No answer. Starting to feel stupid.
You're not stupid!
A cold chill crept up my neck. In the back of my mind, an ugly, mean voice started to taunt me. He's playing you and you were dumb enough to fall for it.
I shook off the irritating taunting. Yuri had been so sweet the other night. He wasn't playing around with me. Whatever that nasty voice in my head said, it wasn't true. Yuri wouldn't lead me on just to ditch me like this.
"Lena?"
It wasn't Yuri's voice that called to me but Ty Weston's. He touched my arm and drew my gaze. Smiling, he asked, "Can I buy you a drink while you wait?"
I glanced at my empty wine glass. "Sure."
Ty's hand settled on the small of my back and he guided me through the throng. At the bar, I exchanged my glass of wine for another. He asked for whiskey, neat, and took me to a pair of chairs that had opened up in the opposite corner of the bar area. He sipped his drink and ran his finger over the rim. "It's busy here tonight."
"Very," I agreed and swirled the dark, rich wine in my glass. "Are you out celebrating or is this a regular dinner spot for you?"
"Just a run-of-the-mill get-together."
"Oh."
"You're on a date?"
"Well, I'm supposed to be," I said with a nervous laugh. "He's running late."
Ty sighed and set aside his glass. Leaning forward, he touched my knee. "Sugar, if it's the man I'm thinking of, he's not coming."
"What?" I sat back and laughed. "You must be thinking of the wrong guy. It's Yuri Novakovsky."
Ty wore a reluctant expression as he plucked his phone from his pocket. He tapped at his screen and spun it around for me to see. At first I wasn't quite sure what I was supposed to see. Then it hit me like a ton bricks.
My heart stuttered in my chest at the sight of Yuri in a tuxedo with his arm wrapped around a drop-dead gorgeous brunette in a glimmering gold evening gown. Self-consciously, I rubbed a hand along the front of my knockoff dress. The silver hoops dangling from my ears and the simple bangle bracelets I'd worn looked so cheap compared to the diamonds and emeralds dripping from her neck and ears. No doubt her high heels probably cost more than Vivi and I spent on our rent every month.
What the hell was wrong with me? Had I really believed that I could ever move in that world? I could never be that woman. Obviously Yuri had figured it out before me.
"When was this taken?" I croaked the question as I tried to blink back the tears prickling my eyes.
"A few hours ago at a charity gala in Berlin. Apparently he was there for some pipeline deal." He hesitated before saying, "Her name is Tanya Kruger. She's a media heiress he dated last year."
Of course she was. Ty tried to pull the phone away but I stopped him. "Are there more?"
Compassion flashed in his dark eyes. "You don't need to see them."
"I do." I had to burn the images into my brain so I'd never be stupid enough to think a guy like Yuri would ever want something to do with a ghetto princess like me.
Holding the phone in my trembling hands, I swiped through the gallery. Yuri looked sexy and dashing and so damn happy. In every photo he smiled. In every photo she clung to his arm. Tanya—with the perfect hair and the perfect dress and the perfect face. And the perfect bank account and pedigree no doubt.
It was obvious he'd gotten a better offer while he was away on business. He could have come back to Houston to see stupid, poor, unlovable, unemployed me or he could stay there and rub elbows with Europe's wealthy and elite while a supermodel lookalike gazed adoringly at him.
I handed the phone back to Ty and lifted my glass of wine to my mouth. In three long pulls, I gulped it down. Catching Ty's eye, I said, "You must think I'm a real dumbass."
His gaze never wavered. "I don't think that at all, Lena. I think men like Yuri are used to taking what they want and discarding it when they're done. You're at a disadvantage because you didn't grow up in this glossy world of mine. You learn quickly to spot the users."
Was Yuri a user? He came across as so caring and kind. Was it all an act? I rubbed my face. "God, I'm really losing my touch. There was a time when this wouldn't have happened to me."
Ty gripped my hand. "Don't let him win. He's nothing, okay? He's just some rich ass Russian with some stupid boats."
My lips quirked in a sad smile. "I thought he was something special."
"Oh, honey." He squeezed my fingers. "Don't."
Feeling colossally stupid, I cringed at the idea of going home and telling Vivian what had happened. She would be so sweet and supporting but it wasn't what I wanted right now.
And Erin? She would be furious for me and demand that Ivan track Yuri down and kick his ass as a twisted way of restoring my honor. Knowing how tightly she had Ivan wrapped around her little finger, he'd probably do it too. Then Dimitri and Nikolai would be dragged into the mess. The last thing Benny needed was the stress of a huge bust-up in our tightly connected group of friends.
"Hey," Ty tipped my chin with his finger, "come out with me."
"What? No. I'm okay. I'll go home. You don't have to offer to take me out because you pity me."
"I don't pity you. I actually like you quite a bit. I think we got off on the wrong foot. You and me? We have more in common than you think, Lena Cruz."
I wasn't so sure about that but the prospect of a sad night in my apartment didn't seem so appealing. Tempted by his offer, I asked, "What did you have in mind?"
Grasping my hand, he dragged me out of my seat. "Well, it wouldn't be any fun if I told you…"
* * *
The relentless chirp of a cell phone dragged Yuri from a deep sleep. Confused and groggy, he rolled onto his back and tried to remember where the hell he was. Berlin. A hotel. Another night alone in a strange bed.
The cell phone on the bedside table continued to vibrate and ring. If it had been the ringtone from his business phone, he would have let it go but it was his private line, the line to which only a handful of people had access. Worried something had happened in Houston, he snatched up the phone and answered. Fully expecting Ivan, Dimitri or Nikolai, he slipped into Russian. "What's happened?"
"I to-told you! English only!"
Taken aback, Yuri bolted upright at the sound of Lena's slurred voice. The heavy, thumping electronic music in the background made it difficult to hear her. He glanced at the clock and calculated the time in Houston. It was nearly one in the morning there. "Lena? Are you okay?"
"Like you care," she snapped back.
He'd never heard such anger in her voice. There was something else coloring her tone. Pain? "Of course I care."
"Liar. You're a big, stupid, Russian liar and I'm a big, dumb Mexican believer."
He frowned and tried to make sense of her ramblings. It was clear she was very drunk. "Lena, are you alone? Is Erin or Vivian there?"
"It's none of your business who I'm with tonight." He heard male voices in the background. She came back on the line, louder and angrier. "Yeah, that's right. You want to be so nosy about what I'm doing. Who the fuck was that girl you were with tonight? Huh? Is she with you now?"