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“Yes, sir. I’ll escort him to his home and make sure he’s settled in.”
With a nod, Daniil dismissed them and turned to focus on his girl. Viktor was still checking her wrist, which looked red and a little swollen. With three long strides, Daniil was at her side.
“Julietta, solnyshka moto, I swear trouble follows you.”
He leaned in to press a kiss to her temple, loving how she tilted her head up to give him better access. He stroked his knuckles down her cheek.
“Viktor, does she need a doctor?”
His friend shook his head. “I don’t believe so. Some ice would help reduce the swelling, but I don’t believe he broke her wrist.”
Daniil nodded before he pressed a finger gently under her chin to tilt her face up. She looked so fragile in that moment, and he wanted nothing more than to whisk her away, take her to his home where he could keep her locked away and safe from the evils of the world.
“Are you all right, solnyshka moto?”
She licked her lips, drawing his attention to them. “Yeah. Thanks to Viktor.” She paused a moment, looking into his eyes. “About that—what was he doing here?”
He looked deep into her gaze and knew he couldn’t lie his way out of this. She’d already worked it out.
“How about you join me for dinner tonight, and I’ll explain to you why you now have a bodyguard?”
She looked torn for a moment. He knew she was trying hard to be all I’m-an-island, but he also knew she was naturally curious and would want to know why he’d put a guard on her. She was also feisty enough she would want to rip into him about taking control of her life without her permission. He hoped being in a public restaurant would limit her reaction on that front.
He wasn’t sure how he would get her to see how precious she was to him already, but he needed to work it out quickly. He wasn’t sure beginning the conversation by explaining how he had enemies who would harm her was going to help his cause, but it couldn’t be helped.
“C’mon, Julietta, these markets are no place for airing private matters, and we’ve made quite a spectacle as it is. Join me for dinner. I promise I will explain everything.”
She tensed on a gasp before her gaze scanned the area around them. He didn’t need to look. He knew a number of people were watching them.
“Okay. One dinner, and you explain why you seem to think you now own me. Oh, and I need your phone number.”
Grinning, he leaned down again, this time pressing a kiss to her lips. “You say that like it’s a bad thing, solnyshka moto. Would being mine really be so bad?”
“I will not ever be owned. I’m a person, Daniil, not a pet. And what do you keep calling me?”
“Solnyshka moto?”
“Yeah, that.”
“It’s another Russian endearment. I called you ‘my sun’.” He gave one of her brightly coloured braids a gentle tug. “I’ll come back and help you pack up at closing, and then we’ll go out for dinner. Viktor will remain with you until then.”
She pulled out her phone. “I still want your number.”
He smirked at her but rattled off his digits. “Send me a text so I have yours.”
As she did that, Daniil stood tall and glanced around for his friend. He spotted him strolling toward them with something in his hands. He frowned as he tried to see what it was, then smiled when he worked it out.
“Here’s an ice pack for your wrist.” Viktor handed her the Ziplock bag of ice he’d managed to find.
He gave his man a nod. “Thank you, Viktor. I need to go take care of some things but will be back before closing. I’ll see you both then.”
After he gave his girl one last kiss, he turned and left. Not only did he need to finish his preparations for tonight, he also now needed to make some calls to make sure Rodger was going to find it difficult to feed his gambling addiction anywhere near Sydney. It was a pity the man had forced the public confrontation today, or Daniil would have simply made him disappear. But now he would need to avoid him for a while before he could take care of the bastard in a permanent manner.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Juli couldn’t believe where Daniil had brought her for dinner, although in hindsight she should have expected something this fancy. She’d never been to the exclusive Italian restaurant, Flamma Oceano, which sat on the coast at the southern end of Bondi Beach. Since she could see it from the surf where she spent so much of her time, she’d certainly checked it out plenty, but she’d never even considered that she might be able to afford to dine here. And not only had Daniil managed to get them a table at the last minute, but they were also out on the deck in a secluded corner that afforded them some privacy.
“How did you get a table here on such short notice?”
