Chapter 15
Saige
Disappointment had quickly shifted to anger.
I was beside myself with far too many emotions, my skin prickling with heat. With my breath barely contained and the wild look I’d seen in my eyes after taking a shower, I had a feeling small children would be terrified that the big bad female monster was ready to consume the earth.
If only I could.
The one decent aspect about how much I’d suffered and was continuing to feel was the amount of money I’d made the night before.
Over three thousand dollars. Plus the five hundred I’d been paid.
Thirty-five hundred dollars of blood money.
A cold sweat popped along every inch of skin. In feeding my pocketbook, I’d managed to kill a man. I’d argued the point half the night that he’d been trying to kill me, which he had been, so his death had been justified. Which I believed.
So why hadn’t I contacted the police? I wasn’t technically a prisoner any longer. I’d had hours to hit 9-1-1 on my phone. The realization that not only wouldn’t the cops find any bodies or evidence, but that I’d also most certainly lose my job if not my life continued screaming at my brain.
Yes, all that was true, but I’d been raised to be a good girl. Maybe the real reason was that I felt so connected to Stash.
Even though he didn’t want me or my amazing skills. At least with being involved in his otherworldly business activities.
Maybe I should give it to charity. Quite possibly I could ease my conscience.
Hell, no on both. The attacker had wanted to kill me. A fleeting image of his face popped into my mind. Or had he wanted something else? He’d looked at me like he’d known me.
As I blew hair from my face, I resisted punching the asshole who’d crowded my space on the subway.
Even though he stunk to high heaven, the scent of his aftershave reminding me of bug spray, the tiny rational portion of my mind that remained was able to stop me before I ensured he experienced a very bad day.
He wasn’t to blame.
Yet it had felt as if he’d been watching me, my every move.
I shifted to another seat, terrified he’d follow.
He didn’t.
But he was still watching. Maybe he thought I couldn’t tell, but I was certain of it. Or maybe I was finally reacting to the night before.
What kept my stomach in one knot after another was how infuriated I was with myself.
I was a big girl, for God’s sake. I’d been around the block more than once.
Somehow, after living in New York for a number of years and experiencing every wishy-washy, dominating, asinine, prick of a man possible, I’d allowed myself to fall head over pussy into the arms of a criminal.
A brutal, monstrous killer.
What the hell was wrong with me?
As the subway pulled into the station, I prayed for both humanity and myself that I didn’t have another jerk on the phone blocking the way. The mood I was in, the asshole wouldn’t make it to his next destination.
At least I had the satisfaction of pushing the man-with-the-golden-stink to the side in my rush to exit the car, taking long strides and weaving my way through the throng of people. When I reached the surface, I took a deep breath, glaring at the office building that I could see from where I stood.
With a quick look over my shoulder, I noticed that Stinky was headed in my direction. Hair stood up on the back of my neck. Since I had my jogging shoes on, I took advantage of them and the crowd of people, moving more quickly than the heavy ache in my muscles wanted.
When I ducked behind a building, I took several deep breaths. When I found the courage to glance around the corner, I was relieved I couldn’t see him. I wasn’t certain I could live this way.
After a few more deep breaths, I continued onto the office.
Today would be about avoiding Stash at all costs, doing nothing more than getting my work done while also preparing an outline for the presentation he required. I had a feeling the test he’d undoubtedly prepare would not only stretch my intelligence but my patience to the breaking point.
On purpose.
We were like oil and water.
When not engaged in carnal acts of passion.
Oh, why was I doing that to myself? Stash Chertov was a son of a bitch and nothing more. But I’d show him exactly what I was made of.
At least I had a job to go to. Maybe that would also change after the dangerous wolf ran his big background check.
Of course he’d learn who my brother was.
My guess was that it wouldn’t matter that Steven was far away.
When it was learned that he was a member of the police, including working undercover against some pretty nasty criminals, I’d be fired on the spot.
If I was, then I could really give the man a piece of my mind.
I didn’t waste any time heading to the office, my long strides allowing me to barrel past everyone else. By the time I reached the door, my cheeks were undoubtedly flushed, my heartrate up and I was feeling much better.
