Chapter 15

Maksim~

W hen Katja had called me the other day to ask about her grandfather, I hadn't answered. Knowing her schedule the way that I did, I had simply texted her when the nurse would start, and what day and time that she would need to be at Windmill Gates to help collect Mr. Antonov. The plan was for him to be moved this Sunday, giving her plenty of time to clear out the third bedroom in their house for their live-in nurse that would also act as a guard to Mr. Antonov, deciding against employing too many people.

Now, though she hadn't texted back, she hadn't needed to. I'd given Katja everything that she needed to know, so a conversation hadn't been necessary. However, when I had texted her this morning to be ready at eight tonight, she had texted back, asking me what to wear. I'd texted that she could wear whatever she wanted, considering that she wouldn't be wearing it for long. I'd made my expectations of tonight clear, so her showing up had been all the consent that I needed.

I stood outside the club, watching the black sedan with Katja in the back pulling up to the curve. Millie's was a bratva gentlemen's club, and not the kind with stripper poles. Million-dollar deals were made here, and everything in the place screamed wealth and class. The place was basically one large boardroom with discreet entertainment. There was a full-service bar, accessible cocktail waitresses, and a couple of rooms in the back that were available to rent.

However, the real gem of the place was the showcase room. It was located on the second floor, and it was essentially a hotel suite. When you walked in, there was a sitting room to the right, and it was decorated with a cream-colored couch, a couple of end tables, a small coffee table, and it faced the huge bed that was to the left of the room. The sitting room also came with a free-standing bar and small refrigerator that came equipped to help you make whatever drink of your choosing.

As for the bed, it was a California King and took up most of the left side of the room. There were two nightstands on either side of the expensive bed, and off to the left was a door that led to a small bathroom. The room was to freshen up only, no large tub or anything like that. It had a small sink area, a toilet, and a shower that was barely wide enough to fit two people. All in all, it was functional enough, and it was also decorated with the same tasteful scheme as the rest of the club, though with one major difference.

The walls.

Except for the wall that the headboard rested against, they were all two-way mirrors, and it was the room that Melor used to introduce new bratva whores. Now, while we had plenty of kryshas that volunteered for the job, before he'd gotten married, Melor had been known to indulge every now and again if the girl had been of any interest to him. However, for the most part, our kryshas did the honors.

Anyhow, on the opposite sides of the mirrors were observation rooms. They were small, and we had eight in total that formed an arch around the suite. Whenever we had someone new to present, we turned on the activation light, signaling to the patrons of the place that a showing was going to take place. Though it wasn't quite an auction where we took bids, it did showcase the young lady's talents, and that determined her price range. Surprisingly, a lot of women wanted to go straight for the gold, so they didn't hold back when in the room. More often than not, there were usually a few men in the room with the new prospect, and it couldn't be said that our whores didn't make good money.

At any rate, Katja was the next whore on stage. Her grandfather's care wasn't cheap, and this would give her a choice once it was all said and done. Though I had no doubt that Nikel would be taken care of soon enough, if she wanted to keep her grandfather with her at home indefinitely, then she was going to have to earn the money for that somewhere, and men's need for pussy would never go out of style. There was also the fact that this would be a first for me, catapulting Katja into the most coveted whore on our menu.

As soon as the car stopped at the curve, I walked over, then opened the door for her. If Nikel had eyes on us, then he was going to see me treating Katja like she mattered, and while she might have when I'd first met her, her association with Nikel had ended all that. Trust was the most important thing in the bratva, and she'd admitted to agreeing to betray me before her common sense had gotten the better of her. That moment of culpability was enough to not ever trust her.

Without a word, Katja took my hand, and when she exited the vehicle, her beauty was something that would never be in question. Her black hair was pinned up with loose strands accenting her perfect face, and her makeup was subtle and applied flawlessly. Those golden doll eyes of hers were bright and captivating, and enough to drive a man to his knees.

However, as I looked my fill, she'd chosen a dress that'd been designed to turn heads and make men stupid. It was white that shimmered with each step, and the fabric hugged every curve of her body. While the neckline was modest and the sleeves reached her wrists, the hem stopped mid-thigh, and the matching white shoes made her look angelic. I wouldn't have been surprised if the dress had come with a pair of wings, instead of a matching purse.

Instead of telling her that she was beautiful, I grabbed her hand, then linked her fingers in mine, making a show of it. Again, if Nikel had eyes on us, then I wanted him to believe that his plan was working. I wanted him to believe that I was none the wiser, and that Katja was still in his pocket.

As we headed into the club, I ignored everyone that was trying to get my attention, then continued to lead Katja to the second floor. She didn't say anything, and I wondered if it was because she was nervous or if it was because she really had nothing to say. After all, we weren't dating, so banal chitchat did seem ridiculous.

Once we got to the second landing, I hit the switch to the left of the hallway- signaling that a show was about to begin -then escorted Katja down the long corridor to the door at the end. Using the keypad, I opened the door, then placed my hand on the small of her back to move her along. Again, she wasn't saying anything, but what was there to say?

When I turned the inside light on, I heard Katja's small gasp, and it could have been from the beauty of the room or because of the huge bed, but I wasn't curious enough to ask.

"Would you like something to drink?"

She was standing in the middle of the sitting area, and when she turned around to look at me, I was immediately hit with how wrong she looked inside this room. For all of its expensive décor, it was no match for her stunning beauty, and Katja Volkov would put any wonderous landscape to shame with how lovely she truly was.

"Do you have any tequila?"

My brows rose in surprise. "What happened to the wine?"

Her gaze was sure as she said, "I have a feeling that tonight calls for something stronger."

Not bothering to agree or disagree, I headed over to the bar, then poured her a shot of tequila. She didn't say anything as she walked over to grab her liquid courage, and I left her to it as I removed my jacket and guns. No one needed to see where I kept them on my person, and our audience would see just that if I waited until the show began to undress.

After placing my guns in one of the nightstands near the bed, I turned to face Katja again, and she looked like she wanted another drink. I understood her being nervous, but she'd made her choice, and so I expected her to honor her word.

Wanting to make sure that my expectations were clear before I hit the switch for the shades on the other side of the mirrors, I said, "While you may believe that you are here for me to fuck, that is not true."

Her head reared back in surprise. "What?" Her bright eyes started darting around a bit. "I'm not here for…for you?"

"I do not share, Katja," I quickly corrected her. "As long as you're spreading your legs for me, there will be no one else. I do not get turned on by watching or allowing other men to fuck who I am entertaining at the moment."

I watched her throat work nervously. "Then…then what am I doing here if…if not-"

I put my hand up to stop her. "You are here to audition for me," I clarified. "Your grandfather's care is not cheap, and so you are here to prove to me that you're worth the cost and trouble." Her back snapped straight, and that fire in her really did enhance her beauty. "You're here to prove to me that you have what it takes to be just the kind of whore that I would spend thousands on. You're here to prove that you can please me in all the ways that I want to be pleased." I cocked my head a bit, enjoying the quiet anger that danced in her eyes. "You're here to show me all the reasons why I should keep you around, instead of just putting a bullet in your gorgeous head for daring to agree to Nikel's arrangement."

"And…and if I can't?" she asked between clenched teeth. "What…what happens if you're…you're disappointed?"

"Have you forgotten that I already know what your pussy tastes like?" I taunted, reminding her of our encounter in the restroom. "If you fail tonight, then it's because you didn't try, lyublyu."

Instead of replying to that, she asked, "How many chances do I get?"

"Only one, baby," I answered truthfully. "Only one."