Page 47 of Claim Me (Dmitriyev Bratva #2)

K azimir

Sunlight danced off the crystalline chandelier hanging precariously over the baby grand, creating a reflective glow in vivid colors.

I glanced disinterestedly toward the pompous man rattling off concerns he’d been hesitant to relay with Marissa present.

Only with my encouragement had she finally left the room.

Attorneys had never been high on my list of trustworthy people, less so today given his arrogant attitude and insistence Marissa was too fragile to make important decisions.

“Therefore, I’m advising Ms. Valentine that she has grounds to dispute Charles’ will.

That will be placed in writing since she’s in a very vulnerable stage.

Mr. Valentine was obviously under duress when making the changes only a few days prior to his murder.

I’m certain there isn’t a court system in the entire country who won’t question the timing, Mr. Dmitriyev. ”

“Is that so?” I asked coolly, keeping a smirk on my face.

“Yes, that’s my opinion.” He adjusted his suit for the fourth time.

I took my time responding.

“I’m curious. Are you accusing me of killing my friend, Mr. Whitman?” I asked as I crowded the hefty man’s space to the point where he was sweating like the pig he was. I’d purposely kept my hands in my pockets, yet I could tell by the pained look on his face he took my question as intended.

A threat.

He cleared his throat, taking a purposeful step back until he immediately hit the wall behind him. “I’m simply suggesting the timing couldn’t be a coincidence.”

Laughing softly, I kept from advancing any further.

The man’s cologne was enough to give me heartburn.

“While I believe Marengo is a beautiful resort, I assure you the operation isn’t worth killing for.

I’d be very careful making any insinuations around me or my family including Ms. Valentine, Douglas.

Doing so won’t bode well for your continued career.

While I’m certain both Charles and Marissa have found value in your recommendations, I do not. Therefore, you are fired.”

Maybe I was being presumptuous, but at this point, I was finished with playing nice with anyone in this town. There were too many loose ends, too many people my instinct told me had ties to Popov. Too many people were capable of doing substantial harm to Marissa’s life.

If not eliminate her life altogether.

“You can’t fire me. I was hired by the estate.” His smile was filled with contempt.

While I’d yet to find any direct connection to Popov, there was no room to take any chances. I also just didn’t like his attitude.

My annoyance was increasing. “As you said within the first thirty seconds of meeting with me, I’m a rich man with influential ties. I can do anything I like. I assure you that your time will be appropriately compensated.”

“This is Ms. Valentine’s decision, Mr. Dmitriyev. Not yours. I’m certain even in her fragile state of mind, she’ll realize my services are necessary for her welfare.”

“Mr. Dmitriyev speaks for me as well.” Hearing Marissa’s voice brought an instant smile to my face.

She walked to my side, her gaze concentrated on the floundering attorney.

She laughed as if enjoying herself tremendously.

Meanwhile, I sensed both her anger and the same boosted annoyance riddling me with vile thoughts.

“I assure you I’m not fragile, Mister… Whitman.

What I am is determined to ascertain who was responsible for the murders of my parents and brother.

When I do, I assure you their deaths will be avenged.

You wouldn’t happen to know anything about what happened, now would you? ”

He seemed befuddled. “I… Absolutely not.”

“Mmm… I asked because it would seem you pressured my brother several times claiming he had a decent buyer and was a fool not to take the offer seriously. Lo and behold, I learn that buyer was Vladimir Popov. Now, I don’t know the man very well except by reputation, which is…

What are the correct words? Highly unscrupulous.

” She allowed her smile to wash over him like a soft blanket.

Meanwhile, I was enjoying the tough as nails side to her. She certainly didn’t need my help in crucifying the man.

Poor Douglas. I knew the underarms of his cheap suit were permanently stained with the stench of his heavy perspiration.

“I… I don’t have any dealings with Mr. Popov.”

“Well, I admit that’s not something I’ve had time to discover, but I assure you I will.

As part owner of the Marengo, I need to keep a clear head for details.

