Chapter 10

Chapter 10OliviaIdrove back to the auction house in a daze. My hair was back to perfect, my suit unrumpled, every button in place—and yet beneath it, I was hiding all the marks Viktor had put on me. All the marks I had loved receiving. Marks I was now desperate to keep hidden. My arms were still a little stiff and sore from my time hanging onto his bedframe, but I managed to keep control of the wheel as the traffic got progressively crazier, the closer I got to Boston. But my mind was racing.I wasn’t mad at him for being so seductive. He hadn’t made me do anything I hadn’t thoroughly wanted to do. No, I was mad at myself.There were no excuses this time. No blackout to hide his tattoos. No ignorance to excuse my time in his bed. I knew the man was a career criminal. I knew he’d probably killed people. I knew my life was already complicated by his being Michael’s biological father. But here I’d done it again, running upstairs with him to his bedroom like I was sixteen, and had no thought of consequences.I’m messing around with a criminal, I thought as I slowed for a traffic jam up ahead. I have a son with a criminal, and I still have to tell him about it. And I don’t think I know how to let anyone else in my life know about this.And the worst part of all of it was that none of it changed the thrill I felt deep inside. None of it made me crave him any less. Of all the men I had ever encountered, Viktor was the only one I absolutely had to have in any way that I could get him.“What the hell is wrong with me?” I mumbled as I entered the stop-and-go traffic inching past an accident up ahead. Was I just sick somehow? Reckless? What was it about this one guy?He was spectacular in bed, which really didn’t help me fight my obsession with him. He was a cool customer in any situation, no matter how tough. He was brilliant, imaginative, and always in control. The hotness only made it all worse.But he lived and worked on the wrong side of the law. That had always been a dealbreaker for me, ever since I had dumped my first boyfriend for selling weed to junior high school students. I couldn’t afford to compromise my own standards just because something in me was thirsty for bad boys.Except that was stereotyping Viktor, and not from what I had seen of him so far. The man was a paradox—criminal, but honorable and strangely kind. Probably capable of great violence, but I’d never felt anything but safe with him.“I don’t know what the hell I’m supposed to do about this,” I muttered as I scooped up my phone to text the auction house while I was stuck. I’d use the shitty traffic as my excuse, but I knew that wouldn’t work every time I was late getting back from Salem.I needed to get Viktor’s job done, handled, and off my desk so he and work didn’t mix anymore. I couldn’t deal with the conversations that would arise otherwise.When I finally landed back at my desk, it was past six, and the only person remaining was Marcie. She smiled and waved as she saw me walk in. Then her smile faded as she saw my face.“Oh crap. He didn’t go with somebody else at the eleventh hour, did he?”I blinked at her, then realized what she was talking about and forced my smile back on. “Oh, no, all of that’s going ahead just fine. I’ve just been caught in traffic for the last hour and a half.”“Oh! That’s what your text was about. I get it.” She dug in her drawer and offered me a caramel.I went over and took it, genuinely grateful. The roast beef, mushrooms, and greens I’d had with Viktor had felt like a snack after all that…exercise.“Thanks. I’m starving.” And I still had to let Anna know how late I would be.I did it as soon as I was back at my desk and pulled out my phone. Finally got back from Salem. Need an extra hour to handle my paperwork. Is that okay or should I get the little guy and just have him here?She replied, It’s fine, bro’s not coming over after all. I could use the company.“Crap,” I muttered. Marcie lifted an eyebrow, but didn’t pry as I replied. Another argument?Yeah. Just before you texted me. Someone he used to go to school with got shot at Boston General. He’s dead. But the thing is, I looked up the news on it, and the guy is suspected of killing one of his patients.My eyes widened. Jesus.It’s really weird, and when I asked Luis about it, he wouldn’t tell me anything.I sat back in my seat, my eyes so wide that Marcie took one look at me and said, “Okay, what kind of crazy shit is going on?”