Page 14 of Tyrant

She tried to suppress a smile. “Thank you, Sir. He was also working on finding someone. Your car is waiting to take you there. I also have additional information about the situation.”

“You can relay this information while we walk. Let’s go.”

“The father was a trader in the Free Zone, and her mother a teacher at the public high school. She is a middle child of three. Nikolai gives her an allowance weekly and has bought her groceries and gifts. I don’t think the baby is his.”

“I see.”

“She had a boyfriend up until two weeks before she had sex with Nikolai.”

We were now in the elevator, and I turned to look at her. “How did you gather all this so quickly?”

“My husband was in the special forces in China. They know how to find anything. Plus, she uses the American social media platforms.”

The elevator had already reached the underground parking. Before walking out, I decided to give her the chance to opt out of directly working with me. Even though it was temporary, I wanted someone loyal, someone whom I could rely on.

“You have one chance,” I declared. “Back away now and return to your department or make that step toward my car.”

She looked at me sharply, then made the first move out of the elevator and walked ahead towards the car. Not looking back, she reached the car, opened the passenger door and stood aside. I slid into the seat and the door slammed shut.

Chapter 7

Tabitha

I paced my hotel room, cellphone in hand, while anxiously awaiting Linda’s phone call. She’d been in a meeting earlier and could not take my call. I also sent her a long text with snapshots of Zakhar’s contract. Normally, I would turn down something so ridiculous but having someone like him by my side was probably what I needed most.

Gary knew I didn’t have a powerful person in my corner and every attorney I contacted said he was a solid part of my company and there was nothing I could do. I offered to buy him out of his shares, but he refused the amount I offered because he knew I couldn’t afford his price. I was at my wit’s end and Zakhar was my best option. But I needed my best friend’s approval. She would know if this was some bullshit. I also needed a lawyer to look at it and I knew one right here in Dubai.

When the phone chimed, I almost jumped out of my skin. Being startled, my hand shook as I answered. “Hello?”

“Sis, I got stuck in that darn meeting, but OH MY GOD, I got your message!”

“Is there trouble at work?”

“No, we just reshuffling.”

As COO for a food processing and distribution company, she was always busy. I’d invited her to join me when I started my first business, but she declined. Over the years, she’d worked to reach new heights in her company of which I was very proud. Now she was next in line to become CEO and her accomplishments has proved that.

Linda was gobsmacked. “Girl, he asked you to marry him?”

“Babes, it wasn’t a proposal.”

She snickered. “But he asked you to be his wife and that’s not a bad thing. I did some research as well as asking Ian who this man is, and I am blown away.”

“Yes, he’s one of the most powerful men in this hemisphere.”

“Listen Sis, this man can protect you and do things for you no one else can. I know you don’t like such things and you’re probably looking for Mr. Right, but trust me, marrying this man is the right thing for you.”

I still wasn’t sure. “You think so?”

“Have you two kissed?”

“No, are you crazy?”

“Remember in high school we tested how we really felt about a guy? If we were repulsed so much that we wanted to hurl, it’s a no go. If the kiss is okay, we can be friends and if we get butterflies, we have a winner. So long as you don’t feel repulse to the point of wanting to throw up, you can make it work.”

“Are you saying I should kiss him?”

He did say he wanted to kiss me, but I was never one to make the first move. The man was handsome and smelled delicious. His mouth was scrumptious when I thought about it. Would it be so bad kissing him? And it would tell me how I really felt.

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