Page 2 of Solemn Vow

“You sure there isn’t some guy just killing himself to get ahold of you?” She winks.

I laugh.

A guy?

Right.

No, thank you.

Life is complicated enough without adding that mess to the mix.

“No. Not a guy. Probably just my friend. It’s her turn to pick dinner, and I’m sure she wants me to try a new place.” I shake my head. Isolde has been diving into all sorts of new restaurants now that she’s married to Andrei Petrov. Apparently having the black credit card in her wallet has changed her palate.

“Ah. Well, she seems to really want to get a hold of you.” She hops off the chair and grabs her purse. “Have a good weekend, Marlena. I’ll see you next Friday.” She gives me a hug then heads to the front of the salon to pay her bill. I know the tip will be generous.

I also know it won’t be enough.

Once my station is cleaned and stocked for Carolina’s shift in the morning, I allow myself to check my phone.

Two messages from Izzy about what restaurant she wants to order from—a Cantonese place I’ve never heard of.

One text from my landlord who has just realized the locks on my apartment have been swapped out with some industrial locks that are impossible to break through.

How am I supposed to explain that a large, overprotective, Russian mafia man who works with my best friend’s husband made the change and refuses to take them off? I doubt Mr. Whitkeep will care.

So great, I’ll probably lose my deposit now.

My teeth grind just remembering Viktor’s overbearing attitude when I tried to explain that just because Izzy needed safekeeping didn’t mean that my apartment needed a security overhaul. He had felt differently, and while I was at work, he’dhelped himself to my apartment to change the locks not only on the door, but the windows too.

Arrogant ass.

The last text message sends a chill through me.

Tomorrow or you can say goodbye to your pretty life.

My breath catchesand I sink into the chair, still warm from Chantelle’s appointment.

“Hey, Marlena.” Sara, one of the receptionists, comes around the corner with a weird look on her face. “There’s some guy up front asking for you.”

My heart stops.

“He’s here?”

She raises her pierced eyebrow an inch. “You’re expecting him? That guy?”

No. Jimmy wouldn’t be here.

“What does he look like?” My phone vibrates in my hand.

Should I come back there?

I groan inwardly. I don’t need the description anymore; I can picture exactly what the overgrown security guard looks like.

“Tall. Huge. I mean the man looks like he could rip the door off the place if he wanted.”

I wave my hand. “I know who he is.”

Viktor.