Page 12 of The Red Room
“Big time,” I agree. “Coffee? You probably need it more than I do.”
When she tries to stand, her legs give out like a baby deer but she manages to balance and find firm footing. She’s still in the cocktail dress from last night, no longer neat and form fitting to her small body. It’s wrinkled, and there might even be a few stains of Vostik dabbed around the neckline.
“How did we get back here?” Courtney asks, wobbling with each step to the coffeemaker.
I smile at the memory of Nik carrying her to the sidewalk. He did it with the ease of someone carrying a bag of groceries, his large arms not giving the slightest hint of fatigue. Sure, Courtney doesn’t exactly weigh much, but it makes me wonder if I’d be just as maneuverable to him. If he’d struggle or simply hoist me up like a gallon of milk.
“Nik had his driver take us here,” I say matter-of-factly.
Courtney rears back the cup and nearly chokes. “His driver? He had his driver take us home in what I can only assume was averynice—"
“Extremely nice car,” I interject, and she continues.
“Did I fucking miss anything else? Did Nikolai save a group of orphans from a building on fire? Stop a runaway train?”
I can’t help but giggle and cover my mouth.
“Did he kiss you? Tell me he kissed you.”
The laughter in me fizzles out, and I gnaw at my lower lip. “No. He was going to but we were interrupted.”
Her face pales, and she hides behind her palms. “I’m so sorry, Nat. I really don’t know what happened. All of a sudden the club was spinning, and— shit. I’m sorry.”
I pull Courtney’s hands away from her face. “It wasn’t your fault. Actually, he was going to kiss me after he put you in the car. Dimitri stopped us and said Viktor needed him.”
“Fucking Viktor.”
“Fucking Viktor,” I agree and we clink our coffee mugs together.
“So, when are you going to see him again?”
I finish off the last bit of coffee and rinse it out in the sink. “He wants to see me tonight.” Although I don’t turn around, I can practically feel her eyes boring holes through me.
“And you’re going, right?”
“I don’t know. I want to, but …”
Courtney slams her mug down and small brown droplets explode in the air like hazelnut fireworks. “No, Nat. You are going.”
Do I want to go? Yes. Do I hope our unfinished business from last night will pick up where we left off? Absolutely. But I can’t help the nagging sensation at the back of my head telling me it’s somewhere I don’t belong. A high-end club with an even higher end man? I don’t know if I’d ever feel comfortable around him or his lifestyle. Me, someone barely scraping by in dresses I’ve either borrowed or bought when the summer clothes hit the sales rack in winter. And him, a wealthy, successful, gorgeous fucking mirage of a person.
“You’re going,” she says again, leaving no room in her voice for rebuttal.
I sigh out in exasperation. “I don’t even have anything to—”
Three heavy knocks on the front door stop me. We exchange curious glances, and after a brief moment, I walktoward the door. There’s no one there when I glance through the peephole. Odd, but not alarming. Could’ve been any of the thousands of noises I’ve heard since I first moved in. I swallow down the saliva lathering my tongue and unlock the dead bolt. A loud crack erupts first, followed by the hinges squealing when I swing it open.
“Who is it?” she whispers, still hunched over the countertop.
I shake my head in confusion. “No one. There’s no—” My voice cuts out. On the doorstep is a sleek black box. Lifting it, I look for an address, a name, even a company logo. Nothing. Just a black box and bloodred ribbon tied perfectly at the top.
Courtney’s jaw runs slack. “Is that from who I think it’s from?”
“I’m not sure.” I set it on the counter and carefully undo the ribbon. My eyes widen and she comes over to peek inside. Resting at the top is a note.
Natalia, I told you I’d make it worth your while. See you tonight. -Nik.
The blood drains from my face as I read the note over and over, each pass surely taking another shade of my complexion.