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She keeps up a steady stream of chatter that I’m only half-getting because I’m so distracted by the way her tears are making her irises go from dark cerulean to pale turquoise.
It doesn’t help that Kirill is still lurking off to the side, grinning like the fucking Cheshire cat.
“This is going to make aworldof difference. I’m actually gonna be able to save now. I’ll have to make surehenever knows. That’ll take some work, but I can—”
“He?”
The snap of my voice has her dropping off mid-sentence. Color rushes to her cheeks, turning them pinker than her lips. “Oh, never mind. I shouldn’t have—It’s nothing. I can handle it.”
I could make her tell me, but I see no point when Kirill will supply me with all the answers I want with just a little digging.
What I want right now, however, is to get Emma back to her desk as fast as possible. I was expecting gratitude. I wasnotexpecting the blubbering mess that stands before me, looking at me as though I’m the second coming.
I’m not interested in being her hero, and yet somehow, that is exactly what I’ve managed to do.
The warmth of pride in my chest can go fuck right off, too. I’m not in this to be sentimental.
And she’s still fucking going. “Seriously, this means the world to me. I can’t believe how gener—”
“Fucking hell, woman. Do you have an off button?”
She freezes, her mouth a perfect oval of surprise. Then her lips come together and hurt pools in those light blue eyes. “I’m just trying to thank you.”
“I don’t need your thanks. What I need is a presentable secretary who’s got her shit together. And currently, you’re not ticking either one of those boxes.”
The brightness in her eyes snuffs out instantly.Good.It’s too much. She needs to remember that I’m no knight in shining armor—I’m the fucking dragon.
“Go back to your desk and pull yourself together.”
She doesn’t move. “What is wrong with you?” The fight in her eyes is much preferable to the hurt. It’s oddly titillating, too. “I was only trying to thank you. There’s no need to be such a… such a colossalasshole.”
Kirill snorts, but I doubt Emma hears it because she’s preoccupied with lighting up bright red in embarrassment, then storming out, her heels clacking like gunfire as she goes.
The door slams again, in the other direction this time.
“Well,” Kirill chuckles, “that was… interesting.”
I unclench my jaw. “I want another background check done on her. This time, dig into her personal life. I want to know who the fuck this ‘he’ is that she’s hiding shit from.”
“On it.” Kirill fixes me with a curious glance. “Gotta be honest: I’m surprised you let her talk to you like that. Most people would never get away with that sort of disrespect.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Oh, she hasn’t gotten away with anything. I plan on punishing her for it tonight.”
My cock is already throbbing with anticipation.
Only a couple more hours and I will remind herexactlywho I am.
13
RUSLAN
Her knee has been bouncing for as long as we’ve been on the road. I’m curious to see how long she can keep up the anxious momentum while she’s stuck in New York City gridlock.
As it turns out: thewholedamn time.
We turn onto 48th. That’s when her leg finally stops pistoning up and down. Now, she looks like she’s barely breathing. I catch a glimpse of her face as she slides out—she’s chewing on the inside of her cheek and her cheeks are pale.
Not exactly the enthusiasm I was anticipating.
