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His wicked grin tells me I’m right and so I lean forward and kiss his lips hard, loving how his hand snakes around the back of my head and grips my hair, holding my head in position as he dominates my mouth.
I am drowning in desire as I press hard against him, because apparently witnessing a murder turns me on. I am in no doubt at all, Alexei caused this, and I’ve never wanted him anymore than I do now.
It’s so frustrating because I want nothing more than to leave with him and carry on where we left off on the aircraft, but mom needs me now and so, as we pull apart, I say huskily, “I want to be with you so badly, Alexei but mom is my priority right now.”
He strokes my face and stares deeply into my eyes and whispers, “I’m in Sydney for two more days. I’ll send a car for you tomorrow night when your mom is sleeping. Spend the night with me, little one. We have a lot to talk about.”
“Talk?” I stare at him with heated lust. “You had better not do much talking, Alexei.”
He grins. “Then we are on the same page. Tomorrow night, Serena. I promise you won’t regret it.”
He pulls away as Gleb enters the room and says with a loud sigh, “I’m sorry to interrupt but there is a police officer asking for you, Serena.”
“For me?” I stare at Alexei in confusion, and he takes my hand. “I expect the hospital reported it as a sudden death. It will be routine.”
“Okay.” I take a deep breath. “You had better show him in.”
The officer is obviously uncomfortable as we sit opposite him and report what happened. He writes our statements down and then runs through the facts before saying, “I’m sorry for your loss, Miss Vieri. I am also sorry to ask if your mom is up to giving a statement.”
“Of course.” I stand. “I’ll ask her to join us.”
I leave the officer with Alexei and Gleb and hurry to mom’s room and as I enter, I find her staring out of the window at the police car below in the courtyard.
“What did you tell him?” She says without looking around and I say softly, “The truth, mom. Just tell him what happened at dinner. They are the facts anyway.”
“Is it terrible that I’m glad he’s dead, Serena?”
Mom turns and I note the frozen expression on a face devoid of grief.
“No.” I shake my head. “I kind of already figured out you couldn’t stand the man.”
I grin. “That makes two of us.”
She smiles sadly. “I keep on replaying the scene in my mind. It fascinated me. Does that make me a bad person, especially as I didn’t move to help him?”
“Nobody did, mom. That says a lot about the man he was.”
“I suppose you’re right.”
She takes a deep breath and smiles. “I suppose I should get this over with. I’m glad you’re here, Serena. It means a lot.”
As she heads toward me, she takes my hand, and we leave the room together in silence. It’s as if when Stoner died, a breath of fresh air brought new life into this house because the atmosphere is not so repressive anymore. There’s just a welcome relief knowing we never have to see him again.
CHAPTER28
ALEXEI
Twenty-four hours feels like twenty-four weeks, and I wonder about that. What began as a wild adventure has turned into something I’m still coming to terms with. I don’t chase after women. I never have and yet I have an insatiable desire to be always close to Serena and I suppose it’s because I’ve never met anyone quite like her before.
I kept my mind on business, which has always been my main focus, but inside I’ve been counting down the hours until now.
As I wait for her with a glass of vodka in my hand, I stare across the Sydney skyline and plan my next move.
Life has always been a game of chess for me. Outwitting my opponent is the aim of the game. Now it’s securing my latest infatuation by my side until I have tired of her.
Right now, I can’t imagine that ever being a possibility, but I’m a realist and realize it’s just the chase that interests me. Serena is not my usual conquest, which is why I’m so enamored of her. The thrill will fade when I’m bored with playing and I don’t really expect any different.
“Alexei.”
