Page 8 of Bossed Around by the Bratva (Morozov Bratva #20)

“Okay,” I said, closing the door as I got in. Glancing at Zhen, I smiled. “I think we have everything we need.”

She nodded, smiled, and turned her head away as she replied. “I think so.”

The drive to the airport was quiet and felt longer than usual. She’s my PA; that was the reason I was taking her with me, I told myself. This out-of-town project could lead to more work.

The Morozov jet was waiting on the tarmac as we arrived. I wanted to book two first-class tickets, but Sergei Morozov insisted I take their jet. Their investment in the company was important, and the Morozov family took business seriously. Everything had to be done correctly.

I was glad for the assistance and wanted this project to be flawless. Yes, I thought as we boarded, that was the main reason I had invited her along. She had a lot of insight and could be great on this project.

“Have you ever been on a private jet?” I asked as we strapped in.

“Sure,” she replied without looking at me.

Once again, my mind went swirling through a ton of questions. How could she afford a flight on a private jet? This plane belonged to the Morozovs and was only used for business trips. Who was she mixing with that had that kind of money? Who was she?

Once the plane was in the air and stable, we could unstrap ourselves. The flight attendant brought us a bottle of wine and two snack plates. I watched her as she took a biscuit and cheese from the plate.

Closing my eyes, I inhaled deeply, breathing through my nose. Maybe one of her family members owned a plane, just like her condo was family-owned. I should keep myself in line.

She sat staring out the window the entire time. I kept on finding myself staring at her, wondering what it was she was hiding.

“Are you scared of flying?” The words left my mouth before I could stop them.

“No, I’m not scared,” she replied as she glanced at me.

“May I then ask why you’re so quiet?” I asked.

“I’m just not in the mood for talking or having any form of conversation,” she said, placing the headphones over her ears.

The flight went quicker than expected with no weather issues. As the pilot announced we were about to land, she looked at me again. Her eyes seemed cloudy, or rather darker than usual.

The plane touched down, and we could get off. There was a car waiting for us on the tarmac to take us to our hotel. I would then hire a car from the hotel services so we could get around town.

Zhen stared out the window again. “I’ve made a booking for us at the top hotel here. I'm sure you’ll be pleased with their service as they are the best,” I said, watching her. I was trying to get her attention.

“Thank you,” she replied. Her tone was half cold.

“Once we’re booked in, I was thinking we could go to the finest restaurant and, if you like, visit one of the top museums in the country.”

“Please,” she breathed out sarcastically. “We’re here on business. It’s not a vacation or social visit.”

Flabbergasted by her response, I was at a loss for words for a second. “There is nothing wrong with having a decent meal and seeing relaxing art,” I huffed. Feeling slightly annoyed, I turned and looked out the window.

The driver stopped at the main doors for us, and the bellboy collected our bags. I walked ahead of her to the front desk.

“Good day, sir,” said the man standing on the other side.

“Good day, Akim Dubow,” I replied, glancing back to see where Zhen was.

“Yes, I see your booking. Please wait just a moment. The porter will be with you in a second.” He replied before ringing a small bell.

Turning to Zhen, I saw her waiting where the bellboy had placed our luggage a couple of feet behind me. “The porter will be here now,” I said, joining her. “This place is stunning, don’t you think?”

She glanced around and nodded. Yet, she appeared to study the people more closely than the building.

“Excuse me, sir,” I heard someone saying behind me. Turning swiftly, I held my hand to my chest. I didn’t hear him approaching, and he scared the shit out of me for a second. But I was met with a wide smile from the young man, surely no older than twenty. “May I take your bags?”

Nodding, I glanced at Zhen. She was holding her hand over her mouth, trying to cover the grin. As we entered the elevator, I leaned closer and whispered to her. “You found that amusing?” She didn’t say a word and kept her eyes focused on the door.

Stepping out on the top floor, we followed the porter to one of the last doors. He slid the keycard through the slot, pushed the door open, and pushed our bags inside. I followed him in unsure why he was putting all the bags in one room, as I had booked two.

“Here’s your key, sir,” he said, holding out the card.

Looking around, I felt my mood change. Glancing at Zhen, I was met with a death stare. I was glad that she didn’t say anything at that moment. I paid the boy and waited for him to leave.