“You, uh, hear about that shooting over at Boston General? I didn’t have the radio on.” I kept texting while I talked to Marcie. That’s really messed up, I guess it’s a shock for him, can you imagine finding out an old school buddy turned into a killer? I’ll pick up some chocolate on my way over, we can hang out a while.Thanks, sweetie. I’ll see you when you get here.Marcie shifted in her seat. “Yeah, I got some phone alerts about it. They said the guy was a suspect in one of those Angel of Death type murders.” Her eyebrows rose. “You don’t know anyone involved in that, do you?”“No, but a friend of mine is neighbors with that dead suspect and now she’s freaked out.” The lie came out smoothly, though I felt bad about telling it. But Anna’s brother’s drama and his tie to this guy wasn’t Marcie’s business.“Holy crap.” She popped one of her caramels into her mouth, shaking her head as she did so.I nodded as I booted up my computer.***“Boston General have confirmed that the suspect, David Sanchez-Rivera of Cambridge, was not employed by the hospital nor any nursing agency that they use. His last known work address was with an automobile repair shop shut down in 2020 for suspected money laundering. Authorities have not been able to determine what his connection was to the man he killed, or how he was able to infiltrate the nursing staff undetected.” The newscaster’s voice rattled on calmly as I fought the after-dinner traffic. “No one has come forward yet with any information about this case, and the coroner’s office has not released any further details. The victim, Mr. Ivan Petrovich, who was fifty-seven years old, leaves behind a successful accounting business and does not appear to be known to his killer. As yet, any motives are unknown,” the newscaster concluded.I huffed out a sigh, mind wandering a little. The deeper questions of the case would probably never even make their later soundbites, because the only person involved who was not dead was whoever shot the killer.What had it been? A serial killer targeting someone completely unrelated? A hit? And who had then turned around and shot Luis’s old school friend in the hospital basement?I couldn’t expect any kind of answer to any of that, not from the news. Maybe three months from now, or later, some online analyst with a wild hair up his ass about mysteries would lay out every bit of the case, and I would finally get closure.When I finally got to Anna’s place, she was sitting on her front steps with Gina in her arms, enjoying the last of the daylight. Pookie was playing with Michael out on the sidewalk while she watched.“Hey!” I called as I stepped out of my car. She smiled and waved, and my son ran over for a hug. My back got a twinge when I lifted him. “Oof, you’re getting so huge. One day soon you’ll be picking me up.”“Really?” He blinked at me as I bounced him in my arms, trying to ignore how the effort made my stiff muscles crack. “Will I really get that big?”“Big and strong.” And dangerously quick, and smart as the edge of a razor. Just like his father.God. I wonder if I have to worry about what happens if he turns out to look too much like Viktor. Someone in his line of business must have enemies. What if someone makes the connection and targets us?The thought made me go cold as I turned to follow Anna back inside.She saw my expression and looked at me worriedly. “Did something happen today?”Yeah, something did. I had my reunion with Michael’s dad, and he fucked me silly. Also, he is definitely a Russian mobster. How was your day?But I knew her day had been crappy too. Besides, I had to keep the whole Viktor matter to myself. I didn’t even know how I would begin to bring it up with anyone.“Just a lot of fighting the wind and traffic coming down from Salem. I get great commissions from the rich folks up there, but every time I come home from it, something crazy happens.”Her laugh sounded forced, but her eyes were warm. “I get it. Come on inside, I made iced tea.”Michael and Pookie played in the kitchen and Gina went down for a nap while Anna and I roosted with our tea in her small living room. As soon as the kids were occupied, Anna’s smile started to crumble around the edges.“You’ve seen the details on that case? The one about Luis’s old friend?”“Yeah, I checked on it. It looks like a big mess.”“They don’t have any idea why he killed that Russian man,” she said, sounding a little distraught. “And I don’t have any idea why Luis would be this upset over his death. I mean. I remember the guy from school, but that doesn’t mean I knew him. He and Luis weren’t exactly tight then.”I chewed my lip. “Maybe it’s just the shock. Like you find out that the person you used to swap baseball cards with is suddenly a killer. I can’t even begin to think how that would feel.”She swallowed, and after a moment nodded and said, “Yeah, that might be it.”