Page 14 of Caged

He leans forward, his crisp pleated pant leg falling around his shiny black shoe when his foot hits the floor. “You can try. But, if I miss a check in call, Ivan will know what happened.” His thin lip turns up in a smirk before he sits back in his chair.

“It’s been almost a week, and yet you’ve made zero contact. My boss is not a patient man. If you hope to ever get a niece or nephew from your brother, I’d suggest accelerating your timeline.” His dark eyes flick down to my chest again. “That is, unless you can persuade me to make a case on your behalf.”

Gross.

“I got this. I have a plan.” I want to cross my arms, but know it will only push my breasts out for him to ogle further.

Instead, I stand. I’ll let him stare at my best asset as I leave.

“Don’t take too long,” he calls after me. “Or your brother will never enjoy finger foods again.” His snicker echoes down the hall before the door closes.

Asshole.

SIX

NIKOLAI

“Lara, keep him back before I strangle him.” I can’t believe I’m on my hands and knees at my sister’s house, cleaning up almost half a gallon of soy sauce off of the floor.

She turns and pushes a very pale Alexei out of the room toward the couch. “Go lay down. You know he’ll do it.”

I nearly have the mess contained before she comes back in. She stands over me while I wipe the brown liquid up with the last of her paper towels.

“Why did you tell him? You knew he’d try it,” she scolds me.

My jaw clenches. Of course this is my fault.

Her long braid whips over her shoulder as she reaches under the sink to grab a new package. “He doesn’t know any better.” Lara tosses the soft roll at me and it bounces off my arm.

Alexei is worse than a child some days.

I roll back on my heels. “I just got done telling him I killed a man by making him swallow salt water. Why is it my fault he decided to test that theory and try to guzzle an entire jug of soy sauce?” When I throw the sodden rag towards the garbage can, I miss and it leaves a brown splatter on the side of the counter before dropping with a wet plop onto the tile.

Lara is the only person in the world who can smack me in the back of the head and not die for it.

So, she does.

“Everything is a challenge to him. His entire purpose in life is to try to please. You, me, Mikhail.” She throws her hands up in exasperation. “He doesn’t do this stuff to make you mad, he’s trying to impress you.”

“Yea! What she said!” Alexei yells from the living room.

“I’d be more impressed if he didn’t immediately puke it all over the kitchen,” I grumble, but low enough he can’t hear me.

Knowing my luck, he’d try it again.

There are worse traits in a man. Alexei is loyal, almost to a fault.

I wouldn’t have it any other way. I know I can count on him, no matter what.

But, some days, I still want to shake him.

Standing, I stretch my back and look around. I think I got it all.

“Thank you,” Lara says quietly. She softly touches my wrist, then heads back towards Alexei.

I let out a long sigh. There’s never a dull moment with him around.

My cell vibrates in my pocket as I’m washing my hands.

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