“Good.”
Something about the way he says it makes me go still. “Do you know how to use it?” There was a hint of…relief in his tone, which seems out of place.
“Of course. I type all the time.”
I open a résumé template. Yay for Microsoft for having one that I can just grab and fill in the blanks. “So. What is it that you do at the foundation?” I ask as I type in my name, email address and phone number.
“I’m an assistant to Elizabeth Pryce-Reed King.”
I look at him blankly. The name sounds pretty grand, and he announces it like it’s someone super important. Unfortunately, it means nothing to me.
He curls his lips a little, his eyes humorless. “She’s the head of the Pryce Family Foundation. Didn’t Mr. Eric with a C mention her while whining about all the injustice he’s been suffering?”
I almost burst out laughing. “No. He generally doesn’t talk admiringly of other people. At least, not when I’m around.”
Tolyan grunts.
“But I’m sure he thinks highly of her,” I say in an attempt to soothe Tolyan, whose expression says he’s been personally ego-punched by the fact that I don’t know who she is.
“He’d better. She’s worth a literal billion of him.”
“You really like her, don’t you?” I pause for a moment, then enter the address for the garage apartment for my contact information. I’m not going to be imposing on Tolyan once Roy’s taken care of. To be honest, I don’t even know exactly what I’m going to do once Tolyan tells me Roy’s out of my life. Maybe I should put going to Disney World on my bucket list. And pay for Tolyan to join me on the trip, to thank him.
Tolyan pours more vodka and drinks it like water.
“Got a crush on her?” I ask conversationally. I’m curious what makes him hold her in such high regard, when he seems not to think very highly of most people. It isn’t that he thinks he’s better than everyone, but people just don’t seem to measure up to his expectations.
He chokes and sputters. His large hand moves roughly over his face. “Me? On Lizochka?”
“Lizochka? Is that what you call Elizabeth Pryce-Reed King?” I never thought this man would sputter, but… I must’ve hit a nerve. He’s glaring at me like I just told him his penis was small.
“Most definitely not,” he says, ignoring my question about the nickname. “She’s a married woman.”
“So? You can still crush on somebody who isn’t available. Unrequited love and all that. There’s something heartbreaking about loving somebody who either doesn’t or can’t love you back.” Of course, since I prefer my world to end happily, I want the love to be requited. Like something happens to make the other person realize how special and wonderful the love that’s being given is.
From the scornful look on Tolyan’s face, he doesn’t seem to agree with my sentiment. “I don’t engage in fruitless effort. Or waste my time. When I set my mind on something, I get it.”
“Even if it’s a married woman?”
“She wouldn’t stay married for long.”
Wow. Confident much? It would appear brash and cocky if he didn’t exude such a firm belief that he could will such a thing into existence. It must be some kind of magic that makes him appear like he can do everything he says he’s going to do. I don’t think I’ve ever met a man with this kind of ironclad faith in himself.
My insides are fluttering a little. Heat courses through me, a warm, languid honey, and my heartbeat picks up.
Oh my God. Am I crushing on Tolyan?
I duck my head and swipe a hand across my chin. At least it’s dry. My face hot, I start typing away faster, Googling exactly what I need to put on the résumé.
Tolyan consumes three more vodkas and squeezes his valve spring while his Dobermans whine and lick him for attention.
“All done!” I say after an hour of typing, deleting and retyping my job experience.
“Good. Email it to me at [email protected].”
I do as he asks. The email gets sent; I close the laptop, then stand up and stretch. “Should be in your inbox now.”
He nods. “Want anything to drink?”
“No thanks. I’m really tired, so I’m going to get some sleep.”
I just need to be away from you so I can regain my composure. And think about whether I’m really crushing on you or just think male confidence is hot in general.
Crushing on Tolyan would be unwise. He’s nice enough to feed me and offer to help me with Roy, but that doesn’t mean he’s a nice guy. He definitely had something to do with that Owen guy’s “suicide.” And he basically kidnapped me by injecting me with some kind of sedative, although I don’t think he plans to keep me imprisoned in his penthouse.
Plus, I’m getting the vibe he never does anything without a reason. And I have no clue why he’s helping me. There’s gotta be some kind of upside for him, but I can’t figure out exactly what it is.
His eyes are lit with amusement as he looks at me over the rim of his glass. “The nap not enough?”
“It helped, but I’ve been tired for a while. Insomnia.”
“Of course. A new toothbrush and toothpaste is in the drawer next to the sink in the bathroom you used to shower.”
“Got it. Thank you. Good night,” I say, trying to project a weary cheeriness.
“See you tomorrow morning.” His eyes are laughing.
Chapter Thirteen
Angelika
I come slowly awake into a dark room. It feels large and smells too pleasant—not like cold, musty concrete and drywall—and the vents are quietly wafting cool air; there’s none of the rattling I’m used to from the unit in my apartment. I shift, the sheets so soft and nice against my bare arms, then lie on my back and stare upward.
I can’t believe how clear my head is. But then, I slept like a baby. I haven’t slept well in years. I usually get a light, fitful sleep, my senses semi-alert for footsteps that are too close or too heavy. Or somebody trying to open the door to my apartment late at night.
Sometimes they turned out to be nothing but someone working late or out getting drunk and confused and trying to unlock the wrong unit. But I could never let my guard down anyway, because Roy used to sneak into my room when I was asleep until our parents found out what he was doing. With our parents gone and me on my own, he could strike at literally any time.
But here, under Tolyan’s roof, it’s like my gut knows I’m going to be okay.
And now that my head’s working better, everything that happened yesterday flashes through my mind more clearly. I put a hand over my eyes, a small groan caught in my throat.
I acted like a complete idiot by asking if he likes Elizabeth. It’s none of my business who he likes. And for me to react all weird and high-school-girl-like!
Now that I think back on it, maybe I was relieved he doesn’t like her. It’s like I’m feeling…possessive of him.
Oh my God, Angelika, don’t be an idiot.
Tolyan’s much more experienced than I am. The man’s gotta be at least in his mid- to late thirties. And he’s rich and powerful, and probably used to women crushing on him all the time.