Page 23 of Savage Little Lies

Is he upset? What does he want to discuss with me that we can’t discuss in his office? What if he found the bug?

Karly eyes me as we pass by her. I’m sure she’s noticed that we’re growing closer.

We take the elevator down, standing close enough that our arms almost touch. It takes everything in me not to look at him again to try to gauge his mood. I’m not a big fan of mysteries and secrets.

Dmitri leads me out of the building and across the street before finally speaking again. “Do you have a shellfish allergy?”

Relief loosens my chest, and a smile stretches across my face. “You’re always asking about my nonexistent allergies.”

“You’re the best assistant that I’ve ever had. I’d rather not kill you over a meal,” Dmitri replies as he glances at me, a ghost of a smirk on his face. “Well?”

“No food allergies,” I assure him.

Dmitri looks forward again as he leads me down the sidewalk, cars flying past us on the street. “Growing up, I had a friend who had a lot of allergies. He had to sit at his own little table in the cafeteria, away from everyone.”

My expression softens at his unexpected words. “He must’ve felt lonely.”

“He was until I started bringing lunch from home. No peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. No tuna and crackers. Nothing that could hurt him. I was able to sit with him once I started doing that,” Dmitri replies as a distant look fills his eyes, a small smile settling on his lips.

A flicker of warmth ignites in my chest at the thought of a mini version of him doing whatever he could to sit with his friend at lunch. But that was a long time ago. That boy is gone now.

I shouldn’t feel sorry for him or be impressed by him. It’s dangerous.

“That was nice of you,” I say. “Are you still friends?”

Dmitri grows silent for a few moments, and dread seeps into my chest. “He died during the summer between eighth and ninth grade. He went to a summer camp, and I guess they forgot about his food allergies and served him something with peanuts in it. He didn’t even realize until it was too late. They couldn’t get to his EpiPen in time to save him, and they were in the middle of nowhere...”

I lift my hand and touch his arm before I can even think about it. “I’m so sorry. I couldn’t imagine losing a friend like that so young.”

Dmitri slows down to a stop and looks over at me, genuine grief haunting his eyes. “I wish that I had gone to that camp with him, but my family…they had other plans for me. I should’ve fought to go.”

“You wouldn’t have been able to do anything,” I say gently.

Dmitri shakes his head. “I could’ve been with him at least.”

I slide my fingers down his arm and squeeze his hand. “You were a good friend to him.”

Dmitri looks away, clearing his throat before gesturing to the restaurant door that we’re standing in front of. “Come on.”

I follow him inside, immediately realizing that it’s a small sushi restaurant because of the cherry blossom artwork on the wall and the sushi chefs working at a bar in the back. Once we sit down at a booth and order our drinks, I lift my eyes to see Dmitri peering at me, my cheeks automatically warming.

I don’t know why they keep doing that. This is all just an act, but my body doesn’t seem to get the memo.

“I’d like you to come with me to a gala,” Dmitri tells me, catching me off guard.

My eyes widen. “A gala? I didn’t see that on your calendar.”

“It’s a private event. Mostly for people in my realm of business who want to drink, talk, and spend a bunch of money for charity,” Dmitri replies.

Why in the world would he want his assistant to go? To fetch him drinks and take his jacket?

“It sounds nice, but I’m not sure what my…purpose would be there,” I say.

“You could meet some of the people I do business with,” Dmitri tells me. “I’d like to hear your thoughts on them, see who you deem trustworthy.”

That seems like an odd reason why he wants me to come with him. But I guess he’s beginning to trust me.

It’s surprising.