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“Someone want to fill me in?” I looked between them, but it was Michael who shifted in his chair to answer me.
“This isn’t the only home I own in the area. In fact, this isn’t where my mail is sent, even though I took many steps to keep it hidden. The other home is my main house. Most of the time, it sits empty, but I let it slip to the Russians’ that we were in that house. They don’t know where you are, but they intend to move. They’re going to go to that other house to try to kill you. First thing tomorrow, I would guess.” He shrugged. “So this will all finally be coming to an end.”
I tried to digest it, and I remembered my almost marriage to Konstantin. Would he come personally to collect me, I wondered. “How are you going to convince them I’m there?”
“We have a female operative who works with us sometimes.” At my lifted brow, he shook his head. “No, not Sylvie. I told you, she’s a competitor not a colleague.”
Tito grinned. “A competitor? Is that what you call it?”
Roy and Stephen both shot him a look, and he quit grinning. I chose not to look at Michael right then. If his friends were glaring, I didn’t want to see his expression.
“She’s going to wear a red wig, and I’ll be there. They’ll be pretty convinced.”
My mind whirled.Hold on second.“You’re going to be there? So they can shoot you again?”
“No, so I can shoot them. No one is shooting me again. Besides, Roy will be with me. Stephen and Tito will stay here with you.”
They all three nodded, as though they figured as much.
I wanted to scream at him. Why did he have to be the one to go? Then again, I didn’t want anyone to go.Not one of them. No one, not even people I don’t know.But I knew that mercy wouldn’t solve the Russian problem I faced. I blew out a frustrated breath. I even understood how selfish it was of me to think specifically Michael shouldn’t be in danger.
I rose. “Will you excuse me, please? This was so fun, you guys, thank you.”
I walked into the bedroom where I still hadn’t slept, and I locked the door. My hair had held up pretty well, despite rain and sex. My reflection serenely stared back at me, and I still appeared pretty put together.
Nice, especially since I’m about to fall apart on the inside in a major way.
A shower seemed like the best idea, and when I stepped under the hot water a few minutes later, I knew that was the right call. I’d walked around with Michael inside of me all night. He’d have to deal with me getting clean now.
A second later, the shower door opened, and he stepped inside under the water with me. He was undressed and pressed against my nakedness, while the water streamed around us, creating a cocoon. I’d never shared such a sensual moment, and I sighed into him. “I locked the door,” I told him.
“Locks aren’t great at keeping me out of where I want to be, especially when you’re in here. That’s where I need to be.” He nuzzled against me, wrapping me in his arms.
I closed my eyes and leaned against him. “I can’t have you dying for me. Do you understand? I can’t abide with anyone dying, or anyone getting hurt on my behalf. I’ll go give myself to the Russians first. I won’t have it, Michael, do you hear me?”
I could hear how I made no sense, and I was outright crying, but it seemed so important for him to give me his word that he’d be safe.
He turned me around and I placed my head on his chest, right below his good shoulder.
“Nothing is going to happen to me or anyone else.” He kissed my neck. “I promise you. You can trust me on this. I also promise you the only people who will die are anyone who tries to hurt you. After it’s over, I’ll come back and we can make some plans. Hold that in your head. I’ll come back and then we’ll make plans together.”
Michael pressed his finger inside of me, and his thumb found my clit. Immediately, he knew what to do, and I rocked into his slow rhythm. I tried to breathe, tried to think, but there was just what he was doing to me. “What kind of plans?” I managed to ask.
He nibbled on my neck. “The kind that we’ll talk about tomorrow, when no one is threatening your life anymore. I’ve had enough of Bridget Radford’s life being threatened. You’re mine. I take care of what is mine.”
“I want to be yours.” The words were practically wrenched from my throat. It was hard for me to say those kinds of things, almost impossible. I didn’t deserve to be his, despite him not fully understanding my responsibility in my own past. But knowing I didn’t deserve it didn’t change how badly I wanted it.
“Bridget.”
He swung me around and then we were out of the shower. He wrapped me in a towel, and after doing the same to himself, led me quickly across the house. The table was still covered in poker chips, I saw as we passed.He must have made them all leave. And then I was back in his bed.
He grumbled, “I don’t like you in that bed. I like you here. Shower in here from now on. Bring your shit in here. That’s what I want.”
I nodded. “Okay.”
“My shower is better than that one,” he promised.
I’d have to take his word for it until I tried it myself. But then he was inside of me. Gentle this time, almost trembling against me. I stared at him. He’d been rougher the last two times we did it, but he seemed so much more on edge this time. His body spoke what his words didn’t—he needed me right then, and he practically vibrated from being so lost to those needs.
