Page 124 of Lethal Obsession

The black and orange ones, for that matter.

And the shower floor . . .

I bury my face in my hands. “Oh my God.”

“Before you go mentally questioning your every move over the last week,” he says, grinning, “I didn’t hack them so I can spy on you. It’s strictly in case of emergencies. I only mention it because I thought you should know.”

“Oh, well, that’s very good of you.” I don’t attempt to hide my sarcasm. “Not even my father used to install cameras inside my house.”

“Or that’s what he told you, anyway.” Alexei’s grin is super annoying. “Of course he had cameras. He just made sure you couldn’t see them.”

“No.” Color floods my face. “Oh, please tell me that isn’t true.”

“Your father wasn’t watching your cameras, Ofelia, nor were your security guards. That’s not how it works. It’s a monitoring system. No need to bring up the internal cameras unless there’s a security breach.”

“Even if that’s true, which I am not at all convinced it is”—I glare at him—“it’s not fair. I can’t see you anytime I want.”

“I told you, I only check the outside cameras, in case of emergencies.”

I give him a skeptical look. “Are you trying to tell me you haven’t taken even a peek? Ha!” I point at the screen. “You blinked, I saw it. You’ve peeked.” I lean forward in my snuggle chair, well aware of his eyes dropping to my cleavage as I do.

“Fine.” His grin is almost as disturbing as the fact that I’m turned on just by the thought of him watching me. “Maybe once or twice. Especially in the afternoons, when you sunbake naked on the terrace. What,” he says, laughing as I bury my face in my hands again. “It’s an outside camera. I’m just checking for security.”

“You’re terrible.”

“This isn’t news,” he says cheerfully. “You, on the other hand, are absolutely perfect. Especially naked.”

“I’m anything but.” I go on before he can make me more uncomfortable. “I’m performing in three days’ time. At the Alhambra. It’s a solo. They had a gap in the program, and the conductor asked Dittorio if he could recommend someone. He suggested me.”

“That’s amazing.” Alexei’s unadulterated enthusiasm makes me smile. “You’ll crush it.”

I look at him curiously. “You seem . . . happy.”

His smile twists at the edge. “You say that like it’s unusual.”

“Maybe it isn’t.” I feel suddenly unsure of myself. “Maybe you’re like this a lot, and I just don’t know you well enough to have seen it.”

Fuck, I think as Alexei’s smile fades. I didn’t mean to say that aloud. But I’ve spent so much of this week stressing over what the future holds that it just kind of came out.

“You know me better than anyone,” he says quietly. “And you’re right. I’m a grim bastard most of the time.”

“No,” I protest, “you’re not. I shouldn’t have said that.” The last thing I want to do is ruin the brief time we have on this call.

“I’m happy because I’m speaking to you.” His eye caresses me through the screen. “I was going out of my mind after you left. Then Lars came for a visit, which, I won’t lie, saved my sanity. He just left, and now here you are.” He smiles. “It’s a good day.”

“I know what you mean.” I tell him about Seline, although without mentioning the tarot readings. I don’t want to sound like a complete psycho. “She’s been a lifesaver this week, since Lourdes has been in London. It’s nice to have a friend here.”

“Is she the bombshell with red lipstick who dresses like a ’60s film star?” Alexei asks.

“Oh, she’d love that description.” I roll my eyes. “You really have been watching my security cameras. Should I be worried?”

“Definitely not,” he says emphatically. “Not my type at all.”

“Oh?” I cock my eyebrows at him. “You have a type?”

“I definitely have a type.” His voice lowers. “She’s about five feet eight inches tall, with legs that go on forever, an ass I want to bite at every opportunity, and a face that I see every time I close my fucking eyes.”

Oh my God.