Page 7 of His Smile
Shaking his head, Mikhail flicked his gaze out the windowbefore looking back at him. “When do you think the senator will make his move?”
They had both just come from New York, having met withAdrik. Like Mikhail, Adrik worked for the organization as well, as New York’sresiding boss and handled a large shipping business. While Mikhail imported andexported mostly guns, Adrik delved in the baser level of the industry— flesh.Women, assassins, down to human organs, Adrik was the expert on moving peopleand their parts all around the world without a trace.
Knowing Mikhail wanted a timeline on when to prepare hisnext big weapons shipment, Roman leaned back in the leather seat and popped thestiff muscles in his neck as he estimated the senator’s response. Adrik hadcalled Roman for the request on some leveraging information on a senator givinghim issues, and since Adrik’s issues could potentially be Mikhail’s issues,Roman decided an in-person meeting would be best.
“Go ahead and start your process for the next shipment,there is no possibility of Senator Harkin taking the risk of letting theinformation leak, not with elections coming up.” The embezzlement andprostitution evidence Roman had on the man would destroy the Senator’s careerin a matter of days if leaked.
Pulling out his phone again, Mikhail nodded as he put insome data. The jet gave a gentle lurching rock as they landed.
Nico, one of Mikhail’s men stood up from his seat with theother men in the front and came over to them in the back. Looking directly atRoman, Nico spoke. “Mosca texted me to confirm he is here, sir.”
Giving Nico a barely discernible nod, Roman ignoredMikhail’s questioning gaze. Roman knew why he was staring at him, Mikhailwanted to know why Mosca was texting his lieutenant instead of texting Romandirectly. The truth was, Mosca probably did text him that info, but Roman wascurrently refusing to look at his phone. They were probably no less thanthirteen unread text messages on his phone, all from Rahina. If he looked atthem, he knew for a fact he would see something she said that would bait him torespond. He would rather wait and deal with her when he undoubtedly saw heragain. He could feel the plane turning and slowing to a stop as he played with thefantasy of strangling the annoying dancer.
“Two days is a long time to be away, wouldn’t you agree?”The smile in Mikhail’s voice brought Roman’s attention back sharply.
With a sense of ridiculous dread, Roman followed Mikhail’sline of sight out the jet window. Sitting on top of the hood of his car, Rahinasat smiling broadly as she held up her hand to shield her eyes from the sun asshe watched the jet park. Her long dark legs kicked excitedly from theirdangling position on the black SUV, leaning over she spoke excitedly to Moscawho straightened from his leaning position against the vehicle.
“I finally get to see her,” Mikhail gave Roman a rare amusedsmile. “I was hoping I would.”
Roman scowled. “Who told you?” Though he could pretty muchguess who spoke first.
Hearing the jet’s air locked door open, they both stood up.
Mikhail buttoned the jacket of his suit as he confirmedRoman’s suspicions. “Actually, Alexei and Dimitri both shared the interestingnew addition to your life.”
Giving the bald-headed bastard a cold glare, Roman steppedpast him towards the front of the jet.
“She’s beautiful,” Mikhail stated.
Roman mentally shrugged off the man’s compliment as hestepped out of the plane onto the sun-drenched tarmac. Taking the shortstaircase with quick, purposeful steps, Roman paused as Mikhail stepped offonto the ground next to him.
“I swear she wants me to kill her,” he growled to Mikhail.Roman watched her jump excitedly from the hood and stood next to Mosca, hecould practically feel her excitement for him from here. “And to be honest, I’mfinding it increasingly difficult not to.”
Mikhail said nothing in response as they walked forward. Asif she was merely waiting for him to cross some invisible line, Roman watchedas Rahina set herself free from Mosca’s side and rushed towards him.
“What are you doing here?” His sharp-edged question hit herlike a glass wall as she came to a stop in front of him.
Giving him a confused smile, she shook her head. “Um,bringing you undying loyalty and devotion after two days of agonizingloneliness,” she said as if his question was ludicrous. “Also, I brought youlunch, it’s in the car.”
Giving her a slow threatening smile, Roman stared down ather deep russet eyes and coffee brown skin that glowed in the sun. Sparklingexcitement shined back at him, crackling along the surface of his resolve.Today she wasn’t dressed like a mushroom, long glossy black hair pulled into aponytail gleamed against her bare shoulders, forcibly drawing every male eye toher smooth skin. Shorts, tank top, and sneakers she looked as if she was goingto spend the day at the beach. Looking past her, Roman walked towards Mosca andtoyed with the idea of leaving her stranded on the tarmac alone.
He heard her beginning to follow him before she stopped andcalled out. “Nico,” she said excitedly, waiving to the lieutenant nearMikhail’s car. “I didn’t know you went out of town as well.”
Nico was holding the door open for Mikhail when he gave avisible sigh. Knowing it was useless to try and ignore her, Nico gave her atired smirk of acknowledgment. Roman and Mikhail paused. Roman watched as shebegan to make her way over to the lieutenant and felt a sudden insatiable urgeto grab her by that long black ponytail and pull her back.
Mikhail’s eyes met with his with an understanding that onlyfurther pissed Roman off. Stepping forward to stand next to Nico, Mikhailremoved his shades and focused his ice blue stare at his lieutenant.
“And how do you two know each other?” The question was loudenough for them all to hear, but it was aimed directly in Nico who stiffenedimmediately.
Still a couple of paces ahead of him, Roman watched Rahinahook both of her thumbs into her jean back pockets and rock on her heels. Hecould see the profile of her mischievous smile. “That’s a secret,” she sangout.
Nico blanched as he looked from Mikhail and to Roman’sgrowing deadly smile from behind her.
“It’s not a secret at all,” Nico explained quickly. “Dimitriput me in touch with her a days ago about her booking Vital for a party.”
Vital, was one of Mikhail’s nightclubs he owned in Boston.Looking to Mosca, Roman watched the young lieutenant give him a small shake ofhis head telling him, he didn’t even know about this.
“Nico, my God!” Rahina drew back in shock looking from Nicoto Mikhail. “I thought there was a level of discretion in this organization?”Shaking her head, she gave Nico a playful scowl before thrusting out her handin a chipper greeting towards Mikhail. “Hi, I’m Rahina.”
