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“It’s not a fun story and you would be bored by it.”
He grips my face to stare at him and whispers, “I’ll be the judge of that. Tonight, you have my full attention. Tell me why I should set you free.”
“Set me free?” I stare at him in shock.
“You mean I’m a prisoner?”
He nods, his eyes dragging across my face as if he is hungry for the experience. He is searching for any reaction I give him, and it’s a little intense.
“I collect beautiful things, krasivaya devushka. Why would I let a rough diamond go to be polished by anybody else?”
“Because it’s against the law, you fucking bastard.”
I break the spell by prodding him some more and definitely don’t get the response I expected when his lips crash against mine and steal every thought in my head.
He invades my mouth like an army on charge. Surprise, shock and devastation, surrounded by chaos. His tongue twists in mine, holding it prisoner, and his hand slides around my head and pulls me in deeper. He is hard, demanding, and dominant and I hate how weak that makes me.
A low growl comes from somewhere deep inside him and I swear I am loving every second of this as he silences my filthy mouth with a dirty kiss that answers me far more effectively than words.
The elevator stops and he pulls away, leaving me one hot mess as I attempt to regain my dignity. He took, he conquered, and he effectively shut me the fuck up and as the car roars into life, he moves at speed out of the underground car park and into the heavy traffic with all the skill of a racing driver.
CHAPTER 9
MIKHAIL
What the fuck am I thinking of? This woman is tearing a hole in my sanity. I should send her back to the streets and let her figure a way out of her own shit. I can tell she’s drowning in it. It’s right there, center stage in her eyes.
If I wasn’t so hungry, I’d lock her in her room and get an early night. My trip to London may not be a certainty right now and I’m hanging in a space I’m unused to.
Iris Mahoney. What a fucking joke. I’m just glad Carter is still alive because I need to have another word with him.
Then again, my surly companion appears to know a lot more than I first thought, so tonight will be a master class in extracting the truth from her, whether she agrees to it or not.
We make the journey in silence. She has used up all my good will and as I pull up at the entrance to the Gilded Rose, the valet attendant springs forward with eager haste.
I cut the engine and leave the car and toss him the keys.
Then I waste no time in heading to collect my passenger before she makes a run for it. She will. If I’m sure of anything tonight, it’s that. At the first opportune moment she will try to escape, and I hope she doesn’t prove me wrong.
I reach in and take her hand and pull her from the car with a sharp tug. She is an irritant in my life right now and I don’t react well to those.
As she falls into step beside me, I growl, “Behave or suffer the consequences.”
“Which are?” She hisses and I reply, “You don’t want to know.”
She says nothing and as the cameras of the paparazzi flash around us, she grips my arm a little tighter.
Finally, something that unnerves her and I’m interested in discovering what secrets lie behind those bewitching eyes.
The place is packed. It was always going to be that way and I notice many business associates sitting at tables that are booked out for the foreseeable. As I expect, I am directed to one with the perfect view of the entire restaurant while I’m shielded from curious eyes.
I never take the window. There are too many risks associated with that, and I prefer to cling to the walls and watch my adversaries approach. I operate in shadows for a reason and, being Russian and richer than most world leaders, there is always some fucker out to bring me down.
Lilli is awestruck. Her eyes are wide, and she stares around as if she’s fallen onto a movie set. Most of the people here belong on one. Politicians, actors, rock stars and influential businessmen all come together to raise their profile even higher.
I’m not sure why I agreed to this because I prefer a tray for one in front of the game most nights I can, but it was my opportunity to watch and learn, mainly about my delightful companion while she is overwhelmed and set to behave. She won’t make a scene here and I will get more out of her than if I entertained her back at the apartment and we get to enjoy a gourmet meal that is currently being prepared under the watchful eye of my men.
I wouldn’t put it past my enemies to arrange an unfortunate dining incident. My own father’s death is still lingering as a dire warning to that, causing me to take every precaution to protect my life and those of my family and it gets a little wearisome sometimes.
