That Summer In The Country

Nine:

Nine

The small alcove where Alina was supposed to work with Fedyor had glass windows. It overlooked the whole of the top floor of Morozova Industries. Anyone could see in. Alina thought it was her imagination but she felt as if people were staring at her. In particular, Fedyor didn't seem to like her.

"You're the intern that's supposed to be helping me?" he said when she came out of Aleksander's office, closing the door behind her.

Aleksander's office, it should be noted, was completely hidden by walled paneling. No one could see in, except from the windows that looked out on the street.

"Yes," she said.

"How do you know him?" Fedyor asked.

Alina blushed as she took her seat at the small, white desk next to his. "What makes you think that I know him?"

"Well, you felt comfortable enough to storm in and yell at him. Not a lot of women are brave enough to do that. Actually, not a lot of people are brave enough to do that. You're either very brave or very stupid."

Alina sighed. "I'm not brave."

Fedyor raised an eyebrow. "Then how do you know him? What are you doing here? If I were you, I would run. The only reason I've stayed is that he's gorgeous and he's one of the few CEOS that doesn't have a problem with me and my husband working together. He's a beast."

"I'm aware," she said, "unfortunately for me our history is.... complicated. My mother grew up on his family's property. My grandfather was the groundskeeper, and now my aunt is. My parents were marine biologists that tracked dolphins as part of their research. They died in a hurricane, and so I've got no one left. I'm eighteen, but I haven't finished my homeschooling certificate yet because of all the traveling my family did. I'm staying with my Aunt until I finish which means I'm staying on his property."

Fedyor raised an eyebrow. "The Great House in the country? Is it as great as they say it is?"

She shrugged. "I mean, it's pretty, if you like that sort of thing. I've never been one for large places though."

"And do you know Mal? His cousin?"

"His brother," Alina corrected, "they were raised as brothers."

Feydor rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Little shit used to be a headache and a half. Always starting drama. But do you know there's rumors about them. That now they're thick as thieves because of some ridiculous pack they made to share everything. A little morsel like you, they'd eat up. Be careful."

"Well, that won't happen," Alina lied, despite knowing that at that very moment Aleksander had her panties in his office safe.

"Are you sure? I thought I sensed some tension between the two of you the other day."

"There's nothing," Alina said with a shake of her head, "I just grew up with him and Mal. Aleksander's a few years older, so he was always torturing us. Anything you see between us is what happens when people know each other forever. That's the only thing. Nothing more."

Fedyor shrugged. "If you say so. It's probably for the best, after what happened with the last girl."

"What happened with the last girl?"

"She went to work for the competition," said Fedyor, "but there was some kind of big mess no one is supposed to talk about, and somehow she's marrying the competition's son now."

"Who's the competition?"

"The Lantsov family. They develop the same kind of tech as us. Mr. Morozova's been trying to buy them out for years, but he's never been able to. They keep on hanging on, somehow. There's a big feud between them. Even bigger than the one between him and his brother."

"Was the last girl...I mean, was she okay?"

"I suppose so. But there's rumors that she's pregnant. Mr. Morozova was gone for a month when he heard about it. Went on vacation to Novyi Zem. Everyone thought that he met a girl because he came back in a good mood but no girl ever showed up."

Alina bit her lip. "Is it alright if I use the bathroom? I ate in a rush this morning to get to work, and it's not sitting well with me."

Fedyor frowned. "Oh, that's terrible. Down the hall to your left."

"Thanks."

She picked up her backpack, the one thing she'd brought with her.

"What do you need that for?"

"Tampons," she lied, and then she was out the door. And out the office. And she didn't look back once.