Page 5 of Devious Truth

“Oh, I’ll get it.” Caroline leans to glance around me, her tone innocent.

When my gaze meets his, the darkness of it sends a shiver through me.

“Vivienne will bring it.”

The heavy scent of cologne hits me as I enter the Volkov gaming room with the bottle of vodka. Five men sit around a table set up for poker. I recognize all of them as the Volkov brothers and Lev, but just like Caroline mentioned, the last man is unknown.

Ivan’s eyes find me the moment I enter the room, but I’m quick to avoid his stare and bring the bottle of vodka to the bar in the corner of the room. An empty bottle of whiskey sits on the table beside Alexander, the oldest Volkov brother.

“I’ll take it.” Ivan’s hand wraps around the neck of the vodka bottle, just above my hand.

As I move to set it down, his fingers brush against mine. I let go, nearly dropping the five-hundred-dollar bottle of vodka. Hegrips it tighter, keeping it from falling through our hands to the floor.

“Is there anything else you need?” I raise my gaze to his.

It’s a mistake of course, looking him in the face. The man is dangerously handsome with his creamy caramel eyes and blade-sharp jawline dusted with a neatly trimmed dark beard. He keeps his midnight black hair cut short and styled away from his face, but it’s so casual in style it’s almost as though he just wakes up looking like a god.

“What happened in the lounge?” he asks, his eyes never leaving mine.

“Nothing happened. I was just talking to Caroline for a minute.”

“No, before she approached you. You saw something that made you uncomfortable.”

“Maybe it was the creepy feeling that I was being watched?” This man owns the most coveted membership club in the city; he should be keeping his attention on the members, not the waitress serving them.

Not to mention the fact that alongside his brothers, he runs one of the most dangerous Russian crime syndicates around. I should not be talking out of turn with him. But whenever he’s around me, I can’t seem to stop the snark from falling right out of my mouth.

His left eyebrow lifts. “What was it that scared you, Vivienne? Did someone do something inappropriate?”

“Inappropriate?” I laugh softly. “In this club?”

“You’re avoiding the question.”

“It’s a weird question. I already said nothing happened.” I touch the bottle. “You have your vodka. If there’s nothing else, Caroline will be back in to finish her shift.”

“No. She’ll be finishing in the other gaming room. They’ve had an extra player arrive who’s a VIP. They’ll need her in there full time.”

“Okay, then I’ll let Meredith know you need another girl in here.”

“Why? I have a girl in here right now.”

“I don’t work the gaming rooms.” I gesture to the bar. “I don’t know how to mix drinks. And I can’t deal the games. And we’re already a girl short in the lounge.”

The girls that work the private rooms need to be able to play bartender and dealer when needed. It’s something I need to learn, so I can work the private games. The tips are amazing back here.

“We’re not drinking mixed drinks. And Kaz is playing dealer tonight. You’ll do fine.” He pauses. “Now answer my question.”

So, we’re back to that.

“Nothing happened. I’m telling you the truth.”

If you consider ghosts showing up at your place of work nothing, then I’m right. Nothing happened.

“Then what did you see? The color drained from your face, Vivienne. I want to know what scared you.” He leans closer.

My skin prickles with his nearness, like it’s coming alive beneath his stare.

“It’s been a busy night. I’m just a little tired. Nothing scared me.”

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