Lifting my eyes, slowly, they travel up the body of a fit, well dressed, extremely handsome man. I am unable to hide my surprise as my gaze locks in on his. He doesn’t pretend not to notice my shock, his lips twitching into a small smile at my obvious surprise and appraisal.
“I’m Kirill Baryshev, I believe we have an appointment?”
Gulping, I nod, my lips parted in awe as he sinks down in the seat across from me. Sebastian’s entire body jerks as he lifts his head to look across from us, but I can gaze nowhere but this extremely handsome man.
“You can call me Stephanie,” I whisper.
He chuckles softly, the relaxed expression causing my insides to actually quiver. I know he’s a bad guy, but Jesus, I didn’t know they made bad men so handsome.
“Stephanie,” he says, and the way he says my name, I could melt.
His voice is lightly accented, it’s rough and deep. The waiter appears, bringing him a cocktail, one that he didn’t even have to order. I take that moment to shake myself out of the lusty haze that I have going on.
I watch as he lifts the clear drink to his lips, taking a sip before his eyes focus on mine and he begins to speak.
“Your lover has got himself in quite a predicament.”
“He’s not my lover,” I say, sounding quite defensive.
Kirill’s gaze flicks over to Sebastian and I watch as he shakes his head just a touch. “No? He made it sound as if you were.”
“Well, we were,” Sebastian defends.
Kirill lifts his hand, his palm facing Sebastian. The muscles of his entire body stiffen and just watching him, mine do the same.
Pressing my lips together, I roll them around as I wait for what’s going to happen next. Thankfully, this is a public place, so I’m pretty sure that I’m safe, but that doesn’t make me any less scared or on edge.
“You may leave us, kozyol.”
Without even hesitating, Sebastian stands, and I watch as he practically sprints toward the back of the restaurant. I watch him go, my eyes traveling his retreating form and narrowing. The asshole.
“Got yourself a winner, krasavitsa.”
Rolling my lips one more time, I shrug a shoulder. “That’s just one reason we’re not together anymore.”
He chuckles, it’s rumbly and sexy and I have to remember that he’s bad and not hot. I should not find him in the least bit attractive. His face softens as he watches me, he shakes his head a couple of times, then lifts his glass to his lips and takes another drink.
“I’m sure there are many reasons, no?”
“Too many to count.”
He nods his head once. “Let’s get down to this, shall we? He’s brought you in, but I want you to know that I do not hold you responsible for his debts.”
“Thank you,” I exhale, nodding my head.
“If you would like to help him, you’re free of course. But just know that whatever befalls him, it does not befall you as well, yeah?”
Licking my bottom lip, I sink my teeth into the flesh and nod my head. “Yeah,” I say.
“You’re nothing as I imagined. You don’t seem like a spoiled little suka.”
My lips curve up into a smile. “Thanks, I think?”
“You remind me a little of my wife. Sweet, but takes no shit and doesn’t mind telling the truth, even if it’s harsh.”
Wife. She must be one lucky woman, I think to myself. Kirill chuckles and I gasp, having apparently said those words aloud. Shit.
“She isn’t,” he murmurs, his eyes dancing as they meet mine. “I am the lucky one. She has put up with quite a bit from me over the years and for whatever reason, she still gazes at me as if she loves me.”
“I’m sure she does,” I whisper.
From his words, my mind automatically shifts to Ford. I miss him. He looks at me as if he’s lucky to be anywhere near me and the feeling is mutual. If there is one person in this world that I could be with, fall in love with a second time, be happy with, it’s Ford Matthews.
“Who is he?”
Shaking my head, I swallow my tears. “Doesn’t matter. So, what can I do to get Sebastian out of trouble?”
“Why do you want to help him?”
I want to tell him the truth, if I don’t then Sebastian is going to release a sex tape, one that could completely ruin my image, though I’m not sure my image isn’t already completely fucked with the pictures that he leaked.
“He has something on you that you don’t want the world to see. He’s a piece of shit like that, yeah?” Laughing softly, I nod my head in a confirmation without actually saying it. “I could get rid of him for you, no issue doing that, he’s squirrelly.”
“No, I couldn’t,” I choke out.
He grunts. “Figured you’d say as much. Let me see what I can do, what I can come up with for both of you. I can’t erase his debt, that’s not the kind of business I run. I can, however, work with him, but only because I like you, Stephanie.”
“Thank you,” I whisper.
He smirks. “Don’t thank me yet, I haven’t come up with anything and you may not like what I do come up with.”
Smiling, I nod my head as he stands to his feet. “We’ll be in contact. I’ll have my man bring Sebastian back in, he tried to run,” he snorts.
Without another word, I watch as a Russian mob boss calmly strolls out of a crowded restaurant. He’s gorgeous, he’s nice, and in love with his wife, all things that I didn’t ever imagine this man would be.
I have no clue what he’s going to come back with as a way to pay back Sebastian’s debt, but I can already tell that it won’t harm me, not physically or in reputation.
Chapter Eighteen
STEPHANIE
Leaving Sebastian at the restaurant, I didn’t bother waiting for Kirill’s man to bring him back to me and I stuck him with the bill. Fuck him. Thankfully, we brought separate cars. Driving back to my house, I can’t help but think of Ford.
I thought that I could walk away from him, rationalize to myself that our lives were far too different for us to make it work. But the longer that I’m away, the more that I want things to work out. The more I realize that I’ve made a mistake. I want him. I never stopped caring for him, loving him.
Pulling up to my driveway, I don’t bother pulling into the garage. I’m going to go to an interview later, there’s no reason for me to lock my car up yet. When I turn the engine off, I stare ahead, wondering just how I managed to fuck up my life the way that I have, why I’ve let Sebastian fuck it further.
Unfolding out of the driver’s seat, I’m completely preoccupied with my thoughts, I don’t even notice the man standing next to my front door. That is, until he speaks.
“Stephanie,” his deep voice rumbles.
Lifting my gaze, my entire body jumps and my eyes find his. “Beaumont?”
His lips curve up into a grin. “Hey, darlin’.”
“What are you doing here?” I snap.
His brows furrow together and his eyes take me in. I expect him to comment on my sour attitude, but thankfully, he doesn’t. Instead, he just tilts his head to the side, his eyes continuing to search my face.