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He smirks. “Scared, little Rose?”
“Not when I have you.”
He smiles. “You want to be my partner, right? I know that’s a reason you’re starting your bleeding-heart business.”
I glare, because there’s truth there. He’s not expecting me to prove my worth; I want to.
The smile grows. “So, go be my partner tonight. Work the room. Unleash your Rose magic. They’ll all want to touch, so be careful. Don’t make me kill people. Some of them are useful to me. Work it, talk, listen, gather information.”
“Like what?”
“Just listen. You’re smart, instinctive, and…” He pauses. “More than life, Rose.” He says it like it causes pain.
“Good,” I whisper. “Go do your job, and I’ll do mine.”
“Wench.”
Inwardly, I laugh.
This man… He’s mine.
Chapter3
Nikolai
Iplace my bet as Rose talks to a particularly distasteful criminal, his eyes all over her.
This isn’t my favorite thing, having her do this. Fuck, even having her here disgusts me. It’s not because she can’t take it or she’s too soft. No. Rose, for all her layers of innocence, sweetness and, yes, softness, is tough, tougher than some of these assholes here. If I didn’t think she could handle herself, if I didn’t think I could keep her safe, she’d be locked up somewhere tight.
However, recent history has shown me that Rose is formidable.
She laughs, tilting her head as she tucks a stray strand of her dark hair behind her ear before straightening the man’s tie.
I almost forget to fold my shit hand. Losing isn’t an issue, and I have no agenda in playing up or down or even to see if I can win. Still, a shit hand combined with a tell or two from others that let me know they’ve got better hands, yeah, I want to fold. I need to concentrate.
Rose makes it hard.
Makesmehard.
She’s fucking delicious, a minx of the highest order, all mine and not in reach. I should have used the new toys I got, one of which I debuted on the plane when she wanted to join the fucking mile high club.
I still can’t believe she had the audacity to ask if I’d done it before. I don’t lie to Rose; it isn’t something I find useful. I stood outside that door two beats after she went into the bathroom. I stood and waited, mulling over her eagerness to try things, the jealousy that bubbled just under her skin.
What would she have said if my answer was yes? It’s not. I haven’t done that, mostly because I haven’t been in the air with a woman I wanted to fuck.
She was all eager kitten, and now she’s an exotic creature with a veneer of sophistication that doesn’t hide her center. No wonder these bastards are falling over themselves. They can’t work her out. She’s got her hardness, the dark light of a killer, all the brightness of day and the mood of candlelit night, wrapped up in her natural aura of uncomplicated innocence.
If I hadn’t met her, I’d be drawn.
If I hadn’t tasted her, I’d be doing that, soon.
If I didn’t own her, I would.
Inevitable, I think.
That’s Rose.
Then there’s me, the biggest fucking monster by far because I’ve pushed her out to do a job only Rose can do.
