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“Oh.” I finally get the word out. “And now you’ll have to explain that I wasn’t telling the truth. I caused more trouble than I realized.”
“No.” He shakes his head. “Your deception saved me from having to deny his daughter. Which works fine for me, but if he were to find out it was a deception, he would be insulted.” His voice lowers. “Not only him, but other families that are allies with him back in Russia. My father could be put in jeopardy if they seek retaliation for the slight.”
“You can’t just tell him what happened? That I was just using your name as protection, and I’m a friend, just a friend?” I’m grasping at a very thin straw that’s dangling far away from me, but it’s all I have.
“No. The damage is done.” It sounds so final, like a cement door just slammed, eliminating the light from outside.
I stare at him a moment, letting the time pass through us while searching for a way out of this mess.
“What does that mean exactly?” I finally ask. The man has gotten more comfortable staring at me from across the foyer while my mind is unraveling over what’s happening.
“It means that now you are my fiancée.” He lifts a shoulder like it’s the most obvious truth in the world.
“Oh, no.” I shake my head with half a laugh. “I’m not.”
“Yes,malyshka. I have business with him and until it’s finished, you are my fiancée,” he continues. “It’s the safest way to keep this from becoming an issue between my family and his. I won’t insult him.”
“That’s not fair, Roman. You backed up my lie. This isn’t all my fault.” I point at him. His eyes darken when his name falls from my lips, but I’m not backtracking. I can only handle one insane issue at a time. We can argue over the other part later.
“I did back you up, which is why we can’t let him know that it was a deception. That’s why you can’t go home tonight. I wouldn’t take my fiancée home to her apartment.”
“Did he have someone follow us? And aren’t you Russian men more traditional? Wouldn’t it be more fitting to take your fiancée to her home and not yours before we’re married?” I’m throwing anything I can think of at him without having a clue if I’m anywhere near the truth.
“He could have sent someone, that’s why you’re here.” He pushes off the doorway and steps closer to me. “Traditional in many ways, yes, but not in this way. Having you here will solidify the deception for him.”
“Okay.” I tense my jaw. “So, what’s the plan here, Roman? I’m not marrying you just because it might offend him if I don’t.”
His left eyebrow twitches.
“That’s three times now,malyshka.” He shakes his head. “Not good for you.”
“Just tell me the plan.” I put force into my words. I have to derail his thinking before he gets us too deep into the conversation.
“You’re my fiancée until my deal with him is complete and I know for sure it’s safe to break off our engagement. Until then, we’re engaged.”
“When will it be safe?” I urge. Days? Weeks? I mean how long can it take to have a meeting and draw up a business deal?
“Not sure. We’ll see.” He takes another step toward me.
“Fine,” I agree, hoping to stave him off a bit. “I’ll pretend to be your fiancée for a little while. But I’m not staying here tonight. I’m going home.” I pull my phone out from my clutch and open up the ride share app.
“You are staying here tonight.” He reaches for my phone, but I’m fast and I slap his hand away. The second I feel his hand beneath mine, my heart screeches to a stop. Slowly, I drag my eyes up his torso to his face.
“Did you just hit my hand away?” The question comes out so dark, so low, I’m not sure it was really meant for me to hear.
“I’m sorry. I’m getting a car.”
“No,malyshka.” He snatches my phone from my fingers and pockets it before grabbing my wrist. “What you are getting is a spanking.”
Billie
Roman pullsme up the stairs, unrelenting in his grip or his stride, so I barely manage to keep up with him as we ascend the curved staircase. Yanking back on him gets me nowhere.
“Don’t fight me. I can easily toss you over my shoulder and spank your ass all the way to the room,” he warns me as he leads me down a long hallway to the corner room.
“You’re not going to spank me.” Maybe if I put it out there into the universe, it will happen. Giselle is always going on about manifesting what you want in life: well, universe, here it is. This is what I want. I want this big, insanely hot mannotto pull up my dress and spank me.
“I sure as hell am,” he responds as he pushes the door open to a room and flicks on the lights.
