Page 42 of Cruel Promise

“You work together?” I ask before they can walk away. I need to know just how powerful Dimitri is.

“We do,” Dimitri says, only too happy to answer.

“And you are …?”

“I do what Nik does.”

I doubt he’s truly going to tell me. Even Nikolai hasn’t fully told me what he does. It’s probably better that way.

“You work for him?” I nod at my husband. Nikolai is watching me with that intense, unreadable gaze.

Dimitri scoffs. “I don’t work for him. We work together. We’re partners.”

So, then, Dimitri must be just as powerful.

Powerful enough to help me?

“That’s enough conversation,” Nikolai says. “Dimitri, let’s go into my office.Now.”

“Coming,” he replies as a child does. With a wink at me, he follows Nikolai down the hallway and out of sight.

Now, the question becomes—how do I get Dimitri to help me, and how do I ask him for help when Nikolai isn’t looking?

NIKOLAI

“I told you to stay away from my wife,” I snap at him the moment we’re in my office.

“I just wanted to meet her.” Dimitri is too nonchalant as he leans against the wall.

“Well, now you’ve met her, and you never need to talk to her again.”

“Come on, Nik. It’s not like I’m going to steal your wife away.” He pauses. “Though, that would be fun.”

I stare at him until he straightens and says, “I’m joking. Ok? I won’t steal your wife away. I really am here to discuss business.”

I don’t trust Dimitri. Anyone would be a fool to trust a Bratva man. As one myself, I know this first hand.

As Dimitri’s smirk grows, I know to keep myself on high alert with him.

AVA

I don’t take my eyes off the hallway the entire time. When Dimitri and Nikolai finally appear, I know this is my one and only chance to talk with Dimitri. I doubt Nikolai will be too keen to invite him over ever again.

I rush over to Nikolai. “Oh my god. Mrs. Brown is hurt. She fell. Upstairs.”

Nikolai stares at me for a moment before heading upstairs at a fast clip. I only have a few minutes—if that.

I turn to Dimitri, who’s staring at me with a small smile on his lips. “Can you help me?” I whisper.

“Help you with what?”

“Get me out of here. Nikolai forced me into his marriage. I need to escape.”

His eyes widen. “No shit. Wow. Honestly, can’t say I’m surprised. An ugly fucker like that could never get a woman of his own.”

“He’s not ugly.” I don’t know why I’m defending Nikolai. “But that doesn’t matter. I just need to escape. I need to go. Now. Before he comes back.”

“I could get in trouble for this.”

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