Chapter 23 #2
“We have nothing to talk about, Kazimir. Or would you prefer I call you by your full name, Mr. Chertov?”
Whether or not he was surprised by what I knew, I couldn’t tell. The same irksome, sexy smile lingered on his face. When he took a step closer, I straightened my arm.
“You don’t want to shoot me, Rafaela. Do you?”
“I want to live my life the way I want. I suggest you come to terms with that and leave me alone.” While there was conviction in my voice, Golden’s whine wasn’t helping the situation in the least. She was also tugging on her leash in trying to get closer to him.
“No, baby girl. We can’t trust him. He’s a powerful, ruthless man who controls one of the most dangerous Bratva in the world. He only wants to use us.”
“Clever how you discovered my identity.”
“I’m not the hapless girl you met before. I’m all grown up, and I’ve learned I’m the only person who can look out for myself.”
“I can see that.”
He acted as if he was going to take another step closer. “Don’t do it, Kazimir. I’m not kidding. I will shoot you.”
In the close streetlight, I could tell I was right about him being beefier, stronger, and more intense. “I believe you.”
“Wow. You know what’s funny? You warned me you were a monster, but I chose not to believe you.
Now, I was younger and I’d led a sheltered life, but I should have seen through the bullshit to know you were actually telling me the truth.
If only I hadn’t pretended that you were every girl’s fantasy.
I know better now. I’m not going to fall for your lies again. ”
I found it fascinating he didn’t dispute what I’d said.
Without saying another word, I turned and headed down the alley.
This time, I didn’t get very far, his hand grasping my arm and jerking me back and against him.
“You’re not going anywhere, Rafaela. The sooner you realize you belong to me, the better.
” He grabbed the weapon in my hand, doing nothing more than sliding his finger across my skin for a few seconds while we both held the gun in midair.
As usual, my body betrayed me, a strong very visible shiver giving me away.
“You’re also not going to kill me. Now, are you?” With one tug, he pulled the weapon away, pocketing it.
“Let go of me. I don’t belong to anyone.”
As if to make a point, he even wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me so tightly against him that his throbbing cock was firmly pressed against my buttocks.
“That’s where you’re wrong, my beautiful printsessa. Let me make myself clear. As of the first time we met, you were already mine. There was no lie and no intention of waiting this long. Any man who even thinks about touching you will die. Is that something you want to hear?”
He was more than just icier. He was playing into being the devil, another warning I hadn’t wanted to take to heart.
For some crazy reason, I still got a little thrill inside any time I thought about the way he’d taken care of Marco. The pig.
There was no getting away from Kazimir, but it wasn’t about his strong hold on my arm as much as the savage one he had on my heart. Yet there was so much baggage between us, so many lies and interference that would keep us from finding the connection we had before.
As he pulled me around the back of the car, I took a deep breath.
“Then why did you stay away? Other women?” Why in God’s name did I care?
“There’s been no other woman, malen’kiy tselitel’. None at all.”
Now I hated that he called me by the nickname. He almost seemed melancholy when I knew he wasn’t capable of certain emotions. Men of power never were.
I jerked my body again, but he was too strong. “You need to just forget about me,” I almost begged even as he opened the passenger door. “I managed to do so with you.” I was also a terrible liar and I sensed he knew it.
He said nothing as he pulled the seat forward, encouraging Golden to jump into the back. Once she was happy as could be, he pushed me against the car, planting both hands on either side of me.
“Forget? For the last three years I had a lot of time to think about what had occurred, including the stunning young girl who healed my wounds and went a long way into soothing my savage soul. I came to the same conclusion. I cannot and will not let you go. And there is nothing you can say or do to stop me.”
This was the man I’d always thought him to be, unforgiving and forceful. There was no denying the electricity’s surge between us or the way my heart was palpitating.
Which was why I couldn’t fight him and honestly didn’t want to.
“Why did you have so much time?”
He remained quiet until he had me secured in the seat, even fastening my seatbelt for me. After doing so, he leaned in and pressed his lips against my forehead and the barrage of feelings that I’d had so long ago began to resurface.
Yet the change in him was significant, as if those three years had stripped him of the gentle side I’d seen. When he smiled, I sensed a touch of his anger.
He rolled the tips of his fingers under my chin, smiling as he did.
“Because, my sweet Rafaela, I spent those years in a cold, dark prison that made the stone cellar your father shoved me in seem like a vacation in Monaco. I’m ready to resume my position and to find the person responsible for taking away years of my life.
When I do, I assure you every person involved will wish they’d made another decision. ”
“What?” I whispered, shocked at hearing the news. Prison. “Prison?”
