Page 38 of Blood & Snow
They'll only do what he says and leave me trapped with the beast.
So I relent and though my eyes wistfully search the horizon for any escape, I slide into his car and his driver shuts the door behind me.
Xander climbs in the other side and we ride in silence across the city to one of the tallest high-rise apartments on this side of town.
My neck cranes to see the top of it, and Xander's hand finds the small of my back as he guides me into the building.
We use the elevator to climb in silence to the twenty-eighth floor where he opens a door to an apartment facingthe river.
The view when we walk in is breathtaking and I immediately feel out of place.
The man has money—I knew that based on how much he pays me, but this is next-level.
I'm shocked.
"Kitchen is stocked, anything you can think of. Make yourself at home and I'll be back."
I set down my bag and explore the main living area while he disappears into what I assume is his bedroom.
The apartment reflects his personality—expensive but utilitarian, beautiful but dangerous.
Weapons hide in plain sight among the decorative objects, and I spot at least three guns within easy reach of the seating area.
I could easily pull one out and use it to procure my freedom, but I don't feel threatened by this deviation to my schedule for now.
Books line built-in shelves along one wall, mostly Russian literature.
Though Dostoevsky sits beside Sun Tzu,Anna Kareninanext toThe Strategyof Conflict.
The juxtaposition seems appropriate for a man who profits from both the wars he fights and the art of ensuring they stay hidden.
"Are you hungry?" Xander asks as he walks back in.
His jacket has been removed, tie loosened.
His hair is mussed slightly too, as if he ran his hand through it.
I turn to face him fully and sigh.
"Not really."
The stress of the evening killed my appetite hours ago.
"I should call my sister and explain why I won't be home. I don't even know what to say to her."
His eyes darken as he moves toward a liquor cabinet and pours a drink.
"Tell her you're working a double."
"Fuck's sake… You don't get it, do you?"
I throw my hands up in frustration.
"I'm a normal person, Mr. Morin. I don't like lying to my family. I can't keep doing this."
"You blame me for the situation you're in."
He turns, sipping his drink, and I almost lose it.
