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“They are often involved,” Izzy said, the undertone indicating that they were the cause of grievous acts against humanity for the sole purpose of exploiting the masses. Aleksei was way too perceptive not to understand Izzy’s meaning. Gator had the nerve to scoff, and Izzy elbowed him.
Unruffled, Aleksei lifted a broad shoulder, and said, “Yes, they are,” he agreed. “But I’ve been in DC for the last two years and have focused my attention on our business there.” A tingle of heightened awareness shivered over her as she wondered how many times their paths might have crossed in those years, given how often she’d been in DC. “I quite love the nation’s capital. So steeped in history. It reminds me of St. Petersburg.”
Until she was given the task of turning him into an asset, she had only heard about him here and there. The dossier she’d received on Aleksei was a wealth of information. He was the only son of Pavel Volkov, the Foreign Minister in the Russian hierarchy. His mom Polina was the daughter of a powerful oligarch, and his sister Mila was in advertising. Aleksei enjoyed a privileged life with a ruthless upbringing in all the best schools. He was proficient in many languages, versed in fencing, debate, and equestrian, a participant in the Olympics when he’d been in his early teens, winning a gold medal on the back of Captain Hook.Appropriate, she thought wryly. For an ambassador, accused of nepotism, given a post most thought was too important for his youth, he’d done an admirable job of maintaining diplomatic relations. It was that rapier wit and brilliant mind. She had been proud of herself for keeping her distance and thought that would help to diminish his impact on her thoughts and quiet moments, but it hadn’t helped one bit.
She cursed herself. She should have turned down this assignment.
But the part of her that thought about him in her private moments wouldn’t concede. It was during those times she would think about what it would be like to be with him, intimately, get her hands into that gorgeous head of hair, feel the heat of his skin against hers. Those thoughts drove her wild.
She was a dark assassin, not a stupid, insipid woman who couldn’t handle one sexy man. It was a good thing that Aleksei was clueless regarding her fascination for him. Damn him.
With her features coolly unaffected and controlled, she ignored the way those gray eyes kept assessing her. She only used sex as a ploy, never planning to go through with the act, just getting her target off guard. But with Aleksei, she’d never been challenged with him until she’d saved his, Isabelle’s, and Gator’s lives in DC. He seemed more real and down-to-earth then, the facade of his charm absent.
He had been wounded and seriously shaken by the whole encounter at the Lincoln Memorial the first time they’d met but had been masterful in trying to hide it with humor and dismissing remarks. But Harley remembered the way his hand trembled when he’d gotten that stiff drink so she could attend to his wound.
“We value you as our ambassador, Alek. Maybe we can collaborate in the future.”
He gave her a winsome, noncommittal smile, his dark eyes holding secrets Harley wanted to unearth.
In the quiet after his words, to her utter mortification, her stomach grumbled. He turned to her, mischief in his eyes. “Isabelle, how overworked is your lovely assistant that you don’t allow her to have a proper meal?” he said.
Isabelle gave Harley a pointed look.Get to workwas clear in her eyes.
“Harley doesn’t need my permission to do what’s best for her. We’ll mingle.” She slipped her arm through Gator’s. The sweet, dark look he gave Izzy made Harley envious.
“Shall we?” Aleksei asked, offering her his arm.
She gave him a wry, suspicious look and declined to touch him. It was best that way, then she wouldn’t have to know how he felt, wishing her reaction to him would stop reminding her of the problem she was currently experiencing. Any touch would make her want him to invade her boundaries. Often, and with great fortitude. “I appreciate your offer, but I’m used to walking on my own,” she said, needing like mad to find her way back to solid ground.
He inclined his head unruffled. He gestured with his hand that she should go first. As she moved in front of him, aware of him so close to her back, she steeled herself. This was going to be one of her most epic assignments, but also one of her most challenging.
But then, she did so love a challenge.
She felt him behind her the whole way to the buffet table but kept her focus on the delicious-looking dishes. He stopped just behind her, so close she could feel his breath stir her curls. “I wouldn’t ever compromise you, Harley.”
That was such a strange thing for a Russian diplomat to say to an American spy. But he didn’t know she was CIA. At least she’d never told him what she actually did for a living, and it wasn’t as an assistant to Izzy. She couldn’t return the favor.
“That statement could get us both into trouble. Mr. Ambassador. Us being adversaries.”
He leaned a bit closer, and she stared that much harder at the food. “Is that what I am to you, Harley? An adversary?”
She tried not to visibly shudder in pleasure at the feel of his breath on her neck, his body heat warming her even from the slight distance there still was between them. “We’ll have to see what the future holds.”
He moved a teensy-weensy bit closer. “Won’t we,” he murmured.
Harley had been doing this “get interest, slide in the views that coincide with the way someone thinks, then build a rapport” thing for some time. This…thing with Aleksei was already there and she debated whether it was a good idea to use her sexuality here, reel him in, and mine him for gold.
It would be easy. He wanted her and she wouldn’t find it any hardship to physically be with Aleksei.
So why was there this…thrice-cursed resistance?
Maybe it was because Volkov was a decent man, compassionate, thoughtful, willing to risk his life for what he believed in. It stood to reason that he would be willing to give her information about his government. She selected several items from the smorgasbord laid out in front of her, well aware how many people in this country would go hungry tonight. But it wasn’t her job to feed the hungry. It was her job to recruit spies and sources around the world to gain an advantage to maintain her own country.
She lived many different lives. One with Isabelle when she was Harley Quill, assistant, one where she was Topo and killed or rescued people as a CIA Shadowguard at the behest of her government for the good of the United States. She didn’t ask questions about the assignment. She did what was required. Then there was her family who knew nothing about her “real” employer. That was the toughest job of all.
They made their way with their plates to one of the tables set up close to the buffet. Harley sat down and Aleksei sat next to her. He stared at his meal for a moment, and Harley asked, “Not hungry?”
He sighed and looked away, something about his demeanor changing before her eyes. He looked regretful, stressed for a moment, then the look shuttered. “I’m reminded how much my mother enjoys these little cakes. The name escapes me,” he murmured fondly, his eyes unfocused. He glanced at his watch and shifted, looking out on the floor like a hunted animal.
