Free Until the End by London Miller Page B

saying, “I don’t know.”
    “One conversation, that’s all I want, and if you don’t want to see me after that, I’ll…I’ll leave you be.”
    She heard the words, but it didn’t match the expression on his face. He had that determined look about him that he couldn’t hide.
    Lauren couldn’t say no to him.
    “Maybe on Thursday. I don’t have classes then,” she offered.
    Mishca nodded gratefully, taking her hand, bringing it to his lips to ghost a kiss over her knuckles. “Thank you.”
    Though she didn’t want him to, he released, taking a step back to give her space. “I’ll leave you to your party.”
    At the last second, he leaned, pressing a lingering kiss to the spot just below her ear, a reminder of what they’d had. He was gone soon after, but she didn’t move until his car was out of sight. In that moment, she didn’t feel the anger or the betrayal, only a feeling of completeness.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    In the beginning, every stupid decision seemed like a good one, at least until you were faced with the reality of it. As Lauren entered the downtown Manhattan club, she couldn’t remember why she thought meeting Mishca alone was a good idea.
    It wasn’t fear of him that had her hesitant about seeing him, more of a fear of what they would discuss. There was so much between them, too much, things that she would never forget…even if she sometimes wanted to.
    There was a cleaning crew inside the club, all in blue uniforms, wiping down every visible surface of the interior. There were at least a dozen men and women on the floor and with the rate that they seemed to be working, they would probably be done in a couple of hours.
    At the base of the staircase leading up to Mishca’s private office, Vlad stood. Lauren tried not to smile as he watched the workers hesitantly move around him, giving him side-long glances.
    “Is he up there?” Lauren asked after shaking Vlad’s hand—he wasn’t much of a hugger.
    Nodding, he stepped to the side, pushing open the heavy black door behind him.
    She took the stairs slowly, trying to ignore the rapid beating of her heart as she knocked on the glass door, waiting for him to bark an ‘enter’ before she shoved it open. Mishca was seated behind his desk, a shot glass and a bottle of expensive vodka resting in front of him, Jonathan sitting in one of the armchairs in front of the cherry-wood desk.
    Lauren had only met Jonathan on a single occasion and he had seemed nice enough, but today he looked stressed, even more than Mishca did.
    He spotted Lauren first and at any other time, it might have been comical seeing the obvious relief on his face. Standing up abruptly, he drew Mishca’s attention away from him and to Lauren, but she couldn’t bring herself to look at him yet.
    “Good to see you again, Lauren,” Jonathan said shaking her hand, kissing both of her cheeks.
    Jonathan had perfectly styled brown hair, with warm brown eyes. He obviously worked out, but next to Mishca, he looked like a child.
    “Jonathan.”
    “I’ll just leave you two to talk…”
    He made his exit quickly and without him in the room, Lauren couldn’t avoid looking at Mishca any longer.
    It was like a punch to the gut.
    That night in the club, she must not have really seen him. To be quite honest, he looked like shit.
    His hair was a touch too long, his eyes were bloodshot—thanks in large part to the bottle of alcohol on his desk, no doubt—and instead of his standard three piece suit, he was wearing a white T-shirt, slim dark wash jeans, and heavy looking boots. It reminded her of the first time they met, a day that seemed like it was only yesterday.
    As she moved further into the room, the change in his demeanor was so subtle that if she hadn’t been looking for it, she might not have noticed it. A sort of…desperation filled his eyes, something she didn’t understand.
    He stood, always the gentleman, gesturing for her to take a seat in one of