Page 26 of Boss

“I take your coat now,” A thin woman with protruding teeth and long yellow hair said. Apparently she had entered the room after they did. If the rule was to not allow women in their camp these ladies were the exception. She glanced to Tarek who was already shedding his coat and did the same. Kassidy’s unveiling revealed she wore tight fitted-jeans and a cashmere blue sweater with a white turtleneck underneath. Though she was covered she felt exposed.

Tarek walked over to her. She looked into her eyes. “Yegor wants us to join him for dinner. Don’t say anything to him unless I ask you the question. Understand?” he asked.

“Okay,” she said. He put a protective hand to her back and guided her to a table that Yegor sat at. She felt less fear when with him, but not much less. Even Stevie Wonder could see this was no average business meeting.

Bowls were set before them and drinks. The table had two trays of rye bread and garlic bread topped with cheese. Yegor glanced her way. She knew the look in his clear blue eyes because they pierced instead of stared. She turned her gaze over to Tarek and he was glaring at Yegor. Did he too suspect Yegor’s desires?

“You will like it,” Yegor said. “That is Borscht. It’s good. Tell her Voris.”

Kassidy stared down in the red lumpy soup in her bowl with a dollop of sour cream to the center. It looked like blood. She wasn’t sure what else was in it, but it smelled delicious.

“Beet and cabbage red soup,” The man across from her explained. “Meat and potatoes are in it. It’s a traditional dish.”

“What kind of meat?” she asked.

“Caribou,” Yegor laughed.

The other men within ear shot laughed. Tarek just continued to glare at Yegor.

“That is from my country,” Yegor said. “You American, black, what? You prefer fried chicken and french fries?” Yegor chuckled. “I know what you eat.”

Tarek glanced to her but she didn’t look his way. She did as he asked and held back her response. She picked up her spoon and ate. Yegor gave her a sly wink. He broke off bread and dunked it in the red soup and then tossed it into his wide mouth. He chewed, licked his ruby stained lips with his sapphire eyes trained on her. Either Tarek didn’t notice or he didn’t care. Kassidy forced herself to ignore the man but her eyes kept being drawn to his. He had that kind of presence.

“So LuxeOil is forcing you out?” Tarek asked.

Yegor slammed his fist on the table. The chatter in the cafeteria silenced. Yegor wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “His name is Alec Dresden. The camp is a mile North. He’s forced my men to stop working on the rigs. Thinks he can push me the fuck around. Bureaucrat, he has no idea who the Kovalevsky’s are. I don’t need a fucking contract to keep what is mine.”

“Have you reached out to your father for help?” Tarek asked.

Yegor’s glare nailed Tarek. Kassidy gaze slipped over and saw the Russian face go red with outrage. For a moment she expected a violent explosion.

“You think I need my father’s help? That I can’t handle it on my own?” Yegor asked through clenched teeth.

Kassidy knew in an instant that Tarek should apologize. The air seemed charged with Yegor’s repressed rage. Tarek, however, ate his soup and showed no signs of worry. It was as if he was purposefully trying to piss him off.

She was tempted to apologize for Tarek. But then Yegor’s rage simmered, he chuckled and shook his head. “You know I have always known you had balls for a Marshall. Big balls. Bigger than your brothers, and your fathers.”

Tarek ignored the comment.

Kassidy ate but she barely tasted the food. Her entire body was charged with nervous excitement. Tarek gaze slipped over to her and he winked. Had he insulted Yegor because of the way the man stared at her? She felt his hand on her knee under the table and sensed he had.

Tarek spoke. “I have some news. Something you will not like. It appears that Alec Dresden is working through my brother, Dale. Isn’t that right Angela?” he asked and removed his hand from her thigh.

She began to choke on her soup. She picked up her napkin and dabbed at her mouth. She looked at Tarek with eyes stretched. She wasn’t sure of the question.

Yegor stopped chewing. His gaze volleyed between her and Tarek. The red soup that had dropped to his blonde beard looked like pearls of blood. It made him appear even more ferocious.

Tarek leaned forward and spoke in his low husky southern voice. “My company wants to move into Deadhorse and replace you. But they can’t get around these pesky contract disputes. So they are supplying LuxeOil, make them less dependent on you. Dale thinks if he can force the board to vote him in as CEO and me out he can then deliver Deadhorse to them.”

“You know this to be true?” Yegor asked.

“I do,” Tarek smiled. “My brother hired this beautiful young lady to spy on me. To report back on what we discuss in this meeting so you can he gain leverage.”

“Then why did you bring her here?”

“Because she works for me now. Isn’t that right Angela?”

She stared at him disbelief. She then glanced over to Yegor. “Yes. I work for Tarek now.”

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