Episode 16

Gavril

Moments Before

“We are very pleased that you and your lovely companion decided to join us tonight. It’s an honor to have you in my restaurant.”

I listened to the rambling of the restaurant owner in my ear as he walked me down to his personal wine cellar below the restaurant. As we descended, the chatter of the restaurant was slowly drowned out and replaced by the hum of the dim lights overhead.

When I had decided to take Naomi out, there was only one place I was going to bring her to, a place that would give her maximal benefit to be seen by the elite of LA. The waitlist usually took years to clear out. But I was on another list. I’d done the owner quite a number of favors over the years—both legal and illegal. And seeing as how I supplied most of the rarer bottles in the cellar, he knew better than to deny me entry.

We reached a heavy wooden door, and he pushed it open, the automatic lights flickering on and revealing row upon row of dusty bottles in the dim light. He led me t