Russian Hitman's Innocent American Read Free

the couch. The provided time period for interviews had long since expired when there was another knock at the door.
    Armed with a baseball bat, Charley peered out the window cautiously. A woman her own age stood on the porch with a piece of paper in her hand. Hiding the bat behind her back, Charley cracked the door open. “Can I help you?”
    “Hi. I’m Daphne Reynolds. Are you Charlie Barns? I was trying to get here in time to interview for the room in the house, but I got terribly lost. My Russian is still a bit shaky,” the woman said.
    Tucking the bat behind the door, Charley swung the door open the rest of the way. “I am Charley. Come on in.”
    “Have you already chosen someone? I’m so sorry that I’m late.”
    “I found the earlier applicants unsuitable,” Charley said with a small smile. “Have a seat. Can I get you anything to drink?”
    “Oh, no thank you. In fact, I was afraid you’d refuse to see me since I’m so late. I brought you a small bribe.” Daphne reached in to her bag and pulled out a bottle of wine.
    Charley’s eyes rounded. “Red Herring Decoy. Oh, that’s my favorite.”
    “Really? It’s mine, too. I’m actually not even sure that it’s legal to ship it here, but my sister sends me a couple of bottles every few months.”
    Practically drooling, Charley grabbed the bottle of wine. “Forget the list,” she joked as she tossed the clipboard aside. “The room is yours.”
    Daphne laughed. “Go ahead and ask your questions. I want to make sure it’s a good fit. I’m looking for more than a roommate. I sort of need a friend. My last roommate didn’t speak much English. It was a lonely semester.”
    “What’s your major?”
    “Architecture and design.”
    “Damn. You must be good if you’re studying here,” Charley muttered. “Job?”
    Daphne reached into her bag and pulled out some papers. “Here are my last two paychecks. I work as a waitress at a high-end club. I’ll work more hours this summer to save money, but as you can see, my income during school is still sufficient to cover rent and my portion of the bills. And the last page is a letter of reference from my last roommate. I couldn’t read it very well, but it hopefully says good things about me.”
    Charley scanned the letter. The recommendation stated that Daphne was never late with payment, she abided by the rules set aside, and she was clean, quiet, and respectful.
    “I think you might be a dream come true. Do you have a boyfriend?”
    Daphne looked startled. “Does that matter?”
    “My last roommate came with a boyfriend. It was a package deal.”
    “I see. I don’t have a boyfriend. I’m not necessarily against one, but I just haven’t had time to date. If I do, I promise that I’ll be respectful,” she said shyly. Charley actually saw embarrassment stain her cheeks.
    “Okay. You seem perfect. Here’s a little bit about me. I work hard during the week, but I like to play during the weekend. I’m a stickler for keeping things clean, but I’m not OCD. My bedroom is littered with clothes on the floor. I like things quiet during study time, and I will hog the television. I’m a terrible cook, I sometimes stay up all night, and I sometimes talk to myself. And whether you move in or not, I think I’d like to be friends with you.”
    Daphne smiled, and Charley saw the delight in her eyes. “I can pay a deposit right now. When can I move in?”

Chapter Two
    His father had been a large and intimidating man, but everyone who knew Max knew that he was gentle-hearted. He abhorred violence. He carried a gun only out of necessity, but it wasn’t enough to save his life.
    “You must not be like your father,” Ivan told him. “Your father thought he could live his life through words and logic, but this is not a world of logic. I tried to tell him that it would get him killed. And now I’m telling you that it will get you killed. Harden your heart. Only the cold survive the winters.”
    The little