Russian Mobster’s Revenge (14 page)

Now he singled her out, pointing to her specifically though she stood at the back of the group. “You? You have nothing to say about this crime you have committed?”

“I find it ridiculous that I’m accused of committing a crime without any sort of evidence that I have done wrong, and no prior knowledge of the incident. Apparently in this country it is the standard to be guilty by association. In which case, I believe it would be somewhat hypocritical of you to point the finger at us.”

Anatoly struggled to suppress his laugh. Her companions were edging away from her as though they were afraid she was going to earn them all some sort of retribution.

Anatoly gathered himself, putting on his game face and looking as mean as possible. “You would dare to argue with me?”

“Someone has to,” she retorted. “Otherwise we’re all going to jail for a crime that only one of us committed. I don’t know about the others, but I find it saddening to think that the criminal in our midst hasn’t even identified himself.”

“What if the criminal isn’t a he?” Anatoly murmured. “What if I said the criminal was you?”

“You would be lying.”

“You are calling me a liar?” He was delightfully shocked by her boldness.

Her green eyes narrowed to slits, and she put her hands on her hips in a gesture of pure annoyance. “I’m not calling you a liar. I’m simply saying that you are lying about this incident, because I didn’t cheat. I wouldn’t even know how.”

“The rest of you may be excused.” Anatoly waved at his men, and they began herding the remaining students out of the office. “I have my criminal. I will deal with her accordingly.”

He noticed that the blonde he had seen earlier with his redheaded spitfire was looking positively sick. The two young women embraced. The redhead whispered something in her friend’s ear. The girl nodded. An agreement perhaps? What were they saying? And why was Anatoly so obsessed with finding out? It could hardly affect him. He could do what he wished. The Moscow police would never deny him.

TRISHA HAD NEVER been so scared in her entire life. What was this man playing at? If he had video footage of the cheating incident, then he knew good and well that Trisha wasn’t responsible. Why would he lie? And wasn’t this illegal? She had already asked Minka to contact the American Embassy. If she were lucky, a whole platoon of Marines would storm this place and whisk Trisha away to safety. For now, though, she had to tread carefully.

The double doors snicked shut. The sound was soft, and yet the meaning was ominous. Trisha was alone with this man who exuded a ruthless sort of power she could not begin to challenge.

“Now.” Anatoly Zaretsky turned to face her with a cold smile. “Shall we chat?”

“I’m an American citizen,” she said stiffly. “I have rights.”

Trisha felt horribly exposed standing in the center of the room before Anatoly’s desk. It hadn’t been so bad when she was in a group. But now she felt vulnerable and more than a little twitchy. She had barely glanced over all the legal stuff about her study abroad program. Of course there had been pamphlets and webpages dedicated to the rights of an American citizen on Russian soil. Trisha just didn’t remember much of it. Therefore she had one option. Bluff.

“Ah yes, my American citizen.” There was no doubt that Anatoly was mocking her. He raised his eyebrows, and the corner of his mouth twisted up into a sneer. “What rights do you believe you have here in my casino? Especially when I have caught you cheating?”

“I have a right to contact my embassy. You can’t hold me here against my will. You have to turn me over to the police.”

“No.” He gave a tiny shake of his head. “I do not.”

This man mesmerized Trisha. She could not look away as he sauntered toward his desk and flopped into his chair. He looked like a lazy Roman statesman. He picked up a pen and began tapping it on the desk. The sound was driving her daft. Finally he stopped and she was able to focus.

He cocked his head and waved toward the doorway. “The Russian police are my—how do you say this in America—they are my bitches. They do what I want. I am the law here in Moscow when I choose to be.”

“That’s despicable,” she whispered. “You’re doing this on purpose then. You know I didn’t do anything. You’re just holding this over me? For what purpose? Why would you do that?”

He looked briefly taken aback. “Because I can.” He gave a little nod of his head, his dark hair looking sexy and tousled as though he’d just gotten out of bed.

Trisha castigated herself for thinking such a thing. Why would she care what Anatoly Zaretsky looked like when he got out of bed? She hated this man! He was a complete jerk!

She took a deep breath.
Be calm and rational.
“Mr. Zaretsky, I don’t know what I’ve done to earn your animosity, but please be assured that it was unconsciously done. I have a flight out of Moscow tomorrow, and I really need to be on it.”

FOR SOME REASON, the very idea of Trisha leaving Moscow the following day was completely unacceptable to Anatoly. He could not decide what bothered him so much. It wasn’t as if he knew Trisha at all. She was beautiful in a very unique way. That was true. Yet he could have propositioned her for the night and been done with it. Still, he could not imagine a woman like Trisha giving in to such an incentive. Therefore, he needed to up the stakes a little. Once he figured her out, he would get over this strange infatuation.

“You will be held here,” he announced.

She gaped. “Excuse me?”

“I spoke in English. Is there some other language you prefer to use?” He knew he was being arrogant, but he couldn’t resist jabbing her a little just to see how she would react. Her mind fascinated him.

“Oh, I heard you. And I well understood what you said.” She put her hand on her hip and glared at him. “I just cannot imagine how you think it’s alright to hold a woman against her will because you’re power tripping like some two-bit gangsta!”

This time Anatoly could not hold back the laughter. He busted out into a belly laugh that echoed off the walls of his office and brought two enforcers charging through his door on high alert. He waved at his men. They looked at him as though he’d lost his mind. Perhaps he had. He was still having trouble containing himself.

“You think that’s funny?” Trisha demanded. “I’m being perfectly serious! You’re power tripping! It’s not right. You can’t hold me here.”

“Watch me,” Anatoly said with a careless snort. “You will remain here in my custody for a week to pay for your crime.”

“To pay for my—” She looked horrified. “For the love of God! Have you lost your senses? My parents will be frantic!”

“No.” Anatoly shrugged. “They will get a call from the Moscow police telling them that you were caught cheating in a mafia run casino. That will be explanation enough.”

She snorted. “My dad is going to tear your arms off.”

Anatoly had to admit that if Trisha’s bravado was any indicator, her father was probably a force to be reckoned with. Still, he didn’t care. Her father was a million miles and an ocean away. Trisha was right here and now in his office.

“I will have someone show you to your accommodations.” Anatoly stood up, not even bothering to say another word before he left his office.

He stopped in the hallway outside. “There is a woman inside,” he told Yakov. “Place her under lock and key in one of my guest suites.”

“Sir?” Yakov could not hide his surprise.

Anatoly curled his lip, showing his men he meant to have his way. “Just do it.”

There were no more arguments, and Anatoly was glad. He didn’t exactly have a sensible reason for his current set of choices. But he would come up with one soon enough, and that was all that mattered.

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