Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 81947 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81947 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
I raised a single eyebrow as guilt and shame caused a deep flush to creep over my neck and cheeks. “You have?”
“This is going to sound crazy and is a huge long shot, but… by any chance, were you the one who forged one of my paintings ages ago when I was just a starving artist?”
My stomach twisted as Var squeezed my hip.
I swallowed. “About that… you have to know that I’m really sorry if I hurt—”
Samara jumped up and down before squealing with laughter as she lunged to hug me. She was so excited, she spun us both in a circle as her arms wrapped around my shoulders.
I stared at Var behind her, who just raised both of his palms and mouthed, I don’t know!
Samara broke free and called out, “Gregor! Gregor! I was right! It was her!”
Her super scary and very tall and tatted husband sauntered over to us. What the hell did they feed these Russian men?
I looked between them. “I’m confused.”
“You helped my career!”
Both of my eyebrows rose. “I did?”
“Yes! Everyone assumed I must be some amazing talent if the art forgers were already trying to pass off my works. It’s absolutely twisted, but it’s sort of a sign that you’ve made it into the upper echelons of artists if they start either imitating you, or straight up forging your work.”
I’ll be damned. She wasn’t wrong.
I shrugged. “Well… you’re welcome, I guess?”
Her husband Gregor turned a narrowed gaze on Var. “You owe me five hundred thousand, plus interest.”
Before I could hear Var’s response, Samara had grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the bar. “Come, you have to meet the rest of the girls. I can’t wait to introduce you as my very own art forger!”
I should have known better than to trust how sweet and nice she was being.
CHAPTER 45
VAR
Vivian blinked up at me as I carried her into the elevator. “I think I’m drunk.”
God, she was fucking adorable.
Adjusting my grip, I said, “I warned you not to play that drinking game with Yelena.”
Her head slumped onto my shoulder as the doors opened, and we stepped into the penthouse. We would only be here for a few more days. Now that I had Vivian to fill the rooms with laughter, fun, anger, and sex, I couldn’t wait to move into the home I’d renovated next door but never moved in to.
“Well, that was the problem. You should have encouraged me to play the game. Then I wouldn’t have.”
“Is that how it goes? I say something, and you do the opposite?”
She leaned back and stared at me. “Uh… have you met us yet? Of course that’s how it goes.”
Her head fell back onto my shoulder. “What was that game called again?”
I placed her on the edge of the bed. Shifting her voluminous skirts up, I ran my hand down her leg, then removed her high heel and gestured with it. “Shouldn’t you be asking how much money you lost first?”
She snatched the shoe from my hand and waved it at me before raising her arm in the air. “It was not about money. It was about honor!”
I removed her other heel. “It’s a good thing I stopped you before your honor cost you those pretty diamond earrings and necklace you love so much.”
Her eyes widened as her hand flew to her chest. “You don’t think she would have taken them, do you?”
“Yelena? In a heartbeat.”
She would have given them back… eventually.
Vivian crawled onto her knees then stood on the bed, swaying precariously. “The tiger has come!” she shouted as she raised her arm in the air, clutching her shoe like some regal scepter.
Yelena had convinced the girls to play The Tiger Has Come.
A potentially dangerous Russian drinking game that involved everyone tossing money into the center of the table before each taking a shot of vodka. Then the leader, who happened to be Yelena, would shout, “The tiger has come!“ And they would all have to dive under the table as quickly as possible. It was deceptively simple.
The problem was the more a person drank, the harder and harder it became to get back up from under the table. The more rounds of shots, the more money in the pot.
The winner was literally the last person standing.
And of course, as the leader who announced the Tiger, Yelena had the advantage, since she was only required to drink every other round. So there was no surprise when she was the one to win the pot.
I snatched Vivian around the waist and pulled her down to the bed before turning her around to unzip her dress. “Yes, I think the tiger came a little too hard for you tonight.”
She giggled. “You said came too hard.”
I pulled the dress off her shoulders and let it fall to the floor. As she stepped out of it, I pulled off my own jacket, then the bowtie.