Page 52 of Lord of Passion

"Oh, are we making dinner?" I ask. I know how to make maybe three respectable dishes and none of them are Russian.

"I have a chef for that," he says. "You only need to cook when you feel like it." Well, there's one hell of a side benefit, though this whole domestic moment is making me itchy and eager to leave.

"Well, then, I'm sure you have a lot of high-powered phone calls to make and rocket launchers to store, so I'll just be on my way."

"One last thing," he says.

"What?"

Nikandr takes another step closer, looming over me even in my heels, and I feel it again. The sheer height and size of this man. He taps his cheek with one long finger. "Can my wife give her husband a kiss before leaving for her busy day?"

"I don't know," I say, raising a brow at his weird 50's style couples shit. "Do you think shewantsto?" I don't think I want to touch him and feel that spark again. It's distracting.

"I would appreciate it," he says with his darkest smile.

The bastard. He's presented it in a way that would make me look churlish or unpleasant if I didn't, so I step forward and put my hand on his chest for balance and kiss his freshly shaved cheek.

"Have a good day," he whispers in my ear.

Yep, there's that goddamn spark.

I'm accompanied by my new silent shadows down to the parking garage. There is a car waiting for us. It's a shiny dark blue Mercedes-Maybach SUV. The motor is already running and the attendant steps out, holding the door for Isaak as Rafail holds mine.

"Is this a standard car from the company fleet?" I ask, meaning it as a little joke that Rafail takes seriously.

"No ma'am, this was purchased by theSovietnikyesterday, specifically for you."

"This… seems extravagant but okay," I say, sliding inside. It smells like fine leather and a fuck ton of money. Forget the new car smell. This is the, "I'm going to wrap my expensive scent around you and lightly massage you with my wealthy fingertips" smell. He bought me a Maybach. Just like that, because why not?

When we get to the hotel, I use the side entrance so that I can get to my office unseen. I'm pretty sure my new shadows are going to slow me down if the new adornment on my left hand doesn't do the job and I need to call Liria immediately. I look at my hulking guardians.

"I can't work comfortably or take meetings with you sitting there staring at me. Do you think you could just hang out here in the waiting area?" There are two large, upholstered chairs next to my office door. "I can have the staff bring you food or a TV or…" I remember the guys on the plane playing cards for nine hours. "Cards?"

"We won't require anything, ma'am," Rafail says, "but we do need to run a security check on your office." Nodding at my hand on the door knob. "I will need to go through first. You will stayhere with Isaac." Standing in the door, I watch him check the office and the terrace outside with quick thoroughness.

"Thank you, gentlemen," I say. "Let me know when you need something to drink, or lunch."

"We won't," Isaac rumbles.

I give them an uneasy combination of a smile and a frown, I shut my door. Seizing my phone, I stab Liria's number in and wait impatiently. She picks up on the second ring.

"Oh my god, are you okay?" she screams.

"Twin!" I scream back because we're both idiots and we still scream like we're in seventh grade if we haven't seen each other in a while. We both know it's utterly mortifying behavior but neither one of us can stop ourselves.

"You fucking marriedNikandr,"she says. "You getting kidnapped, then married, then nearly shot to pieces was not on my bingo card this month."

"Yeah, I'm a married woman and this is fucking insane." I sink down on the chair behind my desk. Opening my snack drawer, I pull out a bag of Cheetos.

"I think I heard most of the story," she says. "We both know Alexsey's version and yours will be completely different so let's hear it, start to finish."

Two bags of Cheetos later, I finish with my broken wind chimes and sleeping in the guest room. And she whistles. "Well, damn. I thought my introduction to a Morozov marriage was a little abrupt but yours is fucking ridiculous."

"Right?" I say, ripping open a new bag. Yes, this is going to be a three-bag morning. I need the Flaming Hot Cheetos now thatI've told her about our hate sex in the elevator and the bathroom. My fingers are already coated in orange and at some point, I'm going to have to stand up and brush the crumbs off my suit. "He wanted a kiss on the cheek this morning before I left for work! It was freakish, and unnatural."

"I think the first thing that is required," she says, "is lunch with Ava and Violet. If there's coping devices that I don't have, they certainly will. We're gonna talk this through. I love you."

"I loveyou,"I say, "but I've got so much work to do."