Chapter 35

Mikhail.

It wasn't until night before I had to leave the office that Zach hadn't been wrong when he said I had so much pending work, coupled with not having slept at night. With Ava's case and meeting Adrik at the club tonight, I was starting to feel the effects of today on my body.

I walked into my office, throwing my iPad on the desk before flopping on the sofa at the end of the wall. Closing my eyes for a bit, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I checked and saw a message from Karina asking if she should come over for dinner.

I responded with a "no" before grabbing my house keys and leaving the office. It was already past eight, and the company was almost empty except for a few workers and Zach, who stumbled tiredly into my office, crashing beside me and resting his head on my shoulders.

"Fuck off," I grumbled, pushing him away. He whined before looking up at me angrily.

"It's all your fault I'm still here. My closing time is six," he said, wiping his eyes tiredly.

"You're my PA, you close when I do," I said, rising to my feet to grab my stuff from the table before unbuttoning the top buttons of my shirt.

"If you had just done your work earlier, we wouldn't be here by this time," Zach said again, and I rolled my eyes, putting on my watch and heading back to him. I kicked his leg, and he opened his tired eyes to stare up at me.

"Get up. We need to go to the club. I'm meeting with Adrik by ten. I want to grab something to eat before then," I said, and Zach groaned, standing up slowly.

"About dinner, Karina called to book a table for you two at Sullivan's Foods," he said, grabbing his iPad from my desk.

"Cancel it. I already told her no," I grumbled.

"You know, very soon you won't have to avoid her anymore," Zach said, and I smiled up at him.

"Yeah. But right now, I can. Let's go," I said, leaving the office with Zach beside me as we took the elevator downstairs and got into my car waiting outside.

"So what do you plan on doing?" Zach asked as the car drove to the restaurant.

"I'm going to talk to Adrik. I have no doubt that he did that to Ava's apartment. He surely did it to get back at me that night for saving Ava and getting into his stupid games."

That was the only person who was pissed at Ava at the moment, and if I let that go, who knew what else he could do.

"And what if he didn't? He might be pissed at you, but Adrik's usually busy. He doesn't have time to think of a way to get back at you," Zach said, and I looked away from him and at the night city.

Everywhere was bursting with people as if it was still day. They roamed around, some already getting drunk and staggering out of clubs.

"He did it. I know he did," I said, closing the conversation, and Zach went on with how rude Mr. Jones had been towards him.

I zoned out, thinking of where Ava could have spent the night. My guess went to the Jayden guy, and I frowned, clenching my fist.

There was something about him that I didn't like. He radiated bad energy, and I didn't want him around Ava.

"Did you get any leads on the Jayden guy who seems to be around Ava?" I asked Zach, cutting him off from his conversation once more.

"Not yet. We can't pull anything on him at the moment, but we are still in it," he assured me, and I nodded.

"Let me know when something comes up."

"Sure. His face is kinda familiar too, but I can't put my finger on it," Zach said, placing his fingers on his jaw as he thought deeply.

"I think so too," I responded, and we went quiet after that.

We finally pulled up at the restaurant, and we ordered a Russian meal. I was Russian, and I grew up eating those a lot.

It was another hour before we finally reached the club. We got in almost immediately, and I was immediately assaulted with bright lights and loud music.

A few girls danced over me, and I completely ignored them, my eyes sweeping the floor in search of Ava. I didn't see her, and Zach was tugging me towards the stairs.

"Come on! Adrik's waiting!" he yelled over the music, and I finally looked away, following him to the top floor.

It was strictly reserved for people like me, and for that, I was glad I didn't have to talk to wannabe billionaires and disease-infected girls. I quickly glanced around the floor in search of Ava, but I didn't see her again.

She might be working on the middle floor, I thought as I headed off to Adrik's table, masking the disappointment on my face. He smiled deviously when he saw me and waved his hand at his men sitting beside him. They stood up immediately, going to stand behind him.

Zach shivered behind me as we went over to his table. I sat down comfortably, not breaking my gaze with his, while Zach stood behind me.

"So, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Adrik asked, a smirk lining his lips, and I wanted to punch it right off his face.

"Let's cut to the chase, shall we? You know why I'm here. You know what you did," I said, and he laughed. His men glanced nervously at each other, and I said nothing.

