33. Melissa

CHAPTER 33

MELISSA

A FEW WEEKS LATER – THE PHOTOGRAPHIC SHOW

I t had been a few weeks since I was stabbed, and I was healing well, having only required a few stitches. My favourite tote bag had saved me from further harm, sacrificing itself in the process. I was so glad I had brought my camera to the site that day to take some pictures and had put it into my bag as I left; in doing so, I may just have saved myself.

The whole ordeal left me seething. Another attempt on my life, and it didn't take a genius to know the MP was behind it. Marko was furious, too. He ramped up my security to the point where I couldn't step outside without a shadow. If he had his way, I'd never leave the house. He tried to put me under what felt like house arrest again, all in the name of safety. But I refused to be a prisoner in my own home. We all faced danger, but I wouldn't let the MP, Marko, or anyone else control my life. I had a life to live, and I intended to live it fully.

Nevertheless, Trigger was my constant shadow now, and I was grateful to him. His presence was both a comfort and a reminder of the dangers lurking. He even accompanied me to college lectures. At first, the lecturers were uneasy about his presence, but after Marko had a chat with the head of the college—and made a substantial donation—there were no more issues. Money talks, and in this case, it spoke volumes. Not that his presence would be a problem for much longer anyway, as I was nearly finished the course.

The MP was finally due in court in a few days, and with any luck, he'd plead guilty and bring this ordeal to a swift conclusion and this whole nightmare Mathieson had dragged me into would be over.

Thankfully, there had been no further attacks against the Rominov family or businesses, but Glowacki hadn't been as fortunate. Though we lacked direct proof, we believed the MP was involved. Who else would it be, after all?

Someone had tried to run over Sebastian and Magdalena, Janusz Glowacki's youngest children, but their alert security prevented any harm. Glowacki was livid, and I couldn't blame him. Only monsters would target kids.

While Glowacki's children had thankfully survived the attempt on their lives, some of his men were not so fortunate.

Two of his men were killed when one of their drug shipments was targeted and the truck was stolen. Another was on a supply run between dealers when he was murdered. And there had been an incident with one of his restaurants, which was shut down for a week due to a sudden influx of cockroaches—clearly sabotage—which had a detrimental effect on the business, though was quickly resolved.

Thankfully, the restaurant hosting my photographic show hadn't been targeted. I was happy about that because tonight was the big night, and I was anxious as hell as I stood beside Marko and Vlad and pretended to listen while they talked.

My hands shook, my mind a whirlwind of concern, and my emotions felt like they were on a rollercoaster. One minute, I was elated, convinced everything would go smoothly. The next, I feared something would go wrong, and my photographs would flop.

Feeling fidgety, I checked my reflection in the tall wall mirror for the hundredth time. I wore a gorgeous black lace bodycon dress designed by Marcie's friend Sara. It was stunning and despite my nerves, I felt beautiful, elegant, and sophisticated in it.

Sara's up-and-coming label, ‘Simply Sara' , was taking London by storm, and I felt lucky to be wearing one of her originals. It was even more thrilling that she had asked me to photograph her collection for her buyers.

Sara was a stunning woman in her early thirties who had worked for a major fashion label before striking out on her own. Funny and always impeccably dressed, we hit it off immediately. I couldn't wait to work with her. I also noticed how she blushed and got flustered whenever she looked at Trigger. Trigger, in turn, couldn't take his eyes off her whenever we visited to discuss my dress.

I'd deliberately sent Trigger to collect my dress the other day with the hint that he should ask Sara out. From the secret smile he wore when he handed me the dress later that day, I thought he might have, but so far he was keeping quiet about it. Naturally, I had asked, but he just smirked, winked and declined to answer. The infuriating bugger!

Was I matchmaking? Absolutely!

And why not? I really liked Trigger. We had become friends, and I enjoyed his company. He had even shown an interest in my photography, helping me set up the lighting and giving his opinion on my shots. I found he had a great eye for detail and was technical—qualities that made him a great sniper, I supposed.

Marko had told me that Trigger used to suffer from PTSD, but after a lot of therapy, he seemed to have that under control now. He was genuinely such a decent guy, despite his role within the Bratva, so it would be nice if he could find someone. I really hoped that someone would be Sara.

Movement caught my eye, and I saw Glowacki nodding my way. Oh no. He had been schmoozing with his family members and business associates for the last hour, but now it was time to officially open my show. My steps felt sluggish as I moved to stand near him.

My palms were sweating, and I suddenly felt claustrophobic. It was my turn to speak next, and dread gnawed at me. I had been rehearsing my short speech in my head all day, and it was driving me nuts. I just wanted to get this over with and enjoy the rest of the night.

Glowacki called everyone to attention and gave a short speech, thanking them for coming.

Oh god. I was so nervous I thought I might be sick. I hated giving speeches and being the centre of attention. Shifting from side to side, I tried not to make it noticeable. I couldn't stand still; I was so jittery. Heck, I was going to pee.

‘Cool and calm, Melissa, cool and calm ,' I told myself, taking a deep breath as Glowacki introduced me and I took to the small makeshift stage.

It wasn't working. My whole body started to shake. I didn't think I could do this. I looked at the audience and gulped, my breath hitching. A slight movement caught my eye as Marko moved into my line of vision and smiled. He gave me a small nod and mouthed, "you've got this!" In that instance, the breath I'd been holding released in a whoosh, and I calmed down.

Marko was right. With him as my biggest fan, I had indeed got this. I smiled back, opened my mouth, and let the words flow.