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“Me?” she asked, pulling from his hands and pointing at herself.
He chuckled. “You see? Right there, you are simply charming.”
“Excuse me, Malayna, I was wondering if we could talk a little bit? I’m hoping Ellington here is not trying to persuade you to showcase your work at one of his galleries,” Pierre said, joining them. He took a seat directly across from her and beside Ellington. Her heart began to hammer inside of her chest. Two very attractive men were vying for her attention.
“We were just discussing her work, Pierre,” Ellington said and gave Pierre an annoyed expression but then he smirked at Malayna. Before long she was engaged in conversation with both men and they were smiling and laughing. She was learning a lot about both of them and they seemed to share the same interests and ideas about art and presentation.
“You two should consider working together,” she suggested then took another sip of her water.
They were shocked. “What?” Pierre asked. Ellington raised one of his eyebrows at her.
She leaned forward. “I’m serious. You’ve known one another for a while, I can tell, and despite you both trying to battle against one another here, you actually agree on so much.”
Pierre leaned back. “We compete against one another,” he said to her.
“Compete? Heck, you both are individually successful. One of you doesn’t appear to have more than the other in number of galleries or successes. It’s business as well as a love of art you both enjoy. Why not work together?” she suggested.
Pierre looked at Ellington and Ellington shook his head, smiling at her. “I think I’m in love,” he said. She felt her cheeks heat up and she lowered her eyes.
Pierre chuckled. “I think I’m in love, too,” Pierre stated just as Krane placed his hands on her shoulders from behind.
“I think this conversation is over,” Krane stated firmly and then came around and offered his hand to Malayna. She was shocked by his approach and his words as he interrupted the conversation.
“Krane, I was just making
plans with Pierre and Ellington. We’re meeting for lunch on Monday.” Both men smiled.
“Excellent,” Ellington said and took her hand. He brought it to his lips and kissed the top of it. Pierre did the same thing. “I’ll contact you tomorrow afternoon to confirm the location and time.”
Both men walked away and she smiled wide then turned to Krane, who looked like veins would pop from his temples and his forehead. “What are you doing?” he demanded.
“What do you mean?” she asked even though she felt her gut clench. Challenging a man like Krane or his brothers was asking for war. She had to remind herself that all of this was for them. So they could see her as a woman, as mature and capable of loving them if they could love her.
Then it hit her. Perhaps they couldn’t love her because they knew she’d been a prisoner, a slave to Cornikup. The tears hit her eyes and he squinted at her. “Malayna?”
She shook her head and pulled her hand from his.
“You should be enjoying the party. Mingling and having fun. You’re not on duty, Krane. You’re not even responsible for watching over me. Dubkova and Murin are,” she said and then looked at her two guards who had been feet away from her this entire time. As she tried to walk away, Krane and his firm grip held her hand. He placed his other hand on her hip, on the sheer side.
“I kind of like watching over you, especially when you’re wearing something as sexy as this, and grabbing every man’s attention in the place. You need the protection,” he whispered.
She looked up at him as he walked her through the crowd. “I can assure you that I’m safe here in my father’s home.”
“Not when older men are eating you up with their eyes and planning their attack on your inexperience,” he scolded her.
She was shocked. So he was interrupting her conversation with Pierre and Ellington because he was protecting her virtue and thought her inexperienced against the charms of older men? She was fuming.
“I liked conversing with Ellington and Pierre. They’re quite charming and complete gentlemen.”
His hand slid along her hip as he guided her through a little more crowded space. The feel of his large hand nearly over her ass aroused her incredibly too much. Why couldn’t he have the same feelings for her that she had for him and his team? Why couldn’t he see past her age, her experiences, and just feel?
“Their intentions are not noble. Both men practically had their hands on your ass on the dance floor,” he reprimanded and made her feel like some teenage girl who got caught making out with the older college guy who just wanted to have sex with her.
“Kind of like you right now, with your hand nearly over my ass?” she challenged him.
He went to say something to her but his mother and father appeared. She smiled wide but felt his hand squeeze her hip and pull her close. He kept that hold on her as they spoke with his mother about an invite to dinner. She thanked her for the invitation as she sensed Krane sniffing her hair. As she spoke with his mother, adding to the conversation, he slid his arms around her waist and placed his hand over her belly. She thought she was going to pass out. He was so big, his arms filled with muscles and hard against her petite frame. He could crush her, squeeze her, and bring her pain. Why she had that thought she didn’t know but she remained smiling and talking to his mother and then his father joined them. Mr. Mulicheck gave his son a wink and then held her gaze.
“So, I understand that you’re an artist and a photographer. My wife is an avid collector of fine pieces,” he said.
