It’s certainly news to me.
“I know you know what you’re up against,” Natasha says, staring Dmitri down. “And I also know you’re aware of how much an alliance would mean to both of our interests.”
“Natasha—” Dmitri warns.
“A tactical alliance,Dimochka. A tactical marriage to unite our syndicates—the Smirnovs and the Mikhailovs. You and me.”
Natasha speaks like it’s an irresistible offer, and I glance up at him, wondering if it is. I don’t know much about Russian mob practices, but I do know the more money and power, the better—both can get you out of almost anything.
“But if this is how you want to play it,” she finishes with an unamused expression and a shrug.
I’m not witnessing a business deal. Whatever is going on between the two of them concerns the Russian mafia and two of its powerful syndicates. I shouldn’t be here for this, and I don’t want any part of it.
I start to inch away, but Dmitri pulls me back to his side, his grip like iron. His body language is an unspoken sentence telling me to stay.
For a moment, I fear Dmitri is considering Natasha’s offer. But then he shakes his head, his expression cold.
“Let me guess, Andrey thinks this is a wonderful idea, doesn’t he? You marry me, then shove me out of the picture, and suddenly he has bothBratvaunder his power. Tell your brother, Tasha, that I would rather die than ever join hands with the Mikhailov.”
Natasha’s eyes widen before narrowing into a glare. She storms from the room without another word, slamming the door after her.
“What doesDimochkamean?” I ask in the resounding silence after her exit.
“It’s another way to say Dmitri in Russian.” His arm slips from around my waist, and he adjusts his shirt sleeves, as he often does when he’s uncomfortable. “I hate it when she uses that name. If anything, I preferDima.”
I stare at him for a moment. “There are actually people out there who dare call you by a nickname?”
His smirk is answer enough before he moves to the blinds covering his office windows and glances out. “Good. She’s gone.”
“What the hell was that?” I demand as soon as he turns back around.
Dmitri looks taken aback for a moment. “I’m not sure I understand your meaning.” His voice is surprisingly gentle as he leans back against his desk, hands in the pockets of his slacks, like nothing is amiss.
“Don’t play dumb with me. What thefuckwas that?”
“Language, Ms. Benson.” A smirk plays on Dmitri’s mouth.
A wave of incensed frustration washes over me. Dmitri has quickly learned exactly where every single one of my buttons is, be it pleasure, frustration, or anger.
“You know exactly what I mean. I’m not your girlfriend. I’m not in a romantic relationship with you. I told you?—”
“Yes, tell me again how you’re simply my employee. How you’re just here to do a job,” he interrupts, his voicesmooth as silk. He crosses his arms and raises his eyebrows in an expression I want to smack away. “Tell me that when you can’t take your eyes off me, when all those dirty thoughts are going through your head, when you can’t deny me from taking you to bed.”
“That’s not the same as a relationship, and this has to stop—now. It has gone way too far.” I inwardly cringe because he has no idea how far it’s truly gone.
“Get used to the idea, Clara. Even if you don’t want to admit it, you know you want me. I certainly want you. And I always get who and what I want. You can’t get away from me that easily.”
“You think so?” My fists clench at my sides. He moves so close to me that I have to crane my neck to see his face, a move I know he did on purpose.
“Prove it to me.” Dmitri’s voice is ahoneyedrumble, his smile voracious. “Show me you can just walk away like nothing ever happened between us. That you don’t burn for me or know that I burn for you. Ignore me. Keep me out of your life and your bed,” he pauses, “and your panties. Show me you can do that.”
It’s a challenge we both know I won’t win. My breath comes faster, the need for him buzzing beneath my skin. I let out a soft sigh when he brushes his lipsagainstmine, then a small huff of disappointment when he pulls away.
I spin on my heel and march out of his office, turning my back to him when I know I probably shouldn’t. But I'm too angry to care. Angry at how thrilled I feel whenever I’m around him. Angry at the flutter I felt when Dmitri told that beautiful woman I was his girlfriend.
Angry that I got myself so deeply entangled in this mess.
My phone rings just as I step outside of Dmitri’s office. It’s my legal team boss, John. I answer, but I stop listening when a tall, wiry man steps into Dmitri’s office.
