Perspective (An Exposure Series Novella): Exposure Series Book Four by Annie Jocoby Read Free Book Online Page A

that. Everyone in America knows that. His name is on everyone’s lips, as they say.” Then he smiled, and sipped his scotch some more.
    “Yes,” I said, feeling weird. “His name is on everyone’s lips.” I took a deep breath, waiting for him to say what he was there for, but he was silent for awhile.
    He nodded his head. “Very nice place.”
    I finally took another deep breath and decided to take the bull by the horns. “Mr. Kazakov, I’m so sorry, but why are you here? And how did you get in here? I’m sure I locked the door when I came in.”
    He chuckled a little. “Do you not know that Sophie has a key to this place? Alexei gave her a key when they were together many years ago. He never changed the locks afterwards, either, which is….odd. I would think that he would be much more careful about such things, considering his background, but I guess he truly feels that he is safe.”
    “Is he not safe?”
    “Is anybody ever truly safe?” he asked, and, for the first time, I truly began to feel threatened. I put my hand over my abdomen again reflexively. There wasn’t anything there yet, of course – no kicking or fluttering or any of that. It was way too early, yet I was feeling extremely maternal.
    He shook his head. “I am sorry, I am…intimidating you. I do not mean to be. I really should tell you why I am here and leave it at that.”
    “Yes. You probably should tell me why you are here.”
    “I am here because I need for you to know that you cannot tell anybody about the truth about Sophie’s child. I know that you had dinner with your mother and sister last night, and I know that you did not tell them anything about Sophie’s child. I was surprised about that.”
    It all became clear to me. Apparently my apartment was bugged. Why neither Asher nor I had thought of that angle, I didn’t know. Asher was usually so thorough about such things, but he apparently wasn’t thinking straight. What we did know was that our place was swept for bugs. Asher was going to have to do that again after this visit. Not to mention change the locks.
    “You’re right. My mother was upset with me, and I just forgot about telling her. And if I would have said something to her, she would have blown a gasket.”
    “You are lucky that you did not say anything to her. If you would have, I have a feeling you would have told her the truth. And if you did….” He sliced his hand across his throat.
    My heart sunk. I was counting on the fact that I might be able to at least tell my mother the truth about the baby. She was going to freak out all over again when I told her about Sophie’s baby. And I was going to have to tell her, of course. Not telling her wasn’t exactly feasible. She was bound to find out.
    “I understand,” I said.
    “Good. So, I assume that you are going to tell your mother and your sister about Sophie’s child, no?”
    “Yes. And I….” I couldn’t say the words. I imagined my mother’s face when I told her that Asher was about to have a child with another woman. She was having a hard enough time trying to wrap her head around the fact that I was “married to the mob.” To tell her that Asher was going to have a baby with another woman was going to send her outer limits. To say the very least.
    “Thank you. I am very sorry that this is going to cause problems. But if anybody ever found out that Sophie’s child is mine…Oksana’s father will have everyone’s head, as they say.”
    I nodded, and he finally got up off the couch. “Well, I must be leaving. Thank you for the scotch.” Then he smiled and winked. “And now you know how to make a neat scotch.”
    “Yes, I’m sure it will come in handy.”
    At that, he left.

    A fter he left , I paced the floor. I had to keep my emotions in check while he was there, but, after he left, I felt the ice-cold fear that I should have been feeling during his visit. I wanted Asher to come home, but I knew that he was working late, trying to