Of course,” she cooed, “after my fragile mind is taken care of. Now, I will let you in on a little secret.” She sashayed closer to him, her closeness pushing his nerves to the edge.

“The last thing my brother said to me before he died was that I could trust no one but Kazimir. What I didn’t realize was that he was warning me about the heightened corruption in this town.

I took the warning to heart. You can see yourself out, Mr. Whitman. One more thing. Don’t call me again.”

Her voice was strong, her will even more so.

He opened his mouth as if to spout off something stupid, but refrained from pushing me into action. Finally, Douglas huffed and it took him a few seconds to grab his things. When he finally left the suite, he did so by slamming the door.

Her exhale was even and finally her body tensed.

“And you said you were surprised by my actions. You are truly one formidable woman.” I moved closer, enjoying being able to crowd her space. She didn’t flinch, but her eyes were still filled with extreme uncertainty.

“I don’t know what I’m doing, but it felt right. He gave me the heebie-jeebies the moment he walked into the door.”

“You and me both. Trust your instincts, Marissa. They will never steer you wrong.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” She studied me, the array of emotions crossing her face adding to her intense beauty.

She was a flower opening before my eyes.

As she moved to the piano, running her fingers across the keys, I was once again reminded she’d been forced into an impossible position.

The melody was beautiful as usual, a little of what I’d heard before.

Another reminder of a damning moment in my past.

“Why the change of heart?” I asked a few seconds later.

“About?” She continued playing, her body swaying to the music.

I laughed. “About me.”

She turned to face me, curling her fingers. “Trust is vital.”

“Does that mean you now trust me?”

“Now that everything has started to sink in, Charlie’s last words remain in the forefront of my mind.

Don’t trust anyone but you. It took me a little while to accept that.

You’re so… larger than life. So vibrant and so dominating.

I wanted to hate you. I also wanted to blame you for what happened, but I know now that I need to trust you. No, that’s not fair. I do trust you.”

My eyes drifted to the way she dragged her tongue across her bottom lip. “I’ll never intentionally hurt you, Marissa. I keep my promises.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Just do me a favor and don’t prove him wrong, Kazimir. That would honestly break my heart.” She hesitated, but I sensed she had more to say.

“What is it?”

She returned her gaze to the piano. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I care about you.

Maybe more than I should. Maybe one day I’ll wake up and this will be a dream or a nightmare.

But I know you were hurt before. I can see it in your eyes.

Whoever she was in your life lingers in your heart.

Take it from me, grief is a terrible thing for anyone to experience, yet in a very strange way the deep emotions allow you to see what’s most important.

It’s something Charlie reminded me of after the death of our parents.

Whoever she was would want you to live your life and not just exist.”

“Is that what I’m doing, existing?” I walked closer, the longing to yank her into my arms extraordinarily intense.

Her smile was tight as she smoothed her hand down my shirt. “You’ve asked for my trust more than once. Now I’m freely giving it to you. At first, I believed you refused to trust me in return. That’s not the truth.”

“Then what is?” It was impossible to resist touching her. Every time I did, the simple action grounded me more than anyone else in my life.

“It’s that you can’t trust yourself. How very sad.

I’m usually not wrong about people, but I was with you.

You’re not a monster. You’re an amazing man who simply lost faith in yourself and whatever faith you once carried.

I hope you can find that again because unless you do, you’ll never be happy.

” She moved away from me, disappearing into one of the bedrooms.

Sighing, I shifted until I was able to look out the window at the beautiful afternoon.

Years before my father had shared something more valuable than I’d believed at the time.

Trusting and loving the woman in your life was the greatest gift of all.

During the same conversation, he’d also told me that loving anyone was a terrible weakness.

The seeming contradiction had been a tremendous debate in my mind until Jasmine had come into my life.

Her death had left me with only one side: to never to feel anything for anyone ever again. That was very wrong. The truth was much deeper and more profound.

Love and trust were worth every danger, every ugly emotion.

How tragic I’d learned the sentiment too little too late.