Page 10 of King of Malice
Sighing, I open my phone, staring at his name. Even looking at the letters typed in my phone makes me flush. I might just go to bed…
I toss the phone on the couch, flopping back. I cannot use him as fantasy fodder. I have to face him, conduct interviews with him, maintain some semblance of professionalism.
I grab the remote, turning on the television. I ought to keep my focus on Cadence, though Steve’s words calmed many of my fears.
She planned this. She’s probably gone on some epic adventure. She might need to dry out in rehab after, but this isn’t a crisis.
Not finding anything on the television I want to watch, I pull out the files I brought home to review for a long-term nanny for little Anna Ivanov.
I sort several of them into potential candidates or definitely not. Finally, around eleven, I quit and go to bed.
My sleep is restless, filled with dreams about Cadence and then Dimitri.
When my alarm finally goes off at six, I’m relieved to just get up. I pull on my workout clothes and head down to the gym in my building and then return to my apartment for coffee and a yogurt parfait.
Showering and dressing in my favorite dress pants and a cute draped, silky shirt, I collect up my work from the night before and head to the office. The bus ride isn’t too long, and I’ve given up trying to work with the bus stopping and starting so I stare out the window.
I was up early enough that I put rollers in my hair and it hangs down my back in loose waves that I always love.
The bus arrives at my stop, and I slide out of my seat and down the aisle. “Bye, Harry. Have a good day,” I call to the driver.
“You’re a peach, Ava,” he responds with a wink. Harry is in his sixties and nicest guy you’d ever want to meet.
I grin back over my shoulder, but as I look forward again, I stop dead as I run into a solid wall of chest.
I gasp, my hands coming up to meet hard muscle, my eyessnapping up to meet a familiar gaze. Dimitri. His arm wrapping around my back.
That’s when my surprise turns to fear, my eyes going wide as the color surely drains from my face. I try to yank back, but his grip is too tight.
I can feel my chest tighten, my breathing becoming erratic as my vision tunnels.
“Ava,” he says in that even, calm voice that settles me enough that I don’t start thrashing wildly.
“Dimitri,” I croak out. “I didn’t see you. I thought…” And then I look down to see Anna strapped in a stroller next to us. The sight of her makes me relax as I swallow down my fear, easing back from his large frame.
That’s when I realize the bus hasn’t pulled away yet. “You all right, Ava?”
“Fine, Harry. Thanks.” Now my cheeks are infused with heat as I shake my head at my own stupidity. I’ve made a fool of myself.
“I did not mean to frighten you. My apologies.” Dimitri’s hand is still at my waist, and I take another step back so I’m out of his reach.
“It’s fine. I just didn’t see you. It’s my fault. I wasn’t looking.” I try for a bright smile but I’m out of sorts and I’m sure my lips just look stretched thin.
“Come,” he says, holding out a single hand to me. “Sit for just a moment. Recover yourself.”
I shake my head. “I should…”
“You should take a few breaths.”
I’m shaky enough that I nod. His hand at my back, he pushes the stroller with one tattooed hand, crossing the street and opening the door to a shop.
The smell makes me pause, the sweet scent of pastries delightfully comforting as is the beautiful case of treats displayed before me.
My mouth drops open. “How have I not been in this place?”
Dimitri leads me to a chair, then unstraps Anna. “It’s run by a distant cousin of mine on my mother’s side and happens to be a favorite of both Anna’s and mine.”
Anna, let loose from the stroller, makes a beeline for the case, hands and face pressed to the glass that separates her from the pastries.