"Mikhail, you know I wouldn't do anything that would affect you. We made a pact. I stay on my side of the city, you stay on yours. This club is the only place we get to be friends," he smiled, grabbing a cigarette from the table and placing it between his lips.

"We are not friends. And don't forget I own this city. I could have you thrown out and back to the hole you crawled out from," I threatened.

Adrik frowned before smiling again, lighting his cigarette and puffing out the smoke to his right before looking at me.

"But you won't," he said, and I leaned back, watching him before grabbing a bottle of whiskey and gulping it down, not bothering with a cup.

"Good. A nice drink calms the soul. Now tell me why are you really here, Mik?" Adrik asked, becoming serious again.

"Don't call me that. I'm here because you trashed Ava's apartment, you asshole!" I said, and Adrik frowned, glancing at his men behind him who shrugged.

"Who's Ava?" he asked, and I clenched my fist.

"The waitress you asked to dance on your table a few days ago. You trashed her apartment, didn't you? To get back at me for getting her down from your stupid jokes," I said, leaning towards him.

"I didn't do that. Hell, I've forgotten what the girl looks like," he responded, his face betraying anything he might have done to hurt Ava. He sounded so genuine and truthful that I almost believed him.

"You fucking liar! You know what happens when I'm lied to, Adrik," I said, my fingers digging into my palm.

"I didn't do it, I swear! Why would I even do it? She's not special to either of us," Adrik started to say but stopped, scrutinizing his eyes at me. "Or is she special to you, Mikhail?" he asked, and I snarled at him.

"Like fucking hell she would," I said, and I could almost taste the lie on my tongue. Adrik knew too, and a sinister smile played across his lips.

"You like her?" he laughed. "You like a poor nobody waitress. Was that why you defended her the other day?"

"Fuck you!" I yelled, standing up to grab his shirt so he stopped laughing and stared at me with cold green eyes. Beneath all that, I could see a flicker of fear buried in them.

I noticed his men behind him had taken out their guns, pointing them at me, and Zach whimpered my name behind me.

"Tell them to stand down or I'll grab the gun behind you and kill them all before you blink," I threatened with a low voice. I saw fear flash in Adrik's eyes before he looked away and told them to stand down.

They hesitatingly pulled their guns away, and I turned back to him, clenching his shirt tighter.

"If I find out that you're lying to me and that you actually trashed her apartment, or you have more plans for Ava, I'll find you, cut you up into tiny pieces that wouldn't be able to put you back together for your funeral," I said, fixing my gaze into his eyes, smiling, and pulling away.

I dusted off his shirt before taking the cigarette between his lips and placing it in mine, then leaned back against my chair.

"I told you I didn't do anything," Adrik finally said after a while.

"I'll be the judge of that," I answered him, pulling out the cigarette and gulping down the rest of the bottle.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Adrik smirk.

"Let's refill that bottle of yours, shall we?" he looked away before beckoning someone over.

"After all, this would be all for naught if the person you're trying to protect isn't here," he finished, and I frowned in confusion.

And just as I turned to my right, I saw the one person who had been on my mind all day.

Ava stood with an empty tray in her hand. She was wearing a short black skirt and a white shirt that she tucked in. She appeared taller and sexy in those black heels she wore. Her makeup was done slightly, and her bright hazel eyes stared fearfully at Adrik before they found mine.

I saw the gasp that escaped her lips before she blinked, walking carefully to our table, her head bowed submissively.

"What the fuck are you doing?" I asked through gritted teeth. But Adrik said nothing as he only smiled, gesturing to my empty bottle.

Ava got close and stood quietly in front of us. Her head was still lowered, so when I looked up at her, I could see her long eyelashes resting against her cheeks.

Having her so close to me was a relief because she had been on my mind since, and it tore me apart that I hadn't seen her since the incident at the restaurant.

"What can I get you?" she asked, her voice shaking as she tried to keep her cool, but I could see the tension in her shoulders.

"Mik—" Adrik started to say, but I didn't wait for him to finish as I grabbed Ava's hand and led her downstairs with me.

"What are you?!" she started to yell as she yanked her wrist away from mine, but I held her tightly as we got downstairs, and I took the backdoor to avoid the crowd at the front.

"Mikhail!" she yelled, trying to twist her hand away from mine as she staggered behind me.

I pushed open the door, and the fresh night air slammed against my face. I yanked Ava closer, pushing her against the wall, and just as she opened her lips to yell at me, I covered them with mine.