The Unruly Luna

Chapter 4

The Beginning of the First Week. Monday.

Polina was sitting in the reception area outside her boss’s office. A cream-colored blouse, gray trousers, and heels were waiting under the desk for their moment. She had tucked her left leg beneath her and was idly swinging her bare right foot — childish, perhaps, but no one could see her. She was checking her boss’s schedule. Polya still had about fifteen minutes before their morning briefing to go over tasks and plans for the week. She had managed to distance herself a little from the unpleasant evening and forbidden herself to think about the strange man.

Lost in thought, she ran her fingers through her hair and immediately stopped herself. Her hair was once again perfectly gathered into a shell — though how nice it would be to let it down. Her hair was her greatest pride: falling to the middle of her hips, golden-amber, thick and heavy. Gathering it every day was a torment.

She was pulled from her thoughts by the voice coming through the intercom.

"Polina, come into my office," — Amir ordered."I'm coming, Amir Sabirovich," — she replied, glancing at the time and hurriedly slipping on her heels. Something was off — he was calling her in early. Maybe something had happened, something important.

She entered the office quickly and confidently, as always greeting him with a friendly smile. Phone in hand, recorder ready. Polina settled into the chair out of habit, placed the phone on the side table, and held the voice recorder in her left hand.

She was always attentive, always ready to carry out any order — almost any. Except that one time when I ordered her to sit on the desk and help me relax. The way her eyes flared with fury… No wonder Ruslan set his sights on her. I wouldn’t mind making her my mistress myself. I’d even marry her, if she agreed. What a shame to lose her. Though really, what is one girl on the scale of the entire holding? And yet — why am I willing to bet the whole company that she’ll dig her heels in and refuse? — Amir thought, looking at his assistant.

"Do you have any idea why I called you in?" — he asked. He didn’t want to pressure her, but Amir understood perfectly well that he had no choice. Yesterday he had received an order, and disobeying it was not an option."No, I don’t. Are there any especially important assignments?" — Polya asked, completely carefree.

"Today you have one single assignment," — Amir said dryly. Polina immediately understood just how serious this was. — "His name is Ruslan Seversky. You met him yesterday. He asked that you go to lunch or dinner with him. He will not accept a refusal."

Looks like that maniac already spoke to my boss. And I thought it was an empty threat. He left right away. I decided he’d gone off with someone more compliant. Why is he so persistent? — Polina thought, weighing what might happen if she refused to go to that lunatic.

"He didn’t like me. He behaved like a complete bastard. I’m not going anywhere with him. I wouldn’t be able to swallow a single bite sitting next to him," — Polina said firmly.

So I caught his eye — big deal. Plenty of men like me. He’s not getting anything. Does he seriously think he can pressure me with dismissal? Been there, done that. I’ll quit and that’s it. I don’t want to see that psycho. He scared me, pounced on me like he’d never seen a living woman before. I scrubbed my neck afterward because of his kisses. The way he latched on — what a parasite! — Polina was angry again now, thoroughly shaken by the whole situation. And now it turned out that the obsessed bastard was ordering her to be sent to him.

"This is an order. You’re going to him right now. My driver will take you," — her boss said just as uncompromisingly."Or?" — she raised an eyebrow.

Oh sure. I’m running to him right now, flying on the wings of love. Who is he anyway, to force Amir like this? Amir never took me to meetings with him. I barely know anything about this Ruslan — I only scheduled appointments, that’s all, — she recalled.

"You go to HR and submit your resignation," — Amir said. He already knew she would."Easily," — Polina smiled. — "All the data is on my computer. After I submit my resignation, I’ll send you your schedule for the week. All meetings for this week are confirmed. The rest are in the notes — let the secretary call them. I’ll resolve the issue with Tahir today, otherwise Lara is terrified of him."

"I’m sorry. Polya, it’s better if you go to him now and try to negotiate," — Amir offered a compromise. — "I know this family too well. Nothing stops Ruslan. You can’t even imagine who you’re dealing with.""Thank you for your concern," — she replied indifferently.

Concern, my ass. He just ordered me to go spread myself under an investor. Maybe this is revenge because I refused to sleep with him? Wrong assistant, Amir, — Polina thought angrily.

"What exactly did he say to you?" — the man asked."That he’ll deprive my family of money. Drive them into debt. Then he’ll start kidnapping relatives. First he’ll send them in pieces — then the bodies. That in five weeks at most, I’ll come to him myself," — Polina listed calmly.

"He can easily do all of that," — Amir said quickly. — "After you returned to the hall and were drinking whiskey in the corner, his younger brother Alek approached me. He passed along Ruslan’s request — to send you to him on Monday. Otherwise, he’ll ruin me. He’s the unofficial owner of this city.""He mentioned something like that. That he shares power with his brother and uncle," — Polina recalled.

"Polya, this is very serious. Go to him and try to resolve it peacefully. Set your conditions. He’ll agree to a lot if you come on your own," — Amir appealed to her reason. — "You’re smart. He won’t back down. Are you really prepared to wait until someone from your family is kidnapped?""I’m not going," — she repeated stubbornly. — "And if he harms my family, I’ll go only to kill him. Have a productive workweek."

She left her boss’s office. It hurt to lose her job, but she had savings. She’d been saving for a car — but so be it. She slammed her planner shut and headed to HR.

Can that strange man really have that much influence? What did Amir mean when he said I don’t know who I’m dealing with? Some local crime lord? He just dropped onto my head out of nowhere. And things had finally settled down. If it really comes to deaths… no, that can’t be. He’ll cool off. Spoiled rich boy. Damn him, — she clicked angrily in her heels.

HR, astonished looks from coworkers. Polina wrote her resignation letter. Karina immediately called the boss to ask about notice and compensation. He said compensation would be paid in full, but no notice period was required. The recruiter sighed sadly — finding another assistant like Polina would be nearly impossible. Now it would be chaos again, assistants changing every month.

Polina returned to her office. Checked all records. Sent all the data personally to her boss and the secretary. Larisa rushed in immediately for advice. Polina handed over her work planner with notes on whom and when to call. They had coffee together. Polya reassured Lara that all issues with Tahir were already resolved and the meetings confirmed — she wouldn’t have to deal with that arrogant cat.

Polya lived alone, so no one noticed her resignation. She ordered sushi, opened a bottle of white wine. Her work clothes went straight into the washing machine. Her hair, however, was let down. With a glass in hand, she approached her desk. There was a photo of the black SUV she’d been saving up for. Polina stroked the image with her finger and smiled. Just three more months, and that beauty would’ve been hers. Oh well. She wasn’t going to Seversky. A delay of a couple of months wasn’t critical.

An evening run helped relieve the tension. A bit of yoga to maintain flexibility, then a lighthearted movie before bed.

Plenty of psychos roam this city. I’ll find another job — my qualifications are more than enough. I’m not going to bow to him over something so stupid. Some king he thinks he is. Obsessive maniac. Grabbed my leg so hard it left a bruise. May you break your hand, bastard, — Polina thought before falling asleep.