Page 13 of Captivated By Him

It’s not fair he knows me so well, and after all this time my reaction to it hasn’t changed.

I raise my eyes to his. Looking anywhere else will only keep him thinking something’s going on.

“Just wanted something new. That’s all, Jakub. I promise.” I give a curt nod as though putting an end to the topic.

“And we both know how well you keep your promises.”

My stomach twists with his words. “Jakub—”

Before I can come up with something to say, he yanks the door open for me. “Better get back to work. I want to see a mockup by Monday.”

Monday.

Right. The posters and such.

“Sure. I can do that.” I hold my notebook to my chest and hurry from the room. The door shuts as soon as I’m in the hall. It closes so loudly it makes me jump a little.

My cell phone dings from my back pocket and I grab it. Distractions right now are worth my weight in gold.

Henry’s out and asking around about you. Just thought you should know.

The moment I get back to my office, I shut the door and sink into my chair, still staring at my phone.

Henry’s out of jail.

As much as I want to, I don’t text my only friend in New York back. Henry Kozac doesn’t know where to find me, and so long as I have no contact with anyone associated with him, I can keep it that way.

I hope.

Chapter 4

Jakub

My father, Joseph Staszek, head of our family here in Chicago, sits at our table in our usual private room at Micah’s restaurant, stuffing a crab cake in his mouth. My sister Lena and my brother are already present and waiting on me, when I arrive for our family get-together.

Lena’s husband owns the restaurant, otherwise we wouldn’t be sitting at a table owned by an Ivanov. We do our best to stay away from the Russians. They’re ruthless bastards who can’t be trusted. Better to stay clear than get entangled. Lena’s marriage serves as proof of the importance of staying away from the Russians’ interests.

She’s happy enough, but it still burns my belly to see her on the arm of Micah Ivanov—head of his family.

“Jakub. Finally!” Lena puts her hand up in the air and waves over the wait staff. “What do you want to eat?” she asks me as I pull out the chair beside her. I shuck off my jacket and sling it over the back before I sit down.

“I don’t care. Whatever you’re having is fine.” I pour myself a drink from the decanter. “What?” I shoot Dominik a look when I catch him staring at me.

He shrugs. “You look like hell.”

I lean back in my chair and push on a sarcastic grin. “Thanks.” I down my drink, enjoying the fresh burn of the whiskey. I’m sure I look like shit. I was up most of the night at the club for the past two nights. Not that I was needed. Nora has everything under control better than any of the five managers I hired before her.

But every time I thought of getting out of there, I remembered Nicole Sawicki was sitting at a desk in an office not five hundred feet from where I stood.

After our initial meeting, we’ve had a handful of short conversations. Mostly work related, but I managed to find out she’s living alone not far from the club. I noticed her talking with one of construction workers yesterday morning when she arrived. I have his name and his address tucked in my pocket now. I’ll have even more information on him by morning.

“What’s going on?” Lena asks with actual concern in her voice. She places her hand on my arm and lowers her brow. “You don’t have to fire another manager, do you?”

“No. Nora’s doing great.”

She arches one perfectly sculpted blonde eyebrow at me.

“It’s not like that. She’s married.”

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