Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 83195 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83195 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
How long has he been watching me? Do I even want to know? I place my flowers on the bar and take a bottle of water. Turning and looking around, I find everyone chatting. They all appear to be rich, older people. Except for him. He’s younger than the others and keeps himself apart from the group. He’s still sitting on the sofa, staring at me, almost expectantly.
Taking a sip of my water, I contemplate why he’s here. He has to be a sponsor of some sort, but he’s made no move to come near me. And I can’t really see him all that clearly without staring at him the way he’s staring at me. He certainly doesn’t look like the other sponsors. Well-dressed. Yes. Wealthy. Undeniably. But there’s an air to him that he’s not to be fucked with, and even others in the room avoid him and his stare.
I should take that as a warning, but instead, I find myself walking toward him, leaving the flowers on the bar.
Fuck this. I’m not going to feel intimidated by a stranger in my own workplace.
He doesn’t introduce himself. He just remains seated, with his gaze locked on me.
“I’m Lena Love,” I tell him. He continues to stare me, and now I can really see what he looks like. His red hair is shaved close to his scalp’. His jawline is sharp, his lips full, and I wonder how his voice sounds when he speaks. His eyes are forest green and pop against his all-black suit. It looks like it probably cost a lot of money. Black boots encase his feet and black gloves cover his hands. He looks like a hitman in a horror film. But people like that don’t really come to places like this, do they?
“Alek, always a pleasure to see you here,” Matthew says, interrupting. And I’m kind of annoyed that the guy still hasn’t introduced himself personally, but I’m relieved that someone is here to break the tension. “Alek here, is our major sponsor. He pays your wages.”
I look down at the man, not at all wanting to be entirely polite considering his intensity and the fact that he still hasn’t spoken to me, but since I like this job, I offer him the same smile I give everyone.
“Thank you. I hope you enjoyed the show,” I say.
“Oh, that’s Tanya. I have to speak with her before she leaves for the night. Thank you for your continued support, Alek.” Matthew smiles before he walks off, leaving me alone with Alek again.
Every one of my instincts tells me to leave, yet I find myself saying, “Do you mind if I sit?” I wave to the seat next to him, but he doesn’t answer or look at it. He just keeps those vivid green eyes locked on me. He’s a major sponsor so it’s natural he’d be in this room. Which means I need to make a good impression.
I also know that if I sit beside someone quiet like him, I might actually be able to decompress after tonight’s performance instead of remaining switched on for all these members, most of whom I’m already associated with.
“Thanks,” I say, sitting next to him even though he didn’t agree or offer. “I haven’t seen you here before. Do you not come often?” I ask him casually as I pick at my nails. His gaze flicks to my hands, watching the movement. I stop immediately, and brush my hands down my pants. This is too awkward, even for me, and all my bravery is quickly swallowed. I have the sense that this man has that effect on quite a lot of people. I stand up. “Well, it was nice chatting with you.”
“You should sit.” He speaks with a very slight, almost unnoticeable Russian accent.
A shiver breaks over my body. It was not a suggestion; it was a command hidden under a beautiful and rough tone.
So now he wants me to sit beside him even when he was ignoring me.
This guy is either socially awkward or an outright asshole.
I don’t do well with being told what to do. My parents and teachers called it having an “attitude.”
“I have to mingle,” I tell him, now defiant and wanting to leave.
“Sit,” he says again. If he were anyone else, someone who wasn’t paying for me to sing, I would have told him to get fucked and walk away. But I notice Matthew briefly glancing in our direction, and I internally sigh in defeat.
So here I am, sitting at his command. His gloved hands rub together as he looks at me. I wait for him to speak, but he just stares at me. What is this guy’s problem?
“Do you like to keep secrets?” he finally asks in a monotone. It’s strange in the way he seems to lack emotion, and that’s also a fucking weird question. My nose immediately scrunches up in confusion, and I’m not sure what to say.