Broken Wings (The Broken Series Book 3) (41 page)

Nonna
burst into the room. “What is going on?”

Cory
approached Nonna. “The training and the simulations will not work if the
students are sitting at their desks. We need comfortable chairs. If you don’t
have any, then we’ll just sit in a circle on the floor.”

Nonna’s
eyes widened. “You don’t want them in desks?”

I
shook my head. “No. We can help pull in chairs if you’d like.”

She
shook her head. “This is not how we run our classrooms.”

Cory
folded his arms across his chest as our entire team fell silent.

“Fine,”
Nonna huffed. “I’ll have maintenance bring chairs from the lounges.”

Within
twenty minutes we had everyone seated in tattered recliners and other
comfortably worn chairs, which we positioned in a circle around the room.

I
leaned forward in my chair as I addressed the students. “Look, we want you to
speak up. We want you to voice your opinion, and we want you to participate in
a dialogue with us. We are going to practice a number of communication and
conflict resolution strategies over the next five days, and we can’t do that
unless you participate. No one is going to get into trouble for speaking up or
for disagreeing with something we say. We will be discussing some conflicts
that you know better than we do. We will gain a better understanding of these
conflicts if everyone shares what they know. We are all teachers here.”

A
few of the students nodded in understanding. Some appeared excited about the
changes. Others looked extremely uncomfortable.

Sammi
smiled. “Let’s begin with introductions. Igor, will you please get us started?”

*
* * * * *

Shae,
Sammi, Cory and I remained in the classroom after the students went home. Cory
was scribbling notes on his note pad. “I think that went really well.”

I
nodded. “I agree. It was exciting to see the students open up. They seemed
comfortable debating each other at the end.”

Shae
looked thoughtful as she tapped a pen against her chin. “I think they had a
good grasp of the theories and the conflict resolution models. Do you think
they’ll be ready to participate in simulations tomorrow?”

Sammi
perched on the arm of Cory’s chair. “If the four of us run through a simulation
first thing in the morning and model some of the strategies for them, I think
they’ll be ready to break into small groups and manage their own simulations by
noon.”

I
stood. “Let’s arrange the room like a fish bowl.” Shae joined me as I pulled
four chairs to the center of the room. Sammi and Cory adjusted the chairs in
the outer circle so the gaps were closed.

Cory
eyed the room. “This is perfect. Are you guys ready to grab some dinner?”

I
nodded as I reached for my purse. “I’m starving.” I followed Shae into the hallway
but stopped short when I saw Maxim talking to Brady. “I’m sorry, Maxim. I
didn’t realize you were waiting on me.”

He
smiled as he strode toward me. “I came to negotiate with the dean for your new teaching
position.”

My
jaw fell open.

He
laughed as he pulled me into his arms. “I’m joking.” He kissed the top of my
head before turning his attention to Shae. “Konstantin is outside. We’d like to
take you and Kristine out for dinner.”

Shae
smiled. “Do you mind if Cory and Sammi tag along?”

Cory
wrapped his arm around Sammi. “I appreciate the invitation, Shae, but I’d like
some time alone with Sammi.”

Brady
stood next to me. “Ethan will be here any minute. I’m sorry, Cory, but we’re
assigned to Kristine. We have orders to stick with her when you guys are
separated.”

Maxim
linked his fingers with mine as he addressed Cory. “I already have a couple of
men assigned to you. I’ll make sure they maintain a respectable distance.”

Cory
nodded. “Thanks.”

The
six of us filed downstairs as we made our way outside. We found Ethan and
Konstantin talking just outside the front door.

Konstantin
brightened when he saw Shae. He reached for her hand before kissing her on the cheek.
“How did it go?”

She
smiled. “The students were a bit surprised by our teaching style, but they were
enjoying themselves by the end of the day.”

He
tucked Shae under his arm. “Good. Do you ladies like Chinese food?”

My
eyes widened. “I love Chinese food.”

Shae
laughed. “Me too.”

Konstantin
beamed. “I know just the place.”

I
glanced at Ethan and Brady. “Are you guys okay with Chinese food?”

Brady
rolled back on his heels and shrugged. “Chinese food sounds great.”           

Ethan
nodded. “That’s fine with me.” He nudged Brady as we walked toward the parking
lot. “The six of us aren’t going to fit in one car. Why don’t you ride with
Maxim and Kristine? Konstantin and Shae can ride with me.”

Brady
nodded. “Sounds good.”

Shae
and Konstantin climbed into the back of Ethan’s car. Maxim held the front
passenger door open for me as Brady slid into the back seat. He pulled me
against his chest as I slid past him. “Not so fast,
kotyonok
.”

My
heart stalled. “What’s wrong?”

He
smiled. “It is customary for a man to kiss the woman he is dating when he picks
her up from work.” An amused look fell over his face when I opened my mouth to
object. He silenced me with a deep, sensuous kiss.

I
tried to end the kiss in a reasonable amount of time, but Maxim crushed me
against his chest. His kiss grew fierce as he fought for my submission. I grew
mindless as I relaxed into his arms. 

I
fell back against the car when he finally released me. I touched my fingers to
my swollen lips. “You have to stop kissing me like that,” I whispered hoarsely.

His
eyes were hooded and filled with lust. His entire body vibrated with need.
“Like what?”

“Like
you want to have sex,” I whispered.

He
lowered his voice as he leaned closer to me. Testosterone rolled off him in
huge overpowering waves. “One night, Kristine… one night with me and all other
men would cease to exist for you.”

My
heart skipped three or four beats. “That’s what I’m afraid of,” I whispered
brokenly.

Maxim
looked conflicted as he studied me. His eyes darkened as he engaged in some
internal debate.

I
slid into the front passenger seat without breathing another word.

