An Aegean Prophecy - Jeffrey Siger [80]
He kept staring at the cross. ‘Just a private conversation with God.’
Katerina nodded. It was after four and she’d been sitting next to him the entire night. Vladimir knew she’d love for him to show interest in her, but not a chance - even if she were twenty years younger. Make that thirty. There was just too much available without complications. He’d come to the conclusion that it was best to use hooker types. Not to pay them for sex, but to pay them to leave.
Vladimir looked down from the cross. A fat, sixty-year-old man at a table across from him was groping two twenty-year-olds in strapless cocktail dresses. From the bags at the women’s feet and similarity in their dresses, it was obvious they were wearing the fat man’s purchases. Vladimir watched the man take the hand of one girl and press it to his crotch. She rubbed, as the other kissed him on the lips. Vladimir couldn’t help but laugh. Just who did he think he was impressing?
‘Disgusting, that old man over there with those two young girls.’
Obviously, Katerina had caught the subject of his interest. ‘Jealous are we, my love?’
‘Not of them. They’re classless, and,’ she gave what must have been her most coquettish, cleavage-emphasizing smile, ‘I’m sure lousy in bed.’
He smiled, and squeezed her thigh. ‘I’m sure.’
Suddenly, faces began turning and several people headed toward the velvet rope, led by the owner. Paparazzi started flashing away.
Vladimir gestured for the attention of one of his bodyguards. ‘Find out what’s going on.’
Katerina put her hand on Vladimir’s. ‘I like it when you touch me like that.’
He smiled and held her hand.
The bodyguard was back. ‘Nothing to worry about, sir. It’s just a pretty woman everyone seems to know.’
‘Really, I think she should meet me.’
‘I don’t think it will be a problem, sir.’
‘Why’s that?’
He turned and pointed to a couple the owner was leading toward the VIP table across from them, as two members of the club’s staff hurriedly relocated the obnoxious fat guy and his two ladies to a place on the terrace.
Vladimir stared at the woman: ice-blue eyes, long auburn hair, almost as tall as he, and more gorgeous than a dream. He pulled his hand away from Katerina’s, waved to the couple, and said in English. ‘Andreas, my friend, how nice to see you again. Please, come join us.’
He turned to Katerina. ‘Please, move over to make room for your friends.’
Katerina’s anger was obvious. ‘She is not a friend of mine.’
‘Too bad, then perhaps you should leave.’ It was time for him to reassert control over the here and now and all its beings.
The gorgeous woman smiled at him, said in perfect English, ‘Thank you very much, but we’re expecting friends,’ turned away, and sat down in the power seat at the next table. ‘Darling,’ she said, waving to Andreas and still speaking English, ‘come sit here,’ patting the seat next to her. People started flocking to her table.
Andreas shrugged and said to Vladimir and Katerina, ‘What can I do, but please, won’t the two of you join us? I’d love for you to meet Barbara.’
Vladimir paused and drew in a breath. He was the one who gave audiences. He stared at Andreas, then glanced up at the cross, and brought his eyes down so that they lingered on that gorgeous woman. He willed her to catch his eyes, but she never looked his way. Vladimir swallowed and smiled. ‘It would be our pleasure.’
19
Big dogs ruled. So when Vladimir moved over to Barbara’s table everyone made room for him to sit beside her, on the other side from Andreas. Katerina pushed herself in next to Vladimir, but she might as well have been in Siberia for all the attention he paid her. He kept trying to start a conversation with Barbara but she treated him as if he were a waiter pressing for her order, and kept leaning forward to speak to her friends around the table in Greek.
Andreas kept a sideways watch on the Russian’s eyes. They hadn’t moved from Barbara since he sat down. Every time she leaned forward he stared at her face, every time she sat back to laugh or sip her wine he closed them as if inhaling the