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He promises punishment, yet he’d never hit me.
I’m so confused. No man has ever made me feel like this before.
“You can think whatever you want about me, I don’t care.” He leans down, his breath warm against my ear. “But very soon, you’re going to get to know me much better than you ever knew Kozlov. Then you can decide which one of us is the real monster.”
I shiver from the intensity of his words.
“And you most certainly won’t be needing this.” He takes my hands in his. Slipping Nik’s engagement ring from my finger, he pockets it.
Abruptly, he takes a step back, breaking the spell he’d cast over us—or was it just me? Surely he felt it too. The crackling energy between us, the way all the oxygen vanished from the room, he must have felt it.
Before I’m able to clear my head enough to realize that he still hasn’t answered my questions, he leaves the kitchen. All I can do is watch his broad back disappear into the darkened hallway.
Never have I felt so alone, or confused, as I do right now.
CHAPTER4
Roman
My palms tingle from where I touched the girl’s smooth skin. What possessed me to rub my hands up and down her bruised arms, I’m not sure. All I know is she felt good. Too good.
Too tempting.
Once again, I had to remind myself that she’s a pawn in my elaborate game with Kozlov. She’s nothing more than a means to an end. One piece of Kozlov’s life that is now mine, that he’s not getting back. She deserves to be punished for agreeing to be his wife.
Then why do I have the urge to wrap her protectively in my embrace and never let her go?
She’s mine temporarily, not minepermanently. Some deep primal part of myself is not fully understanding the situation. Once this is over, I’m letting her go. She can go back to her uninteresting life. Her father can find a new match for her. She’s none of my concern at that point.
I heave a sigh as I drop into the leather chair behind my desk. It’s late, but I won’t sleep soundly until I can get the girl’s warm honey scent out of my nose, and the next part of my plan is in motion. So I fish out my cell phone and call Baron. He never sleeps.
“De Luca,” he answers in greeting.
“Baron. Have you received the information I had Niall send your way?”
“Yes. I have it right here.”
I lean forward, resting both elbows on my desk. “And is it what you need to start bringing Kozlov down?”
“More than enough. I’ll start by crashing his investments, then move closer and closer until every single one of his personal and professional relationships are destroyed. This evidence will get the FBI’s attention. Give me a couple of months and no one will dare touch him out of fear of being tainted by association. But it will cost you, De Luca.”
“Yeah, I know. How much?” I’m willing to pay any price he comes back with to see Kozlov completely destroyed. It’s a shame I can’t do the devastation myself, but at least I will witness it in a front row seat.
“I consider this type of job priceless.”
“I don’t have patience for your games right now, Baron. Name your damn price,” I growl into the phone.
“My price is a favor. One that I can call in at a later date.”
I sigh. “What’s the favor?”
“It’s yet to be determined.”
I scowl. I hate owing undefined favors to be fulfilled at some later time. If this were anyone other than Blake Baron, I’d decline. However, I know that whatever he may request later will be worth it for what I want done now.
“Fine,” I agree. “As long as it doesn’t put me and everything that’s mine at risk.”
“It will be within your skillset. I don’t ask favors of people who I think will fail in delivering upon them.”
