But it only made sense for him to praise my dad. Especially when there was a journalist taking pictures nearby.
I took a breath and slipped deeper into my polished, charming persona: the confident woman who felt completely alien to me. “Yes, he’s had an amazing career.” I beamed at my dad. “Your work on the Five Families case was totally brilliant. No wonder crime rates are at an all-time low now that you’re mayor.”
My dad chuckled. “Flatterer.”
“It’s true,” I asserted, rattling off crime statistics for the benefit of the hovering journalist. “You and Mr. Callahan were instrumental in dismantling the Mafia, and they haven’t gained a foothold since.”
“Why is a young woman like you spending all her time rehashing the past?” Mikhail questioned in an incisive tone I didn’t care for. It took effort not to visibly bristle as he continued. “Surely, there’s no need to go through records of such grisly crimes, when they happened so long ago.”
“There’s always something new to learn.” Mike came to my defense, and I shot him a small, grateful smile. “Who knows? Allie might have fresh insight into some aspect of the case that we missed. In the future, she could use that in her own litigation. She has a very bright career ahead of her.”
My heart swelled with gratitude and pride. “Thanks, Mr. Callahan.”
Mikhail regarded me with those shark’s eyes for a moment. “Yes, very impressive,” he agreed in a monotone. “I’d like to introduce you to my son.” He released me from his sharp gaze and searched the room. “Nikolai!” he called, beckoning.
Daddy laughed. Did it sound forced? “I’m sure the kids don’t want to be set up by their parents.”
My stomach dropped. Oh, no. Mikhail wanted to set me up with his son? I didn’t think I’d be able to remain composed if flirting was involved. I didn’t even know how to flirt; I rarely went on dates, and I’d never had so much as a casual relationship. Living in my father’s overprotective shadow, only a couple guys had worked up the courage to ask me out during my college years. I was pretty sure the mayor of New York had scared them off quickly. That, or it was just me and my social anxiety that made me too awkward to date.
This summer was supposed to be my opportunity to experiment and build my confidence with men. But I’d been so busy with my internship that I hadn’t gotten a chance to practice dating.
My teeth sank into my lower lip, and I quickly pressed them together to stifle the nervous tic. I had no idea how to act charming around a guy my age, but I couldn’t allow myself to appear awkward and standoffish in front of important donors.
I flexed and released my fingers at the small of my back, struggling to conceal the sudden tremor that manifested along with the spike of anxiety.
“Is there something wrong with my son?” Mikhail asked, his voice cold enough to frost our champagne glasses.
“Of course not,” Daddy said quickly, his charismatic smile sliding firmly back into place. “He’s a Harvard man, right? Very impressive.”
“Yes,” Mikhail replied, his tone still icy. “He just graduated and is now working at our family’s organization.”
“Another bright young person following in their father’s footsteps,” Mike interjected, coming in with the assist. His voice hitched slightly, but he still managed to support my dad despite how intimidated he was by Mikhail. He really was a great friend. “Allie, I’m sure you’ll get along great.”
It’s not like I have to marry him, I told myself, struggling to calm the butterflies in my stomach. I could meet a guy and be polite to him, just like I would talk to any other important person at this event. It didn’t matter if his dad wanted to set us up; I didn’t have to go out with him. All I had to do was get through the next fifteen minutes or so before I could politely excuse myself and rejoin my friends.
“Niko.” Daddy’s gaze glinted at something over my shoulder. The hard warning in his eyes belied his broad, charming smile. “It’s great to see you again.”
I turned to face the Russian businessman’s son, and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe. Nikolai Ivanov was stunning. His sable hair was effortlessly styled, pushed back off his brow to reveal the full impact of his perfectly masculine face. He was all hard planes and slightly rough edges, with designer stubble shadowing his square jaw. Aquamarine eyes glittered like gemstones, ringed in indigo that made them shine all the brighter. At well over six feet tall, he towered over me as he approached.
He might even be taller than Max. And judging by the way his tux fit close to his massive frame, he was every bit as heavily muscled as my dark stalker.