Page 8 of Devious Truth

All five men go back to playing poker while I stand in the corner waiting for them to want something. Since they have the bottle on the table, I keep watch on their glasses so I can drop an ice cube when needed.

An hour goes by and then another. Their chatter moves from personal stories from the mystery man about his family back in Russia that he’s left behind for this trip, to business discussions, which they have mostly in Russian. I prefer it when they speak in Russian; it keeps me from having to know things that might make me question my ability to watch so much illegal activity and do nothing about it.

The nondisclosure agreement I signed at the beginning of my employment would keep me from talking to journalists, but I’m not sure it covers conversations with the police. Though, there are very few circumstances I would sit down with the police. I know better.

I try to make myself busy with straightening up the bar area, but it’s so tidy all I can do is move the bottles around.

“Vee, can we get an ashtray?” Kaz calls out to me from the table.

Finally, something to do. I dig out one of the crystal ashtrays and bring it over to the table. The mystery man has a pack of cigarettes out and his lighter.

“Here you go.” I place the ashtray in front of him. “Would you like a light?”

I look at the lighter sitting on his pack. His gaze flickers to Ivan before he gives me a small smile. “No, thank you. I’ll light it myself.”

I tense but throw on a grin, hoping to hide my annoyance. It’s not at him; it’s at Ivan for being all Neanderthal-ish in the first place.

“Let me know if you need anything else. Maybe something to eat?” I look around the table.

These guys have been drinking straight vodka for the last hour but none of them seem so much as glassy eyed. Just looking at the bottle makes me a little tipsy.

“One of those board things.” Kaz snaps his fingers and looks at Alexander. “What’s it called?”

“You mean the Zakuski Board,” Alexander remarks, surveying his hand. “Bring two.”

“All right. I’ll be right back with those.”

Breathing is a lot easier once I’m outside the room. Behind the door, Ivan is probably glaring at it, irritated I’ve managed to slip away.

I find Caroline talking with Darren at the bar after I’ve put in the food order.

“Ah, here she is.” Caroline grins at me. “How’s the poker game going?”

“Fine.” I run my hands over the bodice of my dress.

Now that I’m out of the room, I realize how tense my body was while I was in there.

“I thought you had some VIP in your room?” I grab an olive from the bar tray and pop it into my mouth.

“There was.” She rolls her eyes. “But he got curious about the playroom and decided to check out the cages. So, they all went to play.”

Darren busies himself with cleaning an already pristine black marble bar top.

“I’m guessing Serenity went to play, too?” I whisper.

“Yeah.” Caroline frowns. “What are you doing out here anyway?”

“Getting a few Zakuski boards for the Volkovs.”

“Ugh, I hate those.”

“Why? They look delicious to me. But then again, you could put just about anything on a charcuterie board, and it looks tempting to me.”

“Yeah, but pickled vegetables and that bread?”

“You mean the Borodinsky Bread? It’s so good, especially with the horseradish cream and a slice of the smoked fish…so good.” My mouth waters as I remember the last time the chef put out a spread in the employee room.

My neck heats as I remember who had been with me when I tried it.

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