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Calm down, I told myself.This is business. He’s a rich mobster. He’s probably dangerous. At least save the personal stuff until after what you came here for.
“Fast work,” he said approvingly, and it took me a second to bring my racing thoughts back to the present and remember what he was talking about. He leaned forward a little and fixed me with that piercing gaze. “How have you been, Olivia?”
“I…” He wasn’t sticking with just business. “My life’s changed a lot, but mostly for the better. Thank you for asking.” That sounded ridiculously formal and evasive all at once. I felt my cheeks start to prickle with heat.
“I see. Well. That’s lacking in detail, but I’m not surprised. You’re not sure whether you can trust me, are you?”
My mouth went dry.Oh God.He really was getting straight to the point, and, apparently, the point had little to do with selling old books.
I felt a shiver race down my spine.
“I’m sure it’s none of my business what you do,” I started, the nerves building into a pit in my stomach now that I couldn’t hide behind business, “but…”
“But you saw the gun and the tattoos,” he said calmly, and I couldn’t help my small gasp at those words. I began to wring my hands in my lap. “You have some idea of their meaning, and it sent you running.” Now his smile turned tight, his eyes a touch regretful.
“I’m sorry,” I said sincerely, if quietly. “That was probably rude, but I…” I looked down at my hands. “I don’t know anything about the world you walk in. What you’ve done, who you associate with, or how much danger is involved. I didn’t know how to handle it once I did the math.”
“Well, you do catch on quickly. But you don’t seem to have told anyone about what you deduced, or I would have heard about it.” He lifted an eyebrow, and I suddenly wondered if he’d done surveillance on me. Could he? Did he have that kind of power and connection? I swallowed and did my best not to panic as I looked around once more at his private office. In the lush, gigantic lodge that he owned. Just who exactly was he, in this organization? Clearly someone at least fairly high in rank, if not all the way at the top.
“That was a bit of a surprise,” he continued smoothly, “a pleasant one. Like you.”
My breath caught in my throat, never having felt more grateful for not reporting something in my life.
I had braced myself for a lot of things regarding this meeting. Explaining. Running off. Dealing with anger or irritation over it. Apologizing. Maybe even starting the process of bringing up Michael. But I hadn’t expected this. I hadn’t expected Viktor to still show interest in me. And the way he was looking at me now didn’t leave me guessing.
And I didn’t expect for me to still want him, so much that the warmth in his words and the heat in his eyes melted me inside, despite the conflicting flecks of fear racing through my body at the background danger surrounding this man.
“W-well,” I murmured. “I suppose that’s good. I mean, the truth is…”
“Do you regret our time together?” His voice stayed mild, cool, silky, like the feel of his hands on my body had.
“No. Not at all. Just the circumstances.” My smile was wobbly. I tried to get my professional cool back, but it was gone. The gleam in his intense eyes had stolen it.
“Good. For I have no regrets at all. But I certainly would have regretted passing up a night with you.” He just plain didn’t blink enough. Being under his stare was like being under a hot spotlight.
“O-oh. Well, I’m flattered.”
He fought a smile. “I’ve embarrassed you.”
“No. Just a little flustered.” And way too aware of how he’d completely taken over the conversation, steered it where he wanted, with such direction and confidence that all I could do was keep up.
He had me off balance. I could barely catch my breath. My whole body was humming with the sensual promise in his words.
“I’m sorry, this is just…unexpected.”
He tilted his head slightly. “Inappropriate?”
I blinked at him, knowing I should say yes. I had come here on business. I needed to refocus on that. But instead, what came out of my mouth was the truth. “If it was anyone but you, I would say so.”
He let out a shivery breath that almost undid me. If he had started putting the moves on me right then, I would have fallen for it instantly. My body was screaming for a reunion of a whole different kind. I couldn’t help but stare at the broad shoulders hidden beneath his elegantly tailored suit, at the defined line of his strong jaw, at the way his eyes kept flicking down along my body… I could almost feel the caress of his gaze on me.
He didn’t move from his seat, simply gave me the slow, satisfied smile of an apex predator as his electric green gaze slowly dragged back up my body and met with mine. His eyes were hooded with lust, but he simply said, “Good to know.”
“I…” I had to tell him about Michael, I realized. If this man started pursuing me, he’d find out about Michael fast, and then he’d have all kinds of questions about why I hadn’t said anything sooner.
“Yes?” His fingers were steepled, and I couldn’t help but remember how they’d felt running along my skin. He didn’t exactly mock me, but there was amusement in his patience.
“I came here to talk to you. Well, the main reason is the estate sale, but I did have ulterior motives too, and, um… I don’t want to waste my employer’s time, or yours, but—”
