“Well, I’m glad you finally talked him into it, sweetheart,” Mayor Stephens says as I try hard to not dry heave.
What an absolute ass, Mikhail growls in my ear.Manners will be the first thing I teach that fucking prick.
The mayor flashes us both another nauseating smile before looking back over his shoulder at the two men who are waving him over like he’s fucking royalty.
“Guess I need to keep making the rounds,” he says in an exaggeratedwoe is metone. “Hopefully we can speak more later.”
“That would be wonderful,” I say, inwardly telling my high school acting teacher to go fuck himself. No stage presence, my ass.
I let out a relieved sigh when he turns and shows us the back of his ill-fitting suit. It’s not that the suit is cheap. It’s more that his body is so awful that nothing looks good on it. He’s spilling out in places he shouldn’t be, causing the suit to tighten and bunch up as he weaves his way through the adoring crowd.
“Nicely done,” Yuri whispers, giving me a smile.
“You didn’t do so bad yourself,” I say. “Your accent is completely gone.”
He shrugs, but I can tell he’s fighting a smile. “I’m a man of many talents.”
For fuck’s sake, Mikhail grumbles over the line.Charlie you have my permission to use that knife on him if he gets too handsy.
“I’ll remember that,” I murmur. I down the last of my champagne and Yuri quickly takes the empty glass from me and deposits it on a passing waiter’s tray. I notice he doesn’t get me another which is probably for the best.
“Looks like it’s showtime,” he says, giving a slight nod of his head to the waiter who’s just walked into the room.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, if you’ll follow me, dinner is served.”
Yuri and I hold back, letting the other men and women slowly make their way to the dining room before pulling up the rear. The room we’re lead to is humongous. Instead of one table, there are several smaller ones set up with little name cards at each seat. The mayor has his own special table up front, and for an extra donation, you get the pleasure of dining right next to the sleazy man.
I follow Yuri as he hunts down our names, and when he sees them, he pulls out my chair and helps me into it. This may all be fake, but the man’s manners are impeccable. He takes the seat next to me, and then casually introduces himself to the man next to him and then beaming at me like he’s showing me off to everyone adds, “And this is my beautiful fiancée Charlotte.”
God, you’re enjoying this way too much, Yuri.
Yuri shoots me a playful wink as he makes small talk with the man next to him, truly stepping into the role of John Stone, who apparently is in advertising and has been a long-time supporter of Mayor Stephens. I sit back and watch the show, hoping like hell no one asks me any questions.
“So what do you do, Charlotte?” the man asks, destroying my hopes of not having to talk.
My brain locks up, just completely freezes when I try to come up with a job, any fucking job, and when I take a hair too long, Mikhail’s smooth voice says,vet tech.
“Vet tech,” I say, with a relieved breath. “I love animals.”
You certainly tame my wild beast, baby.
I bite my tongue to keep from laughing at his corny line as the man next to Yuri smiles. He looks like he’s about to ask me a follow-up question, but someone starts speaking at the front of the room, and I turn my head quickly to give them my full attention like I’ve been waiting my whole life for this exciting moment.
The man at the front starts talking, and I immediately tune him out. I don’t give rat’s ass about what he’s talking about. Waiters start discreetly coming around and dropping off dinner salads. I smile and take mine and force myself to calmly add some dressing and take a few bites. I wait a few more minutes, just like we all agreed on, before setting my cloth napkin down and giving Yuri an apologetic smile.
“I’ll be back in just a few.”
“Everything okay, honey?”
I smile and give his shoulder a soft squeeze. “Just a slight headache. I’m going to go ask for some aspirin.”
He squeezes my hand and gives me another one of his carefree smiles before I turn and very calmly walk out of the room.
You’re doing great, Charlie. Just wait for Yuri by the bathroom near the stairs like we agreed on. Do not go up those stairs without him.
“I know, I know,” I whisper when I’m sure no one else is around.
I pace in front of the bathroom until I hear Yuri’s voice through my earpiece. “I’m going to check on Charlotte. I’ll be right back.”