“Yes, a bleak place where they toss away the worst of the worst, encouraging them to die.”
“I…” I had no idea how to respond to that. “I’d prayed my father was lying and that you escaped.”
“I assure you he would have preferred me dead.” He gripped my chin, pinching with enough force a flash of fear trickled through me. “I truly hope you haven’t betrayed me because I would sincerely hate to damage something so beautiful.”
Leaning over, he lightly brushed his lips across mine, his hot breath tickling every inch of me. I wasn’t certain whether to be horrified or angry with myself that with his light touch, the fear faded away.
Even if the sadness from the loss of before lingered in my heart, clenching around the muscles like a tight vise. If only I’d known he would return. If only things could be different. If only I could go back to that night.
He captured my mouth once again, holding our lips together. It was impossible to avoid the strong feelings, desires that I’d hoped were long gone.
When he pulled away, his eyes were hooded just like that night.
The hunger remained, desire that had never died.
When he closed the door, I shuddered just like I’d done so many times when all alone.
When wishing he could come back from the dead.
Now, here he was in the flesh, the same yet entirely different man who’d destroyed and awakened my life. And I had a terrible feeling another game was about to begin.
For all the wrong reasons, I allowed a single tear to fall.
* * *
Prison.
He didn’t need to share the details of the horrors he’d suffered. I could see the damaging, lasting effects on his face. I could only guess what scars were hidden underneath his clothes.
And his rough skin.
Every look he gave me was accusatory, every sweep of his eyes as if expecting I’d pull out another weapon as I’d done moments before.
The damning thing that I’d thought about from time to time was that my instinct had told me he’d been ready to reveal himself. How so? From the same swirl of desire pooling in my stomach as I’d felt years before.
Perhaps there was no rhyme or reason to the deep and wildly intense connection I shared with Kazimir. Perhaps my mind was playing tricks on me and I’d wake up with nothing but tragic terror in my mind.
But for now, I was breathless with excitement and had been from the moment we’d stepped from the car, his hand placed on my back.
As he’d guided me through the charming lobby of the older hotel, I could feel all eyes on us.
Including one man who stood as if he wasn’t watching but was paying attention to every detail.
Including the comings and goings of every hotel guest.
I bit back a smile, thankful I’d done my research.
“Who is the man in the dark suit?” I asked as we stood waiting for the elevator.
“Which man are you referring to?”
Sighing, I didn’t bother looking in the stranger’s direction a second time. “The one with the curly hair who is trying to act as he’s not paying any attention, simply reading the paper at midnight.”
“What makes you think he’s not just a hotel guest?”
“You mean other than that the date on the paper is from three days ago?” I could feel the heat of his stare and sensed he was highly amused.
“The huge picture on the front page gives it away. Yes, Kazimir. I’m observant, which is why I knew you were in my apartment.
You shouldn’t have left the plum pit in the trash. A dead giveaway.”
His chuckle sent a little thrill through me. “And the man in question?” The elevator doors opened and his push to walk inside was no longer gentle.
“He has a shoulder holster, the gun large enough to create a bulge. If he wants to hide his weapon, tell him to select a Sig Sauer. That’s what all the fashionable enforcers use these days.”
“And what makes you think he’s an enforcer?”
As we both turned around, I resisted the urge to look Kazimir in the eyes. But I did blow the man who dared tip his head in our direction a kiss. The surprise on his face was priceless.
“If I’m not wrong, I’d say that was Kirill Aristov.
That is the name you used when visiting my spring fashion show.
Correct? I will also venture a guess you needed to use a real identity to charge the one hundred thousand dollars onto a legitimate credit card.
” Golden was glancing from one to the other of us, her tail thumping away.
She was enjoying our bantering when I was lightheaded and uncertain of his plans.
“What happened to the vulnerable girl I met?” he asked, thoroughly amused.
“She grew up.”
“Apparently.”
The elevator doors closed and as soon as they did, he took a deep breath. I was certain he had a list of rules to impose and questions that would invade very bit of my privacy.
Even in those seconds where he debated his plans, I was so on fire that I couldn’t breathe, so in need of his touch that I almost reached out.
All the emotions, all the night terrors, all the bouts of anger that had manifested over the years had come down to this moment.
Maybe that’s why what he did next tossed aside every minute of the past.
He smashed his hand on the elevator’s full stop button.
And as soon as the steel box jerked to a halt, he planted his hands on either side of me, his chest rising and falling.
“Now that I found you, my sweet angel, I will never let you go.”