The Brother (Whip 5) ✔️

Chapter 2

SASHA

"You are coming to the girls' night, right?"

"You do realize that we are all men, Misha? Unless you decided to switch genders? Anything to confess, brother dear?"

I can already picture Misha rolling his eyes on the other side of the line even if I can't see him, smirking at the image that pops into my mind. There really is no greater joy than annoying my big bro.

"Shut up. So, are you coming or not?"

"Yes. I am coming, just like I've have the last ten times you've asked me that same question."

"Great!" Misha chirped, once again sounding like his cheery self. "I'll see you tonight then!"

"See you." I said before putting my phone away.

I sigh as my eyes fall on the paperwork I'm yet to tackle, wishing that I'm anywhere but here.

Not that I'm ungrateful, seeing as I've never even dreamed that I would be here, in one of the biggest publishing houses in NY, working directly beneath the head editor, but sometimes it just seems like all I do is paperwork when what I really want is to edit myself.

Even though I may not look like it, I'm an enormous bookworm. I discovered my love for literature while I was living in London after I moved there from Russia.

That had been a tough time for me. It was my first time traveling anywhere and I was barely eighteen at the time. I was alone and penniless, not to mention depressed, my brother's disappearance weighing heavily on my mind.

My roommate at the time was an English Lit major, and always had a dozen books laying around our tiny, one-bedroom apartment. Thankfully, she didn't mind me reading her books when she wasn't using them for studying, and so it began.

Now, that I think about it, those books were probably what saved me from going crazy back then, providing me a safe escape from my tumulus thoughts and constant worry over Misha and where he might be. And even though I've been reunited with my brother and I'm now thousands of miles away from that London apartment, the love I had developed for fine literature back then, has followed me across the pond.

Two hours and a mountain of paperwork later, I finally raise my head, only then noticing that the office had emptied while I've been working, the only light besides my own coming from my boss's office.

I check the time, my eyes widening as I see that it's seven, half an hour before I'm supposed to be at Misha's place.

I sigh, already hearing my brother's sermon about being late, again, as well as working too hard since there is no chance that I can make it to Misha's house in time.

I tidy up my desk, pack my belongings, and I'm just about to head out when I remember that my boss is still in the office. I leave my things and make my way there, figuring that it would be rude to leave without saying goodbye.

"Sir. Sorry to interrupt, I just wanted to tell you that I'm finished for today. You'll have the Brozman sales report tomorrow morning." I say as I step into Mr. Hank's office.

The man looks up at the sound of my voice, nodding as he does so before pouring himself a drink at the minibar he has in the corner of the office. Thinking that would be the end of it, I start to walk out but before I can do that, the door slams shut and a large, hairy hand presses against them right over my shoulder.

I startle, whirling around in shock, my eyes widening even more once I notice just how close my boss suddenly is, Mr. Hank's arm still pressed against the door soon joined by the other, effectively boxing me in.