Before I could even open my mouth, she came at me. “What the hell is this?” she spat, holding her hands in the air. “This is a business trip! I will not be sharing a bed with you!”

She stormed towards the bed in the far corner.

Swiping the roses to the floor, she continued to rage.

“What are these for? Did you think you were going to get laid while we were here? I’m not like other women, you know.

This might work with your secretary or whoever else, but not me, pal.

There is no way I am sleeping with you, not even to keep my job! ”

Now this, this I found amusing, but I kept my smile inside. “Zhen!” I huffed, raising my voice slightly.

She instantly stopped talking. As she looked at me, I could see a hint of fear in her eyes. “Just calm down. This is not what I booked. I will go down and get it sorted. I’m sure it’s just a mix-up. Please, don’t fight with me about something I have not done.”

I turned and left before she could get in another word. Wow, she nearly bit my head off in there. She surely had some extra strong fire in her bones.

The man behind the front desk was busy with another client, and I had to wait. Once he was done, he looked at me. I was sure he could see the confusion on my face. “Is something the matter?” he asked.

“Yes,” I replied. “I want to know why we are booked into a room that looks like the honeymoon suite. I booked two rooms, and we are here on business, so this won’t do!”

“Oh,” he replied, his eyes widening. “I am terribly sorry about that. Please give me a moment to check the system again.”

He typed on his keyboard, looked at me, and typed again. I could hear him swallow before speaking again. “Sir, I’m terribly sorry, but the booking was made for one romantic evening.”

“That can’t be. My receptionist made the booking,” I huffed, slamming my fist on the counter.

The man jumped a little before he started rambling. “I am sorry, but that is the booking.”

“Is there any way I can get an extra room?” I asked, stepping closer. “Sorry, but one room will not do.”

The man typed and typed. After what felt like forever, he glanced at me. “I’m sorry, sir. We’re fully booked. There is no other room available.” His voice was shaky, and he took a step back.

Looking at him, I realized I might have been a bit too much. “Okay then,” I said, trying to sound calm. “Thank you.” I turned and headed back up. Stopping outside the room, I took a deep breath as I mentally prepared myself for the monster inside, about to devour me alive.

Entering, I found Zhen on the bed with her laptop open before her. She looked up at me as she spoke. “So, you got another room or one with two beds at least?”

Walking to the bottom of the bed, I smiled at her. “The man said that they are fully booked, so unfortunately not, sorry.” I waited for her to freak out again, but she didn’t.

She nodded, looked at the laptop screen, and started typing again. As I started turning away, she cleared her throat. Here it comes, I thought, turning back. “Okay, it’s fine, but you will sleep on the couch,” she said.

I nodded, picked up my bag, and carried it over to the couch. Sitting down, I took out my phone. There was still plenty of time before the meeting. I didn’t feel like staying cooped up, but I didn’t want to leave her alone.

Walking to the end of the bed, I waited a moment before speaking. “We have a lot of spare time. Would you like to do something, grab something to eat, or stay here and work?” I knew she had basically already answered it in the car, but I felt asking again couldn’t hurt.

Zhen looked at me, turned her head to the side, and smiled. Seeing her this calm suddenly made me nervous. “No thanks,” she replied calmly. “I must ensure this proposal is perfect before the meeting.”

Nodding, I walked back to my couch and called room service.

I ordered a meat platter for two. Collecting my papers, I went to sit down next to her.

She looked at me, and I could see she was a little confused.

“Well, you said this must be perfect,” I whispered.

“So, let’s go through it and make sure.”

She smiled, moving her laptop between us. We went over the papers, files, and graphs, ensuring everything lined up. We were about halfway through when room service arrived.

We ate while we continued working. It was a strange breakfast for normal people, but we were far from normal.

The grilled cheese salad included a couple of fruits and vegetables.

It had a sweet and savory taste. It was nice working with her outside of the company.

She was more relaxed, and before we knew it, we were done.

Looking at my watch, I realized we had to get moving.

“It’s almost time,” I said, getting up.

“Okay,” she replied, sounding cheery. As she headed to the bathroom with her bag, she spoke. “I think we’ve nailed this one.”

“I’ll be glad if we do,” I replied, grabbing my jacket. I quickly called to confirm the car was ready while I waited for her.