Chapter 29 Brrr. Brrr. Click. "H...he-... hello...?" I start talking immediately. "Search her file again. I want names-male names that pop up in her history. Ex-boyfriends, ex-lovers, ex-fiancés, anything at all that might suggest intimacy." There's heavy breathing on the other end. "Kovan," Osip growls, "it is four-fucking-thirty in the motherfucking morning. Have you lost your mind?" "I don't give two shits what time it is. Did you hear what I just said?" "You need me to look into Yana⁠-" "Vesper!" I snarl. "I need you to dig into Vesper's past!" "Isn't that what I said?" My grip tightens on the phone. "Don't think I won't drive over to your place right now just to cave your skull in. I'm in no mood to be trifled with, Osip. Pull up Vesper's file and tell me what you see." "You want me to do this now?" "Immediately." "... Did I mention that it's four-thirty in the morning?" "That wasn't a request." "Goddamn you, you surly bastard." I hear the click-clack of keys being pressed. "I'm pulling up her file now." "And?" "And... I don't see anything. No information here on past lovers of any kind. In fact, looking at this file, I'd say the woman's practically a nun. She's been studying and working too much to have any fun at all." I should be relieved, but I don't trust what I'm hearing. Something's missing. Someone has slipped through the cracks. "Is there a reason you want me to dig into your fake girlfriend's love life?" Osip asks after a few silent minutes of me pacing. "That's my business," I reply. "If there's anything else you find, let me know immediately." I hang up before he can bust my balls about getting worked up over a woman. Maybe calling Osip at four-thirty in the morning wasn't smart, especially with Vesper sleeping in the next room. But my blood is running hot and my heart is pounding painfully against my ribs. I need something: Answers. Control. Her. I slip back into bed beside Vesper, studying her face in the darkness. She looks peaceful and innocent. But my mind churns with questions that won't let me rest. Who is this other man? And why the fuck does she trust him with her life? The next morning, I watch Vesper from across the kitchen. She's so focused on Luka that she doesn't notice my mood. Either that, or she's ignoring it. Luka barely speaks to me because he's over the moon to be reunited with Vesper again. The two of them chatter nonstop during the drive to school, their easy rapport like a taunt in my face. After I drop him off, the car falls silent. Vesper stares out the window, suspiciously quiet. "Have you called your friend?" I ask. "The one with the stupid name?" She whips around to glare at me. "Actually, yeah, I already spoke to him." "When?" "When you were in the shower this morning. He's not willing to accept the position until he meets you first." Unbelievable. This son of a bitch is already trying to call the shots. "Did you stress to him the need for discretion?" "Of course. I explained about Luka and⁠-" "What about us?" I interrupt. "What does he know about us?" "I thought it would be simpler if we stuck to the party line." She clears her throat. "As far as he's concerned, you and I are dating." I have to suppress my smile. "Good. What did he think of that?" She frowns. "I'll admit, he wasn't thrilled." I almost miss my turn. "Why not?" "He's always been protective of me." The words hit me wrong, all wrong. I don't want this guy on my payroll, no matter how qualified he may or may not be. But I have to meet him. Have to see what I'm dealing with. "Lunch today at twelve. Set it up." I pull to a stop outside of St. Raphael's. "Today?" "He doesn't have a job, right? Surely he can make the time." Her face scrunches with uncertainty. She looks nervous now, like she's gotten herself into something she's not sure she wants to be part of. "Okay, I'll set it up." "Good. I'll make reservations at La Luna's." "I'll see you there." She reaches for the door handle. I hit the lock before she can escape. "You're joining us?" She yanks at the door handle like a frustrated child. "Oh my God, did you just actually lock me in?" "Are you?" She twists to face me, eyes blazing. "Yes, I will be. I made the suggestion, so I should be there to make the introduction." "Is that the only reason you want to be there?" "No, as a matter of fact, it's not. I want to be there to make sure you don't read Waylen the riot act. I know how you are. He's important to me and I won't have you treating him like shit or trying to intimidate him the way you do everyone else who's unfortunate enough to cross your path." She folds her arms across her chest and fixes me with a feisty glare. My blood pressure spikes. Part of me wants to tell her to cancel the damn appointment. I have no desire to meet her little boy toy if she's going to be this defensive about him. "He's important to you, is he? And yet this is the first I'm hearing of him." "Maybe because I don't share every aspect of my life with you, Kovan," she says. "I mean, let's face it: It's not like we're friends or anything. We're not close. We don't share each other's confidences. You scratch my back and I scratch yours and that's all. That's the nature of our deal, remember?" "The nature of our deal," I growl, "is to be able to sell the lie that we're a couple. How the fuck am I supposed to do that when I don't know the people in your life?" She laughs humorlessly. "You're something else, you know that? You want to sell this great connection we have, but you pull away every time I get too close. It doesn't really make for a convincing picture, Kovan. Can you blame me for wanting to protect myself, too?" "I will blame you if your actions hurt Luka in any way." "Then hire Waylen," she suggests. "He will only help Luka. And God knows the kid needs a strong male role model. He's severely lacking in that department." The words are designed to cut, and they hit their mark. My jaw clenches so hard it aches. "Now," she continues, "unlock this damn car and let me out." I release the lock as hard as I can. She bolts from the car and storms into the hospital without looking back. I'm left to sit there and wonder, What is this strange and uncomfortable churning in my gut? It feels like fire. The kind that burns without respite. The kind that can consume me whole if I'm not careful. And if I'm not careful, if I fuck up, if I venture too far in the wrong direction... this woman may just be the end of me. At this point, I wouldn't even blame her for it.