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“At first,” Annie said from Kira’s bedroom, “I told him it wouldn’t be appropriate. When that didn’t work, I told him I just wasn’t interested, but he seemed to take that as some kind of challenge.”
Annie had been telling her about one of the men on Oleg’s crew who’d been a little too friendly.
“Why don’t you tell Borya?” Kira asked, returning empty-handed from the closet. She smiled. “Or.. Alek?”
Annie lifted her head, rolled her eyes, and dropped her head back onto the bed. “Stop trying to fix me up with Alek.”
“But he’s so wonderful,” Kira said. “And I see the way you look at each other.”
“It’s too complicated,” Annie said.
“I could tell Lyon,” Kira said, deciding not to push the issue of Alek. “That would put a stop to it.”
“Absolutely not,” Annie said, laying back on Kira’s bed and staring at the ceiling. “I’m not going to validate the stereotype that we all need big, strong men to protect us. Look at you.”
Kira blinked. “What about me?”
“You held that guy off at the wedding all by yourself,” Annie said. “That’s the kind of energy I’m aiming for.”
Kira had a flash of the man in black rounding the corner of the bar where she hid.
His grin as he’d called her a bitch.
C?´??.
The fear that had washed over her like a tidal wave when he’d lifted his gun.
And then, the trigger on the gun in her hand giving way.
The roar of it in her ears.
The man falling to the ground with a look of surprise.
“Oh god,” Annie said, sitting upright on the bed. Her dark eyes were wells of sympathy. “I’m sorry. That was so insensitive of me. You’re probably traumatized.”
“That’s okay,” Kira said. “I haven’t had time to think about it.”
Annie nodded, her black hair tousled from laying on the bed. It wasn’t hard to see why men adored her. “You probably should though. It was an intense experience. It would be good for you to process it properly.”
Annie wasn’t wrong, but there was no time for processing. Besides, Kira was more worried about Lyon. What he’d been through made her experience of the invasion look like a walk in the park, and she already knew he wasn’t even close to processing it.
“I know. I’ll deal with it, I promise,” Kira said.
“Good. And you know I’m always here if you need to talk.” Annie looked down at Kira’s empty hands. “You’re supposed to be packing.”
“I can’t find anything,” Kira said. “Nothing fits. I feel like I’ve exploded while Lyon’s been gone. I’m not sure he’ll even want to…”
Annie lifted her eyebrows. “Fuck you?”
Kira laughed. “Well, yes.”
He’d only been back a week, and it seemed he got home later and later each night. She understood — Vadim’s crew had been eating away at Lyon’s territory while he’d been kept prisoner — but she was hoping the trip to New York would be a chance to reconnect.
“That’s bullshit,” Annie said. “Look at you! Lyon worships you. It’s obvious every time he looks at you. And who wouldn’t? You’re radiant, an absolute madonna of ripe beauty.”
Kira wrinkled her nose. “You make me sound like a piece of fruit.”
“Well, why not? Let’s make sure the Lion wants to take a bite out of you in New York.” Annie jumped up from the bed and grinned. “Or a few licks, at least.”
