I nod. “Someone lied when they told you he was an assistant.”
“Yeah, no shit. And he looks nothing like his employee photo.”
“Fake?”
“No. Just the vibe. Totally different.”
I think fast. “I want you to look into something…”
* * *
Elizabeth
“Bum-fucking animal. Filthy, shit-eating asshat.”
I roll my eyes a little at Tolyan’s endless name-calling. He’s already gone through the usual list involving f-words, genital size and questioning parentage. Now he’s becoming more creative. When he runs out of things to say in English, he’ll switch to Russian.
The streets of L.A. pass slowly as he drives. Traffic’s always horrendous in the city.
“You should’ve let me take out that particular piece of trash when we had the chance. It would’ve been self-defense at the worst.”
“Tolyan.”
“You don’t think it’s somebody other than Andy, do you?”
“No. Not really.” Andy was too smug and smirky at the party. There are men who talk a lot because they think it’ll make them look impressive. But Andy isn’t one.
Just when I think he’s about to switch to his mother tongue, Tolyan says, “And Dominic isn’t any better. That idiot.”
“Don’t be so hard on him. He isn’t the enemy.”
“Did you forget his vow to take what matters to you the most? That sounds like a declaration of war to me. If I were you, I would’ve slipped a stiletto between his ribs. Or blowfish toxin into his drink.” He gets a faraway look, considering the possibilities.
I shake my head. Tolyan doesn’t understand everything. He hasn’t experienced Dominic’s tenderness.
“Lizochka, please. Please don’t tell me you spent a night with him and now he’s the good guy. Good bedroom techniqu
e just means he’s had good teachers or a lot of experience.”
I sigh, not wanting to argue.
“I don’t know what he told you or what he did to make you think that he’s a friend. He’s anything but. He tricked you.”
“I know you don’t like him—”
“He visited Julian. Then afterword he started digging into your father’s past. Unfortunately for him, he’s been looking into the wrong areas. Only Julian’s business dealings.”
“Maybe he wants to make sure what kind of man Dad is. For all we know, they could be business partners,” I say, even though I know that’s a lie.
And Tolyan knows I know. He snorts. “Some business. Dominic apparently wanted to buy some portraits Julian owns. Your daddy told him to go fuck himself—typical—and now Dominic’s digging for dirt. I guarantee you he isn’t doing this to get into business with Julian. I had to throw up some roadblocks to slow down his hound.”
Bitter disappointment pours over me, and I don’t know why. Dominic’s been clear about his intentions. Did I somehow believe that maybe he’d changed based on the kindness he’s shown me in the last two days?
Yes. Yes, I did.
How foolish.
Tolyan continues, oblivious. But even if he knew how I’m feeling right now, he wouldn’t stop. He’s a firm believer in tough love. “Dominic’s going to blackmail Julian and take those paintings. And then what? Ryder and Elliot will have married for nothing.”