“Hundred is plenty.” Mark walks over to me, then eyes Nikolai harder.
“You the guy who took Charlie out last night?” Mark asks, stepping up to the counter. My stomach drops. I can’t have them talking. I don’t want them to have this conversation.
“Yes, sir,” Nikolai answers in the most respectful tone I’ve heard in my life. I slowly turn to be sure it’s still him standing there and not some other man. “I’d like to take her out again tonight, but she’s fighting me. Says she has to work.” Oh, he’s good. Playing Mark against me.
“Pfft.” Mark swishes a hand through the air. “Silvia, you need Charlie tonight?”
“Nope. Joey and I have it.” Silvia smiles from behind him. She has no idea what game she’s playing. Or who she’s playing it with.
“She takes pride in her work,” Nikolai continues. I shoot him a glare, though it seems to bounce right off of him.
“She’s a workaholic.” Mark points an arthritic finger at me. “Just like her mother that way.” His smile fades at the edges. “Take her out and make her have fun.” Mark pulls his cell phone from the back of his jeans. “Okay, I got to get those subs and get over to the pantry. The distribution shift is just about ready to start making the boxes.”
“I guess that’s settled then,” Nikolai says and walks toward the kitchen door. “I assume the stairs up to your apartment are out back?”
I glance at Joey who is in the corner talking with Silvia. Probably gloating, those two.
“Joey, I’m taking off for the night,” I call over to him.
“All right, Charlie.” He waves at me, then goes back to talking to Silvia. Is no one around here the least bit concerned about these two men in our store? Viktor still hasn’t moved.
“Viktor. I’ll see her home. You can take off.” Nikolai releases his hound. Viktor nods, gets up, buttons his jacket, and casually walks out of the shop.
I think I’m in an old episode of theTwilight Zone.
“Now.” Nikolai presses his hand to the small of my back as we enter the kitchen. “Let’s see your apartment and get you ready to go.”
Heat shoots up my spine from where his hand touches me. I take a faster step, moving away from his touch. I will do what I’ve agreed to do, but I’m not going to let myself get into a position where I get hurt.
A month of ‘dating’ Nikolai is all I signed up for. And that’s all that’s going to take place. This is a business transition.
Nothing more.