Page 6 of Solemn Vow

He laughs. “Izzy wanted Cantonese. The food should be here already in the kitchen.” Andrei leads the way to the kitchen where the aroma from the takeout has already started to fill the air.

“Have you had anyone look at the footage of the security film again?” I ask while I dip some sort of dumpling into the dark sauce next to it.

“I have someone on it. No amateur would know how to cut into our feed,” Andrei answers as the kitchen door swings open, and Marlena swoops in. I catch her eye, and she pauses. A soft smile touches her lips, but in a blink it’s gone.

“Sorry. Didn’t know you were in here.” She rounds the kitchen island and goes to the fridge, grabbing a water and twisting off the cap. “Did you say someone cut into your security feed?”

Andrei quirks an eyebrow. “Something like that, yeah.”

She takes a sip. “Hmm. It’s easy to do if you know what you’re doing. What’d they do it for?” she asks, taking another sip.

“To break into some cars in the garage,” I answer just as she swallows. Her eyes go round, big and round.

“Oh?” Her voice is small. “Did any of the cars get lifted?”

“No.” I exchange a glance with Andrei. “It’s not that easy to steal a car out of our garage. They would have encountered security just outside the doors, and then again at the main alleyway entrance.”

“Did you, uh, catch them?” She plays with the bottle cap.

“Not yet.” I keep my gaze trained on her. A blotch of red blossoms on the side of her neck and grows up toward her cheeks. “But we will.”

She nods, but it’s a nervous nod.

“Right. I’m sure you will.” She twists the cap back on her bottle and heads for the door.

“Did she look nervous to you?” I ask, still watching the door swinging.

“A little. Did you ever find out what her problem was a few weeks ago, when you took her home after the card game?” he asks.

I shake my head. “No. That woman’s lips are a steel trap. Unless she wants to tell, she won’t.”

Andrei hands me a fork. “Maybe it’s time you make her want to tell.”

“I was just thinking the same thing.”

Fifteen hundred dollarssits at the bottom of my purse, tucked neatly inside an envelope. I counted it three times before leaving my apartment to meet Jimmy.

My stomach rolls as the bus swerves into the right lane and comes to an abrupt stop. I grab hold of the seat in front of me to keep from lurching out of my chair. My purse slips from my lap onto the floor, but I snatch it up before anyone notices.

One more stop, then I can get off and get this over with. At least for a few more weeks.

I check my phone for the time and notice three unread text messages. I hadn’t felt my phone vibrate in my pocket.

All three are from Izzy, confirming that I’m going to be cutting her hair this week. She’s also considering changing the color, but she’s pretty sure Andrei will have a fit.

I roll my eyes. Andrei most definitely will have a fit, but he’ll get over it the second she smiles at him. Happily ever afters don’t come easy, and most of the time don’t come at all, but those twolook at each other like there’s nothing in the world they want more than each other.

Nauseating.

As I scroll through my messages, I see the text from Viktor last night. It brings me back to the alley, where his glare and his frown had me pinned against the wall. The heat spread through my body, up my spine and tingled through my scalp the longer his eyes bored into me.

And that threat of his.

I wiggle in my seat as the memory awakens arousal in me. Annoying. That’s what he is. Annoying and overbearing and a mistake waiting to happen.

Just because he’s Andrei’s cousin and Andrei is married to my best friend doesn’t mean I have to have any sort of relationship with Viktor. If we bump into each other sometimes, fine, but anything more than that would be catastrophic.

After growing up with two stepmothers, and a revolving door of girlfriends playing stepmom for my father’s sake, I’ve learned exactly how rare happily ever afters are. I won’t jeopardize my friendship with Izzy over some insanely hot Russian man who makes my insides melt when he looks at me.

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