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.“Oh, I forgot about the pizza, I’m starving.”Brad pushed the box toward him a little, realizing neither of them had eaten since at least lunch.“It’s all yours.”Eric grabbed a slice and started devouring as if he hadn’t eaten in days.He grabbed himself a glass of water, looking at the coffee pot to see whether or not the pot was done brewing.It wasn’t.“Coffee should be ready in a few minutes.” Brad looked at his partially eaten slice of pizza.“You have to eat something, man,” Eric told him.“You’re no good to Kali tired and cranky because you haven’t eaten.Just be tired.”Eric made it sound like everything was going to be alright.“What if one of them gets shot?” Someone had to say it.His friend shrugged.“Kali is wearing a vest.Brocco promised me they’d make sure Amy was as safe as they could make her… there’s nothing we can do.You’ve been benched.”“It’s a flesh wound.I could have easily walked it off.” Even as he said it, his thigh throbbed a little.That Vicodin was sounding better and better.The coffee finished brewing and they each took a cup and headed back to the living room.Eric sat down and changed the channel to one showing Men in Black.It had just started.“Hey, there’s coffee and cold pizza in the kitchen.Cups are on the counter, help yourselves,” he told the agents, then sat down and resolved to watch the movie.If anything maybe he could convince himself nothing was wrong and Kali and Amy would be walking through the front door in a matter of hours.Chapter TwelveShe felt comfortable leaving Amy upstairs where it was relatively safe.Gary said nothing as he led her back through the hall, down the staircase, and back to the large living room area where Alexi was sitting with Brocco and Salazar.“Now you see,” Alexi said, waving his hand in her direction, “This is more like it.”It was hard to keep from cringing when he talked.While most women might have found Alexi’s accent attractive, it only reminded her of Victor and the years of her life she wasted being his.She shoved the memory out of her mind and carefully found herself a seat, making sure to sit with her knees bent and ankles crossed like more refined women did.“I think you should sit here next to me when Victor arrives.He should be here very soon.We don’t want to seem distant lovers, no?” Alexi winked at her.Her stomach jumped.No, despite her musing about what it would have been if she had been Alexi’s instead of Victor’s for all those years, he did absolutely nothing for her.Men who winked were creepy.Or at least he was creepy when he winked.“Sure.When his car gets here, I’ll move.”Alexi tipped his head thoughtfully.“I like feisty women.I have to say I am somewhat surprised you were with Victor.He likes his women more… spineless.”She gave him a bored look.“It’s because of Victor that I am the cold-hearted bitch I am today.”“Would you like a drink?” he offered.“Ice water would be fine.” She looked at Brocco and Salazar who sat politely on the couch, every so often glancing at their watches.Gary went behind the bar and grabbed her glass of ice water and brought it to her, then returned to his position standing in front of the bar.She wondered if they were trained to do that, or if these men just figured out where to stand and what their duties were without really being told.Alexi hadn’t told Gary to get her water at all.It was while she mused on the idea of having minions that the man by the door answered the intercom and announced that Victor had arrived with two cars and five men total.“Do you want us to check for guns?”Alexi sounded exasperated.“Of course.Disarm all of them, except Victor.”“Brilliant plan,” she told him, knowing damn well that Victor was going to be furious when he saw her.Alexi patted the couch next to him.“Come and sit next to me, my darling.We need to make nice to keep up appearances.We wouldn’t want Victor to realize this isn’t real.”With an inward groan she put on her best party smile and sat next to Alexi.Close even.She could act.She spent at least the final three years with Victor acting and out of necessity; she’d gotten good at it.He leaned back into the couch and put his arm on the couch behind her.She stayed perched on the edge.When she saw him her stomach did a somersault, but she kept her expression calm and even.Victor surveyed his surroundings and finally allowed his eyes to settle on Alexi and at last, on her.There was a glint of cruelty in his eyes.“Have a seat,” Alexi said, gesturing to the chair to Alexi’s left.For that moment she was thankful she was sitting to Alexi’s right [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]