Page 126 of Sweet Animosity

“Anal always counts,” came a dark voice behind me.

Pivoting so quickly I had to grab the back of the chair to not fall over in my high heels, I nearly fell over anyway.

There was Var leaning against the office door, looking like the embodiment of sin.

Behind me, a chair scraped. “Mr. Rubashkin! I had no idea she was your wife!” He adjusted his glasses and looked at the paperwork again, then frowned at me. “How dare you try and trick me!”

I pointed to the center of my chest. “Me?”

The attorney wagged his finger at me. “Yes, you! You didn’t tell me who you were married to. I never would have even taken this meeting.” He turned back to Var as he walked around his desk, his hands pressed together as if in prayer. “Please, sir. Please! You have to believe me. I didn’t know!”

Ignoring the attorney’s pathetic groveling, I placed my hand on my hip as I met Var’s stare. “Is this how it’s going to be with any attorney I approach?”

He straightened and offered me his arm. “Pretty much. You should probably know, the only reason why I’m not shooting him?—”

Var was interrupted by a high-pitched whimper from the attorney as he collapsed against the desk the moment Var mentioned violence.

Var raised an eyebrow, then continued. “As I was saying, the only reason why he’s not dead is because you hadn’t retained him yet.”

Looping my hand through his arm, I said, “Is it fair to assume all the attorneys in Chicago now know that?”

He winked. “What do you think?”

As we emerged out into the sunshine, Var opened his car door for me.

I paused before entering. “How did you find me anyway?”

I stormed into the restaurant. “You told him?”

Barb and Millie both paused, a martini in both of their hands.

They then exchanged a look.

Barb shrugged. “He asked.”

Var came up behind me and pulled my chair out before sitting next to me at their table.

Millie leaned over and presented her cheek, which Var dutifully kissed. “Hello, dear.”

Millie blushed. “Hello, handsome.” She then looked at me and gestured to Var. “Darling, what did you expect? Of course we told him. I mean look at the man. I’d tell him my social security number forward and backwards if he asked.”

Just to annoy her, I snatched the dirty martini out of her hand. After tossing the toothpick with the olive out of the glass and onto the table, I drank the martini in one gulp.

They both cried out in unison, “Respect the olive!”

CHAPTER 43

VIVIAN

Ileaned my head to the side as I put in the diamond earrings Var got me to match my wedding necklace. “By the way, I talked to your mother today.”

Var walked into the bathroom with his shirt collar up as he placed his silk bow tie around his neck. He stood behind my vanity chair. “Oh, yeah?”

I met his gaze in the mirror. “I totally threw you under the bus, so expect an angry call from her.”

He leaned down and kissed the top of my head. “I expected nothing less from you.”

I rose and helped him with his bowtie. “She’s decided to plan a winter wedding in St. Petersburg for us. I told her I thought it was a lovely idea to book out Catherine Palace. Just think how fabulous a champagne toast will be in the Amber Room.”

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