CHAPTER 6

TIMOFEY

Akim darkens my doorstep thirty seconds after Piper leaves. He has a way of knowing exactly when I least want to see him.

"Not now."

He ignores me and strolls in. "Good thing I waited. I would've hated to walk in and interrupt you with that fine piece of ass." He whistles long and low. "You really are a lucky man."

"Keep your eyes in your fucking head."

I can't really blame him. Piper looked a bit mussed—probably something to do with why she was running an hour late—but it would take a lot more than a messy ponytail and a wrinkled blouse to make her unappealing. Even in the dark and the rain last night, my body responded to hers with that kind of crackling, carnal need that I rarely feel anymore.

"Down, tiger. I come in peace." He holds up his hands as though to show me he's harmless. "I've known you long enough to know when you've marked your territory. Just tell me who she is."

"My new nanny."

The offer was generous. Beyond generous, really. I didn't need to pay her a dime; I could have kept her here on threats and blackmail alone. Fuck knows I have enough information on her. A girl like that, living in the system all her life? There was plenty of dirt to sift through.

"Seems like maybe she doesn't know that yet," he says, inclining his head towards the hallway. "Considering she told you to fuck off and then stormed out."

I level him with a glare. "Don't ask questions you already know the answer to."

"Don't lie to your best friend, then. It hurts me." He flops down into the chair Piper just left, his legs dangling casually over the side.

Nothing actually wounds Akim. The man is a human golden retriever. You swat him on the nose and he comes back a minute later with an apologetic offering to drop in your lap. If he wasn't the most loyal man I've ever known, he'd drive me fucking insane.

"How do you plan to catch this fly—with vinegar or honey?"

I frown. "The whole point of that phrase is that it's hard to catch flies with vinegar."

"Never stopped you from trying." He grins. "Vinegar is your signature blend. You're a surly bastard, God help you."

I flipped him off.

"Case in point," he summarizes.

I'm not in the mood to deal with Akim right now. Piper Quinn set me on edge more than I'd like to admit.

"That woman isn't what I expected," I murmur. "Even last night, I showed up to talk to her—"

"To threaten her," Akim corrects. "People don't lurk outside of a woman's place of business in the dark to talk to them. You went to shake her up a bit."

"I went there to make it clear to her that life would be easier if she gave me and Benjamin the stamp of approval and moved along. Call it what you want."

"I call it a threat," he says. "But continue."

"Well, I showed up in time to watch her traipse right into a mugging. I thought women were trained from a young age to be alert and carry their keys between their fingers. She shouldn't be walking willingly into dark alleys. I thought I'd have to lure her into one, but she went in with eyes wide open."

In my mind's eye, I can still see her standing outside the front door of the office, her face turned up to the clouds above. I was going to charge her immediately, but the way her mouth puckered in disappointment distracted me.

It happened today, too. Her pouty lips pursed in displeasure. I've never seen her smile, but if it's anything like her frown, I wouldn't mind a peek.

"So your ambush turned into a rescue mission," Akim summarizes.

"That's overstating it. The mudak who attacked her was hammered drunk. I'm not sure why she didn't fight back. She's had no trouble pushing back against me."

"That's true," Akim chuckles. "I heard it firsthand. That woman hates your guts, like,bad."

"If you were anyone else, I'd beat your ass for eavesdropping."

"Close your office door then. Your voice carries and these hallways have amazing acoustics. I didn't even have to try."

I sigh. "Then you must've heard that I decided to change tactics. What I saw of her last night taught me two things: she shuts down during violence and she's tough to intimidate."

Akim spins his legs around to the floor and throws an arm over the back of the chair. "And third, you realized she was smokin' hot and you'd like to keep her around."

"Sounds like you're the one who's interested. Should I set the two of you up?"

But even as I say it, the joking suggestion makes my shoulders knot up.

Luckily for him, Akim snorts. "No thanks. I'd prefer to keep my dick attached to my body. You like her. Just admit it."

"I don't like anyone."

"Maybe you've forgotten what it feels like to have a crush. This is your first one in a while." His expression falls and a serious edge creeps into his voice. "Look, man, with everything that went down with Emily—"

My voice comes out crackling with fire. "This has nothing to do with Emily."

Mostly because I don't let myself think about her anymore. I learned a long time ago that grief is a useless distraction.

"Listen, dude, I get it. Really. But maybe it's time to—"

"It's not time for anything," I snarl, shutting Akim down. "I want no part of her. Piper Quinn is fucked-up. Sick and twisted."

Akim's eyes widened. "First, 'sick and twisted' sounds right up your alley. Second, how in the hell do you figure?"

"To spend your days ripping children away from their parents, you have to be fucked up somehow."

My best friend's expression softens. I want to punch it off of him. "Shit has changed since we were kids, man. They have new policies in place. Therapists, that kind of shit. It's all about emotional wellness now, you know? I bet she's nothing like the caseworker you—"

"Go make me some fucking food," I order.

Akim is only my cook because he enjoys it and I figured if he was mooching off my payroll anyway, he might as well contribute a little bit. So for me to bark at him to go fix me a sandwich is condescending as hell. He knows that, but I don't give a shit. I have no desire to sit here and hear about the many improvements made to the child welfare system in this country. I don't need the lecture on how it works.

I fucking lived it.

Surprisingly, Akim stands up and nods. Maybe he's learning to be agreeable after all.

Then, just as he reaches the doorway, he pauses and leans against the frame. "Would you like me to put on my heels and pearls before or after I make the sandwich?"

I roll my eyes. "Don't explain what that means. I don't want to hear—"

"You say you don't need a woman, yet you treat me like a 1950s housewife." He slaps on a cloying smile. "Do you want a corned beef or bologna sandwich today, Timofey dear?"

"You're my chef. I shouldn't need to remind you that making me a sandwich is your job."

He shrugs one shoulder. "Whatever you say. But if I catch you trying to put lipstick on me while I'm sleeping, I'll quit."

I almost laughed at that. But Akim doesn't need encouragement. "No, you won't. I pay you too well."

He considers it for a moment and nods. "You're right. Fine. Pick the shade and I'll wear it."

"Fuck off."

"That says something, doesn't it? About your girl. Piper."

Her name does something strange to my chest. "She's not my—"

"Right, right. She's not your girl," he says, sounding bored. "I'm just saying, I'm willing to degrade myself to work for you, but she isn't? Either she's got a secret trove of cash somewhere or the woman can't be bought."

I snort. "She doesn't have to be too righteous to outdo you. You don't exactly own property on the moral high ground. I saw you shove Monopoly money in a stripper's underwear at Pavel's bachelor party."

"She was paid ahead of time for being there. It's not like she survives on tips," he mutters. "But the point remains. Things didn't go to plan last night or today. So what's your next move?"

"That's where the sandwich comes in."

He frowns. "Liar. You just want me to leave."

"I always want you to leave. But I also need you to pack me an on-the-go dinner. I'll be eating in the car."

"Dare I ask why?"

"Because," I sigh, tired of explaining myself, "I have an errand to run."

I don't have to elaborate. Akim nods in understanding. "I'll throw in some drinks, too." He steps out into the hall, muttering to himself, "Champagne, candles, condoms…"

"Don't you fucking dare, Akim."

He pretends not to hear me. I know because I can hear him laughing.