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“Enrique.”
“Thank you. Why are you working here, Enrique?”
As soon as I asked the question, he seemed uncomfortable. “It is my job.”
“I’m certain there are plenty of other jobs.”
“Oh, no,señorita, not for a man like me.”
“I’m not certain what that means.”
He downshifted, glaring into his rearview mirror then flying around a corner. He was petrified of what Kostya would do. “I am an ex-con.”
“Oh, I see. Do you enjoy working with Mr. Baranov?”
When he smiled, it was the last thing I’d expected. “Very much so. He is very good to me and to my family.”
Huh. I found that incredibly difficult to believe. “But he’s ruthless.”
“Because he needs to be. It’s very dangerous.”
“Yes, I’ll say.” I hung on to the top rail as he swung around another corner at excessive speed. When I noticed the estate in the distance, my stomach coiled, a knot forming in my throat. The two sides of Kostya were vastly different, although both boosted the deep ripples of electricity soaring through me.
I should have known my captor would be waiting on the front porch. He’d changed clothes, the dark jeans and shirt providing an indication of his current mood. As I darted a glance in Enrique’s direction, I was able to gather a whiff of his fear. That shot another round of anger directly into my soul.
Kiki jumped out first, barking up a storm as she jumped on Kostya’s legs, begging for attention. His cold, detached expression was quickly replaced with such warmth that I could feel it from where I was standing. “There you are, baby girl. I was beginning to wonder if something terrible had happened to you. You know you can’t trust anyone.” While he rubbed Kiki with obvious joy and love for the pup, when he lifted his head, his lack of expression sent wave after wave of cold chills through me.
Then he turned his attention toward Enrique.
“I said two hours,mi hermosa flor. No more. If I can’t trust you to follow a simple order, then how can I assume that you’ll learn to accept any of my other rules? And for my soldier to disappoint me with a simple order is… disturbing indeed.”
“Don’t do that, Kostya. If you really want to be angry with someone, then direct all that huff and puff fury toward me. Enrique did nothing wrong. Nothing. Kiki and I enjoyed a moment of peace alone. That’s it. So what if we’re five minutes late?” As soon as I’d mentioned Enrique’s name, the flash in Kostya’s eyes produced fear in Enrique’s. I glared at the man, furious that even if he was acting like a child ready to throw a temper tantrum, my mind was blurred with the caustic, delicious, treacherous need for him to touch me.
“Very well,” he said calmly. “Then you shall receive his punishment. Enrique, please check on the sanctuary. Make certain there are no issues that need to be dealt with.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.” As soon as Enrique turned, Kostya pulled me into his arms.
“And Enrique. At some point you will need to thank my beautiful creature for her generosity in accepting the necessary discipline.”
All color drained from Enrique’s olive-skinned face, but he nodded, trying to offer me a smile. “I will, sir. I absolutely will.”
I closed my eyes, drifting into another moment of private hell. When I felt the touch of his hand, the surge of electricity tingled every portion of my body. Then he pulled me into his arms, cupping my face. “How is the cub?” His voice no longer held the gruff tone. He’d switched off his anger, replacing it with a strange softness that I wasn’t accustomed to.
“He’s okay. I’ll need to check on him every couple of hours.”
“I have people to do that.”
“I’m the damn doctor.”
He lifted a single eyebrow. “Yes, you are. Then you check on him when you find it necessary.”
Why the hell did he have to look so damn hot? His jeans were exceptionally tight, the black tee shirt hiding very little of his fabulous physique. Meanwhile, I stood in bloody clothes for the second time in almost as many days. And all because of him. Meeting him.
Attracting him.
Desiring him.
A warm flush crept up my cheeks and no matter how hard I tried, it wasn’t going away. He brushed his damn knuckle across my chin, gathering some horrible glob on his finger then rubbing it across his thigh. That forced me to notice then stare at the thick bulge between his legs. Sighing, I forced myself to look away, at least until I heard his slight deep, husky chuckle.
