Page 27 of Possess Me

“Did I keep you waiting too long?” I asked her with a heated smile on my face before giving Ludolf a curt nod.

“Well, I did have my eye on the sexy bartender, but he’s still working.” Her voice was practically cooing and I could tell by the flash in her eyes she was grateful for the intervention.

She had me looking over my shoulder at the pleasant-looking but much older man who could easily be her grandfather. I was curious if she’d accept the bait I was offering.

“And yes, late as usual, Vissarian, but I’ll forgive you.”

“Ah, Mr. Dmitriyev,” Ludolf said with irritation in his voice as he extended his hand. “I was hoping to get a chance to say hello prior to our meeting. Your lovely companion was just telling me how happy she is to be working with you.”

I shook his hand, giving him the same kind of distracted onceover he’d given to me. “Yes, well, I’ll tell you a little secret. Fallon is very important to me. Very important.”

He flashed his eyes in her direction, squeezing my hand as if a show of power. His annoyance was increasing. “Ah. How fortunate for you both. Incidentally, I do have a booklet of information on the project I would be happy to send to your room, so you have time to digest.”

I eyed him carefully, unable to tell if he was testing me or the water.

“I’d prefer to discuss all aspects of business when I’ve enjoyed a good night’s sleep.”

The flash of irritation in his expression allowed me to know he got the message.

“Very well, Mr. Dmitriyev. Then I’ll leave you to your evening. Ms. Zimmerman. Lovely to meet you.”

“Likewise,” she said as if he was nothing but a fly on the wall.

He threw me another look, one that was sizing up the competition, or in this case, the enemy. I already didn’t like or trust the man.

Ludolf walked away, disappearing into the hotel. I stood watching him, noticing he’d glanced over his shoulder also studying me. Even the man’s eyes were beady.

“Friendly guy,” she said sarcastically.

“Yes, well, from my experience, Germans aren’t known for their friendliness.”

“What about Russians?”

Laughing, I pulled out the chair, not giving her the opportunity to say no. “Oh, we’re friendly.”

Her smirk was a sweet reward.

There was something so inflammatory about the way she was looking at me. That’s when I noticed she had her phone in her hand instead of the book I’d seen earlier.

As she threw a hateful look toward the door Ludolf had walked into, she gave a sigh of relief.

“I’m sorry if he was bothering you,” I told her.

“Grumpy older men I can handle although he was pushy. Pushy men make my skin crawl.”

Throwing me a little shade. I loved it. “I’ll keep that in mind. He’s European. Something that will likely interfere with my meeting with him and his companions.” There was no reason to keep the meeting a secret.

“Are you suggesting that gives him the right to treat me as property?”

When I bristled visibly, her eyes opened wide. “Not allowed.”

“By you or in general?”

“Both.”

“Mmm… A meeting. The reason for your arrival on this adorable island.”

I nodded, trying to figure out what angle Ludolf had other than learning nuances about me and the company. “Yes, for a possible land development deal, a resort and casino.”