We
met Ethan, Shae, and Konstantin at the restaurant a few minutes later. I still felt
shaken by the kiss, so I reached for Brady’s arm as Maxim ushered us through
the door. “Why don’t you and Ethan join us?”

“Kristine,
this should at least look like a date,” Maxim grumbled irritably.

Brady’s
eyes flitted between Maxim and me. “Maxim’s right. If you want others to
believe the two of you are dating, then Ethan and I shouldn’t join you. We’ll
sit at the table directly behind you.”

The
waitress greeted Maxim and Konstantin by name. She ducked into the kitchen and
returned with a bottle of wine. Maxim had already chosen a table by the time
she returned. He smiled as he pulled a chair out for me.

The
waitress opened the bottle of wine while conversing with Maxim and Konstantin
in Russian. She glanced curiously at me while Maxim was speaking. She nodded,
then smiled as she handed Maxim the bottle of wine.

Maxim
poured all four glasses of wine. He handed each of us a glass before raising
his own glass for a toast. “To an old friend… a new friend… and to the woman
who holds my heart.”

I
smiled and gently shook my head. How someone in the mafia could speak so
eloquently was completely beyond me. The four of us tapped our wine glasses
together before raising them to our lips.

Maxim
pulled my chair closer to his the second I set my wine glass down. He wrapped
his arm around me and immediately began playing with my hair. He drew a handful
of hair to his nose and inhaled deeply. “I loved waking up to the smell of you
this morning.”

I
glanced at Shae, whose eyes had grown wide. “It’s not what you think,” I
protested a little too loudly.

Maxim
laughed as he continued teasing me. “I’d like to take you home with me tonight.
I want you to roll around in my sheets again, so they’ll smell like you.”

I
elbowed him in the ribs. “You behave.”

Konstantin
looked thoroughly entertained by the ribbing. He draped his arm around Shae’s
shoulders as he shifted his attention to her. “When do you have to leave for
Sevastopol?”

She
set her wine glass on the table and frowned. “We leave on Saturday.”

“In
five days?” Konstantin asked. His disappointment was obvious.

Shae’s
eyes met mine. “Sadly, yes.”

Maxim’s
face fell as he looked at me. “I won’t be able to join you in Sevastopol until
Sunday. Prime Minister Azarov has requested my presence for a meeting between
Russia’s Foreign Minister Lavrov and our Foreign Minister Kozhara on Saturday.
We are renegotiating the presence of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol.”

Shae’s
face lit with interest. “Russia has a naval fleet in Sevastopol?”

He
nodded, but his eyes remained on me. “I should be able to join you for dinner
Sunday night. When do you expect Rafael to arrive in Sevastopol? I still want
to meet him.”

Shae
narrowed her eyes at Maxim. “Why do you want to meet Rafael when you so obviously
want to steal his girl?”

Maxim
chuckled as he reached for his wine. “I want to meet him so I can size up my
competition.”

I
stared at Maxim. I couldn’t tell if he was joking. “I’m not sure when Rafael
will arrive. It depends on how long he stays in Paris.”

Maxim
studied me as he refilled Konstantin’s wine. “Does he have business in Paris?”

I
shook my head. “No. He’s going to talk to Michael.” I cringed when I realized my
mistake.

Maxim
stilled. “Why?”

Shae’s
eyes glinted with mischief as she reached for her wine. She chuckled softly. “You
haven’t told him.”

Maxim
glanced questioningly at Shae. He raised a single eyebrow as his attention
returned to me. “Told me what?”

Shae
giggled. “Rafael and Michael are brothers.”

I
scowled at Shae. I snatched the wine glass from her hand. “No more wine for you.”

Maxim
took the wine glass away from me and handed it back to Shae. He crooked his
finger under my chin as he turned my face toward his. “Your boyfriend and your
ex-fiancé are brothers?”

My
heart came to a screeching stop. “Yes.”

He
smiled as a smug look settled over his face. “Now I know.”

“Know
what?” I asked nervously.

His
eyes flared with desire. “You should not be with either of those men.”

I
kicked Shae under the table before collapsing against the back of my chair.

Shae
narrowed her eyes at me. “Ow!”

Maxim
yanked me against his chest. “Kiss me,” he demanded gruffly.

“Wha…”

His
lips crashed forcefully against mine. His tongue swept through my mouth in long
overpowering strokes. I clutched at his shirt, and suddenly my control slipped.

He
coaxed my mouth and mind into an erotic dance that left little doubt as to where
Maxim’s true skills really lie. I fought against the searing desire now
threatening to consume me. My breath came hard and fast as carnal images filled
my mind.

My
eyes flew open when I felt a light flash against my cheek.

He
kissed my neck, then nuzzled my ear. “Looks like the press has finally arrived.”
His voice was thick and filled with lust.

I
was still trying to catch my breath. I narrowed my eyes at him as I slowly
released his shirt. “You did that on purpose.”

He
tried to appear unaffected by the kiss. He looked shaken, but he shrugged.
“It’s good press… for both of us.”

The
waitress stopped by the table to deliver our food. Maxim spooned a couple of
dishes onto my plate as I sat staring at him.

He
glanced at me and smiled. “Prime Minister Azarov had a message for you.”

My
eyes widened. “For me?”

He
nodded. “He said if you don’t want to teach at the university, he will find a
position for you at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

My
jaw fell slack.

Shae’s
fork hung suspended in mid-air. “Prime Minister Azarov wants to hire Kri?”

Maxim
nodded. “Yes… and now that I know her relationship with Rafael will fail, I’m
going to do everything within my power to convince her to stay in Ukraine.”

My
heart slammed against my ribcage. “I don’t want to live in Ukraine.”

He
stared at me incredulously. “Why not? The Ukrainian people love you.”