Chapter 2
Mikhail
Ifound Shanice in the mansion's library the next morning, curled up in one of the oversized leather chairs with a laptop balanced on her knees.
Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, catching the golden undertones in her brown skin and making her look like something out of a painting I had no business staring at.
She didn't look up when I entered. Didn't acknowledge my presence at all, even though I knew she'd heard me. The woman had good instincts. She always knew when someone was in the room. She kept tabs on her surroundings, unable to fully relax as if she’d had to always be on guard.
That was fine when she was alone, but hopefully I was about to change all of that for her.
"We need to talk," I said.
"No, we don't." Her eyes stayed on the screen, fingers flying over the keyboard.
My jaw tightened. This was already going exactly how I'd expected. "Yes. We do."
"I'm busy."
"Looking at class schedules?"
That got her attention. Her gaze flicked up, sharp and assessing. "How did you know that?"
"Because you've been talking about going back to school for weeks." I moved closer, stopping a few feet from her chair. Close enough to catch that sweet floral scent that had been driving me insane. "And because I pay attention."
Something flickered in her expression, surprise, maybe, or suspicion. "Why?"
Because I can't stop watching you. Because every time you walk into a room, my brain short-circuits and all I can think about is getting my hands on you. Tasting. Devouring. Sampling. Anything that would let me provide both of us with pleasure.
"Because it's my job," I said instead.
Shanice closed her laptop with a sharp click. "Your job is to be the scary enforcer guy. Not to keep tabs on what I'm doing."
"That's changing."
Her eyebrow arched. "Excuse me?"
I crossed my arms, mostly to keep myself from reaching for her. "You want to go back to school. Fine. But you don't go alone. I'm your guard now. Wherever you go, I go."
For a moment, she just stared at me. Then she laughed—not the warm, unguarded sound I'd heard her make with Katrina, but something harder. Sharper.
"You've got to be kidding me." She cackled, making me squint at her.
What in the hell was funny?
"Do I look like I'm kidding?"
"You look like you're having a power trip." She stood, setting the laptop aside and planting her hands on her hips. The movement made her shirt pull tight across her breasts, and I forced my eyes to stay on her face. "I don't need a babysitter, Mikhail. I'm perfectly capable of—"
"Of what? Defending yourself if one of what’s his name’s associates comes looking for you?" I took a step closer, voice dropping. "You were in that warehouse, Shanice. You saw what we did. That makes you a witness. A loose end. And loose ends get tied up."
Her chin lifted, defiant. "I can handle myself."
"Against trained killers and men who make a living off hurting people?
" Another step. I was close enough now to see the way her pulse jumped at her throat, close enough to smell how edible she smelled.
Feminine and it called to every masculine instinct I had and made my hands ache to touch her.
"You're tough. I know that. But tough doesn't stop a bullet. "
"So what, you're just going to follow me everywhere? Sit in on my classes? Lurk in the bathroom while I pee?"
The mental image of Shanice in a bathroom made my dick twitch. I’d watch her pee for fun on a Tuesday, don’t threaten me with bullshit. That sounded like a damn good time to me. I shoved the thought away.
"Everywhere that matters. Classes, the library, the gym, wherever. And we need to clear out your apartment. Get the rest of your things."
Her expression shuttered at that. For just a second, I saw something vulnerable in her expression before she locked it down.
"My apartment," she said slowly. "It got destroyed when I was kidnapped. I still need my stuff out of it."
"Yeah."
She sighed. "Every time I think about it, I want to throw up."
My chest tightened. I'd seen the photos. Furniture overturned, belongings scattered, signs of a struggle everywhere. The place had been a crime scene, and she'd been living with that knowledge for two months.
"You don't have to go alone," I said, voice rougher than I intended. "I'll be there. Nothing's going to happen to you."
"Because you'll be there to protect me." Her tone was mocking, but I heard the uncertainty underneath it.
"Yes."
"And if I say no? If I tell you to fuck off and mind your own business?"
I leaned in, close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off her skin. Close enough to see the way her breath hitched, the way her pupils dilated.
"Then I'll follow you anyway," I said softly. "This isn't a request, Shanice. It's not up for debate. You want your life back? Fine. But you don't get to risk it just because you don't like taking orders."
Her eyes dilated, letting me in on how affected she was by me.
Newsflash.
I’d never suspected that she could actually like me too.
"I don't like taking orders from you."
"Get used to it."
For a long moment, we stood there, toe to toe, staring each other down. I could feel the tension crackling between us like a live wire, could see the way her hands had curled into fists at her sides. She was challenging me and I wasn’t about to back down.
God, she’s magnificent when she’s angry.
"This is bullshit," she said finally.
"Probably." I bit back a smirk because I didn’t want to set her off in the wrong direction of this debate. I could handle feisty, but having her blow up and try to do something harmful to herself, like leaving, wasn’t the goal here.
"I'm going to make your life hell."
"Looking forward to it."
Her jaw worked like she was biting back a string of curses. Then she grabbed her laptop and brushed past me, heading for the door.
"Where are you going?" I called after her.
"To tell Katrina that her husband is a controlling asshole who assigns bodyguards without asking."
I watched her go, my eyes dropping to the sway of her hips despite myself. When she disappeared around the corner, I let out a long breath and adjusted myself in my jeans.
This was going to be a big problem. Her curves were addictive, she was stacked like a full deck of cards and I wanted to play all up inside her, on her, with her…
But as I followed her out of the library, keeping a careful distance, all I could think about was how good it would feel when she finally stopped fighting me. When she let me close, I would pin her down and show her exactly what it meant to be mine.
Soon, I promised myself.
Very soon.