Chapter 8 Katya
You know what I hate?
Men.
Men who think they can dominate and manipulate simply because they have a swinging, dangling appendage between their legs. Men who think women are simply at their disposal and they can boss them around and we will bat our lashes and say ‘yes sir.’
I’m fuming at the way Enzo handled me tonight, and yes, I do mean handled. Someone needs to teach that manchild a lesson.
But it can’t be me, not yet anyway.
Because I’m Doctor Lucy Sinclair, the quiet doctor from the burbs who has a Medical Doctorate from Columbia and volunteers at philanthropic events on the weekends.
Fuck Lucy Sinclair, she sounds like a snooze fest.
And don’t even get me started on Rafael fucking Alessi. The fuckwit told me I would have private access to my room. Lying bastard.
Fuming still, I snatch my phone from my nightstand—the phone given to me by the Alessis—and hastily type out a text to Enzo and Rafael, starting a little group chat.
My finger hovers over the send button. I shouldn’t, it’s childish.
Instead, I close the messaging app and pull up my email. That’s more professional, right?
My fingers fly as I try to sound as professional as I can but fuck me, it’s harder than I thought. After re-reading the email a few times, I delete the curse words and press send.
With a satisfied huff, I lock my phone and set it back on the charger, then pull the covers over myself with an exaggerated sigh.
I don’t know how long it’s been, but it couldn’t have been more than two minutes before a little ding notifies me someone replied.
One simple word has me clutching the phone in my fist and running my tongue over my top teeth.
Declined.
Rafael Alessi
CEO I have boundaries.
I often cross them, but that’s beside the point.
As I round the corner, about to go down the grand staircase, I’m caught around the shoulders. My mind was so consumed with thoughts of strangling Rafael, I completely missed the man right around the corner.
I glance up, Dante Alessi looming over me. I’d know it was him even if I didn’t grow up seeing his photos all over Alexey’s office. He’s a spitting image of his sons…or I guess, they are a spitting image of him…or however the saying goes.
“Dr. Sinclair, nice to finally meet you. I was on my way to your room to introduce myself. I meant to meet you yesterday, but something came up.”
His sweet smile is as devious as the Cheshire Cat’s. It makes my senses tingle with unease, like the feeling of walking down a dark alley and knowing something nefarious has happened there before. I also take note of his hand still resting on my arm.
“Mr. Alessi.” I scoot back a step, but he follows, eyeing my curves.
Nausea rolls up my throat, but I choke it down.
“I was on my way to speak with Rafael, but then I was coming to find you.” I bow my head, hoping to come across as demure and compliant so I can exit this conversation as quickly as possible.
Dante hums his approval at my submission and my fists clench behind my back. Don’t kill him on your first day, Katya…
His fingers grip my chin, tilting my face to meet his narrowed stare. I don’t let myself waver. I’d rather he see the fight in my false brown eyes than cover up that part of myself. “Is there a reason you’re seeking out my son before you find me, your Don?”
I bite the inside of my cheek, fighting the urge to rip myself from his grip.
After a beat, I trust myself enough to give a reply which doesn’t include the words ‘fuck’ and ‘you.’ “I needed to speak with him about my contract. I had assumed he was handling the agreement. I apologize if I assumed incorrectly.”
Ew. Vomit.
Dante releases my chin with a scoff. “Be sure to find me following your conversation with my son; I would like to discuss your contract as well.”
“Yes, sir.” I add on the last bit to placate him further and it works as I hoped. He runs his tongue over his teeth before striding away.
Straightening my spine and digging my nails into my palms, I continue down the stairs. “I’ll find you, gryaznyy chlen ublyudok, six feet under,” I mumble to myself, releasing a little bit of the spitfire I have bottled up.
“Was that Russian?”
My feet catch on the last step, and I tumble forward, only to be caught by two stupidly strong arms. Enzo’s warmth presses into mine. “Whoa there, already having me sweeping you off your feet, huh?
I wiggle free and take four steps back, needing the distance because despite how much I despise this man, he still makes me feel funny. Straightening my dress, I internally curse myself for my clumsiness. He caught me off guard, especially after the run in with Dante. “I—slipped.”
