Page 9 of Cruel Longing

“Thank you.”

I hung up with Barbara. It was after noon, long past when I usually drove to the office. I would work the rest of the day from home. I wandered to my closet. Work from home meant work casual attire. I saw the red swimsuit hanging by the door.

I remembered Luka’s visit. The kiss by the pool. I touched my lips lightly, wondering if they appeared blue. Luka had kissed them raw. It was a brutal punishing kiss. It drained logic and sanity from my head. I’d waited five years for that kiss. I could still feel it burning my skin. It made me wonder what he had in store for our date tonight. More than that, I wondered why I agreed to go.

Was he going to punish me for what I had done to his family, or was I punishing myself?

Five

LUKA

Iopened the door to the suite to allow Viktor to enter. He cleared his throat as he stepped over the threshold. His brown suit seemed out of place in the elegant room.

“Why are we meeting here instead of at the compound?” he asked.

“Welcome to my new home.”

The family attorney faltered. “What? Here? The Vieux Carre?”

I sat at the head of the dining table. “Yes. Do you have a problem with my living arrangements, Viktor?”

He shuffled the files from his briefcase into a stack. “I’m only curious.”

“I believe the old adage “keep your friends close but your enemies closer” will serve me well until I purchase something.”

“You’re quotingThe Godfather?” His white eyebrows rose high on his forehead.

I chuckled. “I guess I am.”

I knew my temporary living arrangements would stir controversy. It was what I hoped for. I had lived in the castle for so long, I had almost forgotten what luxury was like. I slept, breathed, trained Bratva. Returning to this life required my full mental focus.

“Amara Amato doesn’t have to be your enemy,” Viktor explained. “But I did finalize the LLC you requested.”

“Thank you.” He pushed the file in front of me. “What else do you have?”

“I spoke with Anna this morning,” Viktor informed me.

“How is my mother?”

He inhaled. “She wants the estate finalized as quickly as possible. I assured her I’m working as quickly as I can.”

“Good. As long as she’s taken care of and has the compound, she should be fine.” Viktor could read between the lines. I wanted her contained.

“Your father made sure of it. Katya too.”

I wondered why he had taken such care to ensure my mother and sister’s inheritances were secure while he let our family empire crumble under Amara’s pressure. How could a man who had taught me the importance of authority and meticulously scrutinized every movement of his organization become a pawn?

“Viktor?”

“Hmm?” He looked up from the paperwork.

“His last days…”

“Yes?”

My throat tightened. “Were you there? What was going through his mind? In the end…how was he?”

Viktor removed the glasses from his face. “What are you asking? I feel like there is a hidden question somewhere in there.”

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