“Maybe we could talk to Luis together, see if he’s okay?” I suggested softly, but she shook her head.“No, you shouldn’t get involved in this. I know you’re dealing with your own crap. I don’t want you ending up with Luis pissed at you as well. Hopefully, he’ll calm down.”“You’re the closest thing I have to family after Michael,” I reminded her. “If it’ll help you, I’ll dive in without a second thought.”She smiled, her eyes still too wet. “Thanks, honey. But I need to figure out how to talk to Luis about all of this myself. I’m sure he would clam up even worse if you involved yourself, you know what my brother is like, he won’t talk about his emotions.”I forced a smile and nodded. “I’ll stay out of it, then. But seriously, if you need to vent more, I’m here.”She sighed, laying her head on my shoulder. “Thanks for being there.”“Always. It would take a heck of an emergency for me to not be.”Just then, my phone buzzed with a new message. I opened it, it was from Viktor. I rather wish that you could have stayed tonight.My eyes widened and my mouth went dry again. My heart was suddenly pounding.“What is it?” Anna was right there to see my screen. When she read it before I could close it, her eyes widened too. “Oh my God.” She straightened and blinked at me in happy amazement. “Do you have a new boyfriend?”Holy crap did I blush at that. “U-um…no?” I am so not ready for this conversation. “More like I ran into someone I used to, uh… who I once, you know…” My blush deepened and I looked away.“That’s obviously not all this is, though. Not when he’s leaving you messages like that. Who is this guy? How come you haven’t told me about him?” She jumped on the subject with the desperation of someone who badly needed a distraction.What should I tell her?I decided to skim over the facts. “I met him four years ago in Salem when I was chasing up the McDonough account. He was at the hotel I took shelter in. We hit it off. I don’t know what I’ll do about it now, but he seems to be interested.”My heart was beating so fast that I felt dizzy. Right under my light blouse, barely covered by the collar, was one of the suck marks Viktor had left on me. If she saw it…“Wow. You ran into him again today?”“Yeah, I stopped at the same place for a coffee on the way back,” I lied, without even really making the conscious decision to do so. “He’s one of their regulars. He’s, uh, really hot, but I don’t actually know that much about him.” And what I did know was mostly things I couldn’t repeat.“What’s his name?” Her chin was on her hand, and she had that little half smile she had worn a lot when we’d shared gossip in college.“Viktor. He’s eccentric. Kind of private.” I looked down at the message and felt my cheeks heat up again just looking at it.I had wanted to stay too. But it had been impossible. And I didn’t want to tell him that, any more than I was ready to tell him why it had been impossible. My obligation to his flesh and blood, and mine.“Maybe you should go for it. I mean, how long has it been?”“Pretty much since I last saw him, give or take some crappy dates.” I smirked back at her. “I haven’t met anyone as interesting as him since.”“So go for it! I mean, what’s the worst that can happen?” She hesitated. “He’s not married, is he?”“No, no, nothing like that. Or at least, if he is, he’s good at hiding it.” I doubted he had ever been married. Not because a woman couldn’t fall in love with a guy like that, but because I just couldn’t see him taking that much interest in a woman, and then leaving her behind. He seemed like the kind of guy who wanted to live with his commitments.Or maybe I was reading too much into it.“Yeah, I guess I could give him a try. But first I have to tell him that I have a kid now. That scares off a lot of guys.”She put a hand on my shoulder. “Hey. If this guy’s scared of being with a single mom, it tells you a little about his thoughts on responsibility. And nothing good.”I nodded, but inside my doubts were nipping away at me. We had a kid linking us now, and he needed to know about that kid so we could figure out what to do. And then I had to figure out how to tell Anna and Luis about him.But I did know this, when I described Michael’s father to them, I was only ever going to call him an importer. Not a crime lord. That secret I would keep to myself.