“Clearly,” he says, cool as a fucking cucumber after my little mishap. “Didn’t know you spoke Russian. Any other languages?”
I barely hear the click of his dress shoes against the hardwood floor when he takes two strides forward.
His black button-up stretches over his pecs and with his black slacks and shoes, appearing like the devil himself, all wrapped up in a pretty, dark package.
He also looks downright murderable as I remember the way he handled me last night.
But he must have suffered too many hits to his thick skull because he’s beaming at me like last night didn’t happen.
“I also speak Bulgarian, Italian, and a bit of French. It was in my resume.” My arms cross as he steps within a few inches of me, shadowing me with his large body.
Up close and in better lighting than the library, I take in the tattoos encircling his neck, some kind of horns peeking out on either side.
Inked across the front, the word Devil, and underneath, mirroring it, the word Angel.
It’s not a lie and wouldn’t be far-fetched to assume a doctor would know multiple languages.
“A woman of many tongues,” he purrs.
“You clearly know Italian. Any other languages?” I challenge him with a sideways smirk as he holds my stare, a seductive glint shimmering in the depths of his obsidian irises.
“Any other talents with that tongue?” His gaze rakes up my body, settling on my lips and I instinctively bite my bottom one. His father did the same thing, but coming from Enzo, it sparks something in my lower belly, whereas his father’s made my hands twitchy for my blades.
Fuck. I blame my reactivity to this man on my sheltered existence with the opposite sex, yeah…that’s it.
Get yourself together, Katya, you’re no fool.
I quirk my brow, pretending he doesn’t have any effect on me and silently demand he answer my question.
He chuckles. “Fine nosey little thing. I’m fluent in Italian and English of course, but I know a few words in Russian.”
Great. Maybe he didn’t understand me when I called his father a dirty dick bastard…but he definitely understood when I said I’d find him in a grave.
A frisson of apprehension rolls through me. Will he tell Dante what I said? I don’t need to try and take out Dante, Enzo, and Rafael. I’d fucking die.
I step closer to him, batting my eyelashes. “You wouldn’t…tell Dante what you heard, would you?”
“Baby, you find that man six feet deep, invite me to the fucking party.”
I jerk back, shocked by his response. Shouldn’t he be sussing out any threat to the Don? Isn’t that who Enzo Alessi is? Dante’s hound? Maybe he’s eager for his father’s crown? Vying for power without having to do the dirty work. Typical man.
He must not care about my reaction because he tilts his head, and grins. “Where were you off to this early, Little Doc?”
“I was on my way to speak with Rafael about the privacy issue.” I go to push past him, but he doesn’t let me, sidestepping to block my path. “Move.”
He leans forward, his hot breath fanning against my lips. “Ask nicely and you might just find I can be very good at following orders, baby.”
I try to take a sidestep again, but I’m blocked…again. “What a good dog you must be,” I quip, my lip curling slightly.
“Woof.” His pearly whites glisten and I notice his canines are a bit longer, giving him a wolfish grin. It’s also then I realize how thin my dress is as my nipples tingle at his closeness. I know without a doubt he realizes he’s got me right where he wants me.
But it doesn’t matter what he thinks he knows. I will not let him in on the fact I’m currently having a heart attack in my panties and it’s all because of him and his stupid, handsome, sexy…everything.
Breathing in deep, I calm myself and place my palm on his chest, pushing him back a step and surprisingly, he complies. “First order, don’t touch me.”
“I didn’t touch you; you touched me. And I didn’t hear any manners.” He smirks as I step into him again, he steps back.
I contemplate using my manners and telling him to please go fuck himself.
The angel on my shoulder wins this round however and I grit my teeth.
“Firstly, a woman shouldn’t need to use manners to tell a man to respect her boundaries.
But since I’m clearly in the presence of a hound, not a man, I’ll ask nicely.
Enzo Baby, please stay out of my room and do not touch me. ”
He tilts his head, sizing me up. “The next time I touch you, Doc, you’ll be begging for it.” His fingers slide along his bottom lip before he spins on his heel. “Come on, I’ll show you to Rafael’s office.” When I don’t immediately follow, he peeks over his shoulder, sighing. “Please.”