I didn’t want to go out with her, I couldn’t tell her no because I feared hurting her feelings. I didn’t want anyone to hate me, and perhaps she wanted to be my friend—as messed up as that was. If she was pregnant with Dimitri’s child, maybe she was trying to get close to me and—
Stop it, Emma. Just say yes.
I forced a smile and nodded. “Okay. We can go to lunch.”
Mia brightened and returned my smile. “Great. How about we go in an hour?”
“Okay,” I mumbled.
She surprised me by pulling me into a half-hug, being extra careful since I held a bag of beignets and Dimitri’s hot coffee. When she pulled away from the embrace, she gave me a little wave and said bye before returning to her desk.
I walked away on wobbly legs and got in an elevator as panic continued to course through me. The entire ride to the fourth level, I went through so many potential conversations with not only Dimitri but Mia. This situation was wrong, and I kept asking myself one little question.
If Dimitri loved me, why had he slept with another woman?
* * *
“Thank you for lunch,” I said to Mia after the waitress put our steaming plates of food in front of us and walked away.
Mia grinned as she picked up her fork. “It’s no problem at all.”
We ate in silence, and a thick tension built between us. I couldn’t breathe or even enjoy the food I’d ordered. Maybe it was just me that felt it because the few times I looked at Mia, she was eating like she had an enormous appetite and wasn’t at all bothered.
When I told Dimitri I was having lunch with Mia, he wasn’t too happy about it, but he hadn’t said anything to stop me from going.
“So how are things with Mr. Volkov?” Mia said, breaking the silence between us. It was strange that she’d ask me about him. Could she hear my thoughts?
