And his rough skin.
Every look he gave me was accusatory, every sweep of his eyes as if expecting I’d pull out another weapon as I’d done moments before.
The damning thing that I’d thought about from time to time was that my instinct had told me he’d been ready to reveal himself. How so? From the same swirl of desire pooling in my stomach as I’d felt years before.
Perhaps there was no rhyme or reason to the deep and wildly intense connection I shared with Kazimir. Perhaps my mind was playing tricks on me and I’d wake up with nothing but tragic terror in my mind.
But for now, I was breathless with excitement and had been from the moment we’d stepped from the car, his hand placed on my back. As he’d guided me through the charming lobby of the older hotel, I could feel all eyes on us. Including one man who stood as if he wasn’t watching but was paying attention to every detail.
Including the comings and goings of every hotel guest.
I bit back a smile, thankful I’d done my research.
“Who is the man in the dark suit?” I asked as we stood waiting for the elevator.
“Which man are you referring to?”
Sighing, I didn’t bother looking in the stranger’s direction a second time. “The one with the curly hair who is trying to act as he’s not paying any attention, simply reading the paper at midnight.”
“What makes you think he’s not just a hotel guest?”
“You mean other than that the date on the paper is from three days ago?” I could feel the heat of his stare and sensed he was highly amused. “The huge picture on the front page gives it away. Yes, Kazimir. I’m observant, which is why I knew you were in my apartment. You shouldn’t have left the plum pit in the trash. A dead giveaway.”
His chuckle sent a little thrill through me. “And the man in question?” The elevator doors opened and his push to walk inside was no longer gentle.
“He has a shoulder holster, the gun large enough to create a bulge. If he wants to hide his weapon, tell him to select a Sig Sauer. That’s what all the fashionable enforcers use these days.”
“And what makes you think he’s an enforcer?”
As we both turned around, I resisted the urge to look Kazimir in the eyes. But I did blow the man who dared tip his head in our direction a kiss. The surprise on his face was priceless.
“If I’m not wrong, I’d say that was Kirill Aristov. That is the name you used when visiting my spring fashion show. Correct? I will also venture a guess you needed to use a real identity to charge the one hundred thousand dollars onto a legitimate credit card.” Golden was glancing from one to the other of us, her tail thumping away. She was enjoying our bantering when I was lightheaded and uncertain of his plans.
“What happened to the vulnerable girl I met?” he asked, thoroughly amused.
“She grew up.”
“Apparently.”
The elevator doors closed and as soon as they did, he took a deep breath. I was certain he had a list of rules to impose and questions that would invade very bit of my privacy.
Even in those seconds where he debated his plans, I was so on fire that I couldn’t breathe, so in need of his touch that I almost reached out.
All the emotions, all the night terrors, all the bouts of anger that had manifested over the years had come down to this moment.
Maybe that’s why what he did next tossed aside every minute of the past.
He smashed his hand on the elevator’s full stop button.
And as soon as the steel box jerked to a halt, he planted his hands on either side of me, his chest rising and falling.
“Now that I found you, my sweet angel, I will never let you go.”
CHAPTER 24
Kazimir
Prison had altered my personality in several ways, my traits as well. Not all of them had come to light, but one was easy to see.
