“Please let me know if you need anything else sir,” she says, the word sir channeling my inner dom. The effortless way she says it too would make her a good sub.
She works for me.
She’s a waitress. So maybe last night she needed a job?
The vacancy sign was placed up earlier today in prep for the summer. There’re always more people visiting the club during the vacation periods.
I consider if the need for a job is why she was looking at me yesterday but since she’s looking at me the same now I strike that out.
The same lust writhing through me is what I see when I look at her. I don’t answer. I never do. I just watch her as she backs away and walks back down the steps she came.
The eyes I meet next are Maksim’s with that same sheen of curiosity from last night.
“Is that your doing?” I ask him because getting a woman he thinks I’m interested in is exactly the kind of thing he would do.
“No, not a damn bit.”
I don’t get the time to question him because just then Sasha, my club manager approaches with Federov.
It’s time to assume my game face. I decided earlier I’d do a little questioning of my own. It’s not easy to confirm if someone is being checked out by the feds. I, of all people, should know that. However, it’s a little different for this guy as Maksim raised the suspicion because he’d seen evidence the feds had contacted Federov. That means there could be shit going on that we don’t know.
But he’d know and that’s the part that gripes me.
“Federov,” I greet him in a clipped tone.
We shake hands and he sits opposite me.
“Good to see you Pakhan,” he answers in a thick Russian accent. “I’m hoping we can close business tonight. I have the best shipment of cars ready and waiting for you.”
“Perfect. I have a few more questions I need to run through first before we get to that stage.”
Confusion wrinkles his haggard face but he tries to hide it with a smile that makes his distinct overbite become more pronounced.
“Oh, I thought we discussed everything at the last meeting.”
“No, I have more questions. I’ll let you know when I’m satisfied and then we’ll talk about contracts.”
“Of course, I meant no disrespect,” he apologizes quickly. Too quickly. It’s odd.
“No worries. I wanted to clarify you hadn’t been under any investigation at all by a third party or if you had any court action against you.” I only give people one chance. This is his, so he’d better tell me the truth.
“No,” he answers, and I know it for a lie.
The shuffle Maksim makes beside me tells me the same. He thinks he’s lying too.
“No?”
“No, I run a legit enough business if you know what I mean. You must know.”
I never confirm or deny anything to anybody.
“I’m happy as long as you tick the box Federov.”
“I definitely tick all boxes, no worries there. No problem. I’m hoping this business relationship can take me to the next level.”
My phone rings in my back pocket. I wouldn’t normally answer in the middle of a meeting like this, but I’ve been answering all calls since I started this search for my son.
I look at my phone and see it’s Gibbs calling, so answering the call goes without question. I asked him to get back to me before tonight if he found anything, because he knew we’d be having this meeting with Federov.