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CHAPTER 7
MIKHAIL
For the entire journey, my mind was strangely fixed on my captive. I’m not often surprised, but I was today. I’m used to shocks, but not concerning women. I’m used to beautiful women; I usually insist on it, but she was something else. It wasn’t even her appearance. I’ve seen more beautiful ones, but never looking at me like that. It’s as if her soul peered out from behind her eyes and was curious.
Damien is busy on his phone setting my requests in place and I pretend to be interested in mine, but I see nothing but her. Lilli. Such a pretty name, but why is she masquerading around town dressed as a boy, intent on murdering a high-profile man like Carter Lamont?
She’s obviously mad and I should have just let her go, but when I stared deep into her eyes, I saw an opportunity. Carter is hiding something. I know he is, and she may just be the key I need to unlock his secrets.
We head into my penthouse, one of many my family owns all around the world. Custom made with wide open spaces and security worthy of the most protected royalty.
We are Russian royalty. There is no family wealthier than ours in the country apart from the man who runs it with an iron fist. We have many enemies, few friends and an organization that maintains our elevated level. We are the untouchables and yet somebody pulled off the impossible and murdered our father in his own home in front of his wife and staff.
I will not rest until I discover their identity, and the only clue I have is the photograph of a woman called Iris Mahoney.
Damien heads off to do whatever he does leaving me to head to my suite of rooms and send this outfit to the trash.
As I strip off my clothes, I head straight to the shower and, as the water hits me, I take a moment to catch my breath. This is what I love. Those moments when I am alone. Nobody staring at me, wanting to gain my respect, my attention, my body, and my mind. I am free in these moments to let my mind wander. To delight in pure silence and to catch up with the day’s events.
However, today my attention is firmly focused on another shower taking place in this building. My intriguing assassin, who just won’t leave my thoughts.
What is it about this woman? I’m not surprised by women, and I certainly never dwell on them. If I fuck one, she is soon forgotten and replaced with another. Why am I wondering what it would be like to fuck her? Maybe I should, just to see what it would be like to stare into those eyes that hold a million secrets and watch them explode around her as she falls deeper under my spell.
I could ruin her. I could own her, and I could break her all in the name of my pleasure. It’s been done before. Several times in fact and when they realize it’s game over, I bask in the regret in their eyes as they understand what it was. A fuck and nothing more. Never anything more and my delectable assassin will definitely find herself in that position when I use her for my own pleasure before tossing her out onto the street into the gutter where they all belong.
I dress for dinner. Tonight, I’m heading to the opening of The Gilded Rose. An up-and-coming Michelin star chef has been recruited to ensure its tables are booked several months in advance. Ordinarily, I don’t accept these kinds of invitations, but I like fine food and I need to eat. I would usually pay an escort to accompany me to avoid unnecessary complications, but tonight I’m taking my captive because I’m intrigued to discover more about this woman. I’m unusually surprised and it will end with her under me as I extract the information I need in a more satisfying way.
She won’t have a choice. I get what I want and tonight I want her.
My black suit is paired with a black t-shirt. I’m not standing on ceremony this evening and as I fasten my gold watch around my wrist, I catch my reflection in the glass. I like everything in its place, both physically and mentally, and I’m pissed that things are definitely not in their place in this moment in time.
My father is dead and was murdered in our own home. Poisoned before my mother’s disbelieving eyes and I know enough about this life to realize the rest of us aren’t safe. It kind of goes with the territory and we take huge steps to protect ourselves, which is why it concerns me a lot knowing my father wasn’t so lucky.
I head into the main living area and stand by the flickering flames of the fire. Johnson, my butler, wastes no time in placing a glass of bourbon in my hand and nodding respectfully.
“Your guest is on her way, sir.”
I nod and resume my position as I stare into the flames, the light of which makes the liquid in the glass appear as if it’s on fire. I chuck down the contents and love the vintage splendor of the burn as it slides down my throat and I smile my appreciation. I live a hard life in some ways, but the wealth we enjoy soothes away the sting.
Johnson’s discreet cough alerts me to my captive’s approach and, as I turn, I take a moment to fully appreciate Katerina’s handiwork.
Perfection.
Lilli is a goddess. An angel on earth as she walks toward me in killer heels, wearing a gray silk dress that flows around her like molten steel.
That luxurious hair that glided through my fingers shines against the diamond clip that is holding the bangs away from her beautiful face. The diamond choker caressing her neck sparkles in the dusky light and her soft painted lips are resting in a worried frown.
Fucking gorgeous.
She approaches and I stare unashamedly as she advances, my gaze literally dragging across her body as I plan what I’ll do with it later tonight.
Johnson steps out and hands her a glass of champagne and I note her newly manicured slender fingers reaching for it on autopilot.
He blends back into the shadows, and she stops a few feet away from me and says coolly, “Whatever this is ends now. I am not your fucking Barbie doll to pull out of the box when you want to play. Call me a cab and give me my clothes back.”
“Don’t you like them?” I run my gaze across her body, and she snaps, “Don’t do that.”
“What?”
