For an hour she explained the rest of the schedule, how to answer the phone when it did ring, and of course never to ask questions. I was to be the brains of an operation I knew nothing about—and that’s how it was supposed to stay.

I was about to ask her if I was ever allowed to know what actually went on when Nikolai burst through the door, his eyes dark with dread. “Jac! A word.”

She patted my hand and stood, then followed Nikolai down the hall.

I was too curious to stay planted in my seat. Slowly, I inched my chair back and made my way toward the door.

Nikolai was shouting.

Jac was shouting.

But it wasn’t in English.

It sounded—Russian—like when I overheard my father’s conversations with some of his men, but the dialect sounded off.

Footsteps sounded so I ran back to my seat.

Jac burst through the door and snatched her purse off the table. She took one last look at me, shook her head, and left.

What had just happened?

I was afraid to go to Nikolai. By the sound of his voice he wasn’t happy and he’d just totally lost his indifferent composure and screamed at Jac.

I wrung my hands together and stared at the clock. This was ridiculous. If he needed help he’d ask for help, right?

Wasn’t it my job to assist?

I checked the schedule; the two girls Jac had mentioned were the only names listed for the evening.

My cell hadn’t gone off.

No texts.

Finally, I pushed away from my desk and stood. If he fired me over asking if he needed help then… at least I’d have Netflix, right?

Jokes. I needed to make jokes about my situation as I slowly walked down the hall.

Because if I really thought about it, I was terrified—more than terrified—that one day, I’d be like the girls checking in at the office. Obsessed with the man in the doctor coat, only to one day, simply cease to exist. All because I fell for the danger.

And he was that… dangerous.

Every cell in my body was lit up like Christmas as I reached for the metal handle of the door and pushed it open, only to find the first room empty, the one he was usually in.

Backing up, I frowned, then I went to the next room.

It was empty as well.

One room left.

“Well, here goes nothing.”

If the doctor cures, the sun sees it; but if he kills, the earth hides it. –Russian Proverb

THE SOUND OF FOOTSTEPS CALMED MY breathing enough for me to put the damn scalpel down and focus in on the fact that Maya would be in my office in mere seconds, and I looked like I’d just attacked a wild boar and lost.

“Nikolai?”

“Sit,” I instructed, peeling the bloody gloves from my hands. Natalia had decided against my wishes to end things, which meant Jac had to clean up the mess I’d started. The last thing we wanted was for Natalia to die on the streets or God forbid spend her last few weeks getting high and telling everyone who would listen what goes on at my offices. It was just the type of thing that would set Petrov off, and he was already a loose cannon.

Maya sat and folded her hands. “Everything okay, Doc?”

“Cute.” I clenched my teeth. “Don’t ever call me Doc.”

“Frankenstein?”

“Let’s just skip nicknames.”

“Okay, asshole.”

I let out a pitiful groan. “The schedule, I need you to find Natalia’s name and put a red mark through it. Print out the documentation, put it in the safe, then delete her files on the computer. Can you do that?”

“Wait.” Maya’s ponytail did a little flip as she shook her head. “You want a paper trail?”

“For the safe. For my own purposes that you don’t need information on. Delete the files on the computer only after you’ve printed off what I need.”

“Okay…”

“And for the love of God don’t read her file.”

“But you just said to print it—”

“Print. You hit print. You delete once the paper comes out of the feed. Must I explain everything as if you’re a toddler, or can you handle this one simple task for me?” I tried to keep my voice even. “Once the paper is destroyed, make sure that the flash drive,” I pointed to the drive in the computer, “is given to me at the end of the day for inspection.” Nothing was ever permanently destroyed, data had a way of hanging on, just like life, and I needed to make sure I snuffed it out in the only way I knew how.

Maya’s eyes filled with tears. “Right. I’ll just go do that right now.”

“When you’re finished, close up the front. I’ll meet you in the lobby, turn the lights down.”

“We’re done for tonight?”

“Yes,” I grumbled. “For tonight.”

The door clicked shut behind her. Shit. I ran my hands through my hair then kicked the metal trash can. I hadn’t meant to snap at her like that, but the more questions she asked, the more irritated I became, I couldn’t allow myself to attach emotionally. It was instinctual to guard myself, to protect what I did, to protect her. And if by being cruel I accomplished that, well.

I shrugged out of my white jacket and pulled out my phone.

Nikolai : Natalia will be at her usual spot.

Jac : I’ll take care of it.

Nikolai : I knew you would.

I shoved my phone back into my pocket and made my way toward the lobby of my office.

Maya’s back was facing me.

Her black dress hugged every delicious curve. I drank my fill—because I knew it was all I was allowed.

I could look.

But never touch.

Her father had made certain of that.

I didn’t realize I was clenching my hands until I tried to place one on her shoulder. Releasing the tension in my fingertips, I lightly tapped her shoulder. “Ready to go?”

She turned slowly, her eyes narrowing. “Listen, here.” A manicured finger tapped against the middle of my chest. “I get that you’re brilliant, that you have money, that everything in this godforsaken world has been handed to you on a freaking silver platter, but that gives you no right to treat me like I’m a child!”

She really had no clue, I had to force myself not to smile.

And then I had to force myself not to take her into my arms and kiss the scowl from her lips.

“I’ll stop treating you like a child when you stop acting like one.”

If I thought she was pissed before—she was beyond enraged now. Her eyes widened as she gave me a little shove. “You ass hole!”

I straightened my tie. “I never promised to be anything but. Now, if you’re done putting me in my place, I’d like to get to dinner. We have a reservation.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“Lie.” I checked my Rolex, “Are we going to sit and argue all night or do you want bread?”

Her eyes lit up briefly before she turned around and wrapped her arms around her body. “Like I said, I’m not really hungry.”

I walked up behind her, my chest nearly touching her back, and leaned in, my mouth brushing against her ear. “You know you could just say thank you in advance and get all this huffing over with.”

“Thank you?” Her body shuddered, but she didn’t turn around. “For what?”

“The best bread you’ll ever have in your entire life and enough wine to go with it for you to forget how much of an ass I’ve been.”

Maya’s breath hitched. She turned, her face curious.

Not going to happen. I refused to give anything away. “Or you could just force me to pay for your  company, since you’re so convinced that’s what I do in my spare time.”

She rolled her eyes. “Fine but I’m ordering whatever I want.”

“I would expect nothing less from you.”

She grunted and walked toward the door. I followed her out and locked up behind me. My text alert went off.