Except when I tried to race inside, some asshole grabbed me by the arm, yanking me back. “What the hell? Get away from me.”
That’s when I noticed there were three very well-dressed men standing in front of the building. With the guy holding my arm as if considering snapping it in two, I could just make out a thick bulge in his jacket. He had a weapon, which meant the others did as well. What was going on?
“I need to see some identification,” he said gruffly while his fingers dug into my skin.
I wrenched my arm, yet struggling in his hold was no use. “I said. Let. Go. Of. Me.”
“I’ll be happy to. Once you identify yourself.”
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d even pulled out my company ID, which I’d been handed the first day of my employment. Huffing, I glared him in the eye, trying to stick my other hand into my purse while still being held. “Do you mind? I need both arms.”
His smirk reminded me of the Russian upstairs. The asshole enjoyed roughing up girls. I had to dig into the back of my wallet to find my ID. Once I shoved it in his face, I felt a little better.
“Fine. You can go through, miss.”
“That’s Ms. Mitchell to you, goon boy.”
He laughed, but I could tell he was watching me. Should I tell him I was sleeping with one of his bosses? Ha. What a joke.
What a nice surprise. He opened the door for me. I was halfway in before I decided to grill him as he’d been eager to do with me. “What’s going on? Is there some kind of threat?”
“Just precautionary, Ms. Mitchell. Nothing more.”
Whether or not he was lying was impossible to tell. But by the time I made it to the elevators, I noticed at least six more random guys strolling through the lobby, two with newspapers in their hands. Did they really think the disguise would work for them?
The elevator was crowded as usual, enough that a moment of true suffocation settled in. Were the extra precautions all about what happened the night before? A tiny trickle of fear settled into my stomach along with everything else I’d experienced. Maybe Stash was merely being very cautious.
I fidgeted until I was able to get off on the main floor, bypassing everyone without saying hello. By the time I sat down at my desk, I realized part of my short temperedness was from worry that everyone could see a change in me. That I’d slept with the boss.
A few girls nodded, smiling as usual but no one said anything. I sat down and got to work, answering emails and preparing an outline for the presentation. After an hour, I started to relax, enjoying putting together my recommendations.
As soon as I lifted my head for a breather, I noticed that my boss, the asshole himself, had yet to arrive.
My stomach did another round of flipflops just thinking about him.
And how I’d lost myself in the man, including my dignity.
No, that didn’t need to be true. Not unless anyone else realized what had happened. And they wouldn’t.
At least not unless it was over my dead body.
That allowed me to laugh, which caused my stomach to ache. Maybe I needed coffee. As I headed to the break room, my mind began suffering the effects of such incredible passion. I’d never had a man touch me the way he’d done. I’d never felt so alive, so on fire.
And I’d never hungered so deeply in my life.
How many times had we had sex? Three? Five? As I pulled down an insulated paper cup from the cabinet, I bit back laughter even as heat spiraled across my neck.
I didn’t exactly feel the sting of rejection as I was standing here in his office building the day after we’d spun one round of passion into several. What had ended something even before it had a chance for the dough to rise was his alternate life. A life I really wanted to learn more about.
Call it a product of growing up in a family who’d always watched crime thrillers and detective shows, which had led into the chosen career for my brother. Or maybe my curiosity was more about learning everything I could about Stash.
What in the world was I setting myself up for?
I poured the cup full, adding my favorite hazelnut creamer while deciding I was going to provide the most kickass report the man had ever seen. Once he realized I was a godsend, I’d have a big, fat raise.
And a promotion.
And a fancy office like everyone else in management had.
After stirring, my confidence cresting at a decent level, I spun around eager to face the day.
The single step I took blindly would be remembered long after, the hard thud jarring and shock tearing through me as the cup was driven from my hand.
I watched in horror as the liquid flew from the rim as everyone had witnessed at least once with the motions slowed down to reflect barely any movement. The horror didn’t need to be highlighted any more than when the scalding liquid was splashed onto another person.
Not just any person.
Stash.
He threw his arms out, shock written all over his face. As the cup tumbled to the floor, neither one of us made a sound or dared move.
But his white shirt was covered, likely ruined.
“Oh, my God. Oh. My. God,” I hissed, unable to physically react.