Obeying the Russian Mafia Boss: A Mob Romance by Bella Rose, Leona Lee Read Free Book Online

money, and that’s what makes my business possible, but I like to be successful. Rest assured, my dear, that I can deliver on my promise. Come with me.”
    She didn’t say anything as he walked her out to the car. Opening the door for her, he watched her climb into the back before he slipped in behind her.
    “Take us home, please,” he said before he settled back in the seat
    Unable to do anything but smile, he didn’t feel an ounce of regret. The little lark was in his net, and she would be his for the year.
     

Chapter Five
     
     
    Ella tried to compose herself in the car. She had already promised herself that she would not look like a naive fool. He was rich and sexy, but she would conduct herself with as much dignity as possible. Still, she was all too aware of how close he sat to her.
    “Why didn’t you go back to Atherton?” Erik asked suddenly.
    Fidgeting nervously, she stared at him in surprise. “I’m sorry? How do you know that I went to Atherton? I didn’t tell you that.”
    “You didn’t think I would hire you without doing a background check, did you?” he asked with an amused smile.
    “Of course not,” she said, embarrassed. Nervously, she tucked her hair behind her ears. “My parents never made much money. The only reason that I could go was because of a scholarship. My father fell ill right after my sophomore year. When I missed too many days of classes, I lost my scholarship. It didn’t even matter that I was still at the top of my class.” She didn’t even bother to hide the disdain in her voice.
    “There must be more to the story,” he encouraged her softly.
    Blowing out her breath, she rolled her eyes. “It was no secret that the dean’s daughter wanted my boyfriend. I didn’t realize that she wanted him bad enough to go to her daddy and get me kicked out. Believe me, if I had known, I would have let her have him.”
    “You didn’t really like him?” he asked with raised eyebrows.
    “Is any of this relevant to the job? It was years ago. I don’t need a degree to clean your house do I?” The words were harsher than she intended, but she didn’t apologize. She didn’t really want him poking around in her personal life.
    “I’m just making small talk. I didn’t realize you were so sensitive,” he said dryly. “I do have one more question. How does a student studying veterinary science get a job as a receptionist at a Fortune 500 company?”
    Ella shrugged. “Ex-boyfriend’s father was vice president of the company. Josh felt bad after I got kicked out, so he pulled some strings to get me the job. The pay was good, so I didn’t turn it down. We needed the money after my father died.”
    He stopped questioning her, and she felt exhaustion setting in. As she leaned against the door and closed her eyes, she nearly drifted off to sleep. When the car hit a bump, she jerked upright. Taking a deep breath, she searched for a way to continue the conversation. She couldn’t fall asleep before she even got the job.
    “So the Black Orchid seems successful. Did you always want to own a club?”
    “Actually, as a kid, I really wanted to own a small shop by the ocean,” he said almost wistfully. “I had never even seen the ocean until I was an adult, but I’d seen pictures and videos. The crashing waves on the shore always made me feel like I was so small. I liked that.”
    Ella had a feeling that he’d told her something really personal. “The Black Orchid isn’t exactly a small shop, but you’re quite close to the ocean,” she said brightly.
    “There’s no money or power in following the dreams of your youth,” he said darkly. She didn’t say anything else. Half-naked women dancing and swimming in a bar was a pretty far cry from a small shop by the ocean. “We’re here.”
    She’d seen big houses before. San Diego was full of the rich and famous, but she couldn’t help but gape as she got out of the car. They had to drive through a huge wrought-iron gate guarded