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“It’s hard to pull yourself away from a pack of hungry male dogs when they’re eating lunch.” Katarina Ivanov cocks an eyebrow and flashes a smirk at Lindy. “You know how men get when they’re hungry.”
Lindy giggles and nudges me. “Do I ever!”
“Kat?” I sputter the question because I’m so shocked right now that I could swear my eyes are deceiving me and the gorgeous Russian mafia princess isn’t really standing before me in her signature six-inch high heels.
She folds her arms over her shirt, forcing her tits closer to the dangerously low neckline. “In the flesh.”
Fuck me, did she really need to say flesh? Like I need any more encouragement.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“I take care of the animals.”
“How?” I exclaim. “By beating them senseless if they don’t behave themselves?”
Lindy gasps and elbows me in the ribs.
Kat smirks. “I volunteer here. I love animals, but my work schedule doesn’t allow for me to keep one. So I get my fix while I’m here.”
My mouth is still hanging open. Who the fuck would have ever thought that Katarina was a philanthropist? I mean, yeah, she helps people…helps them meet their Makers, that is.
Lindy’s eyes are still on Kat’s. “Are you a model?” she blurts.
Kat shakes her head. “No.”
“Oh, um, I just assumed, because I mean, you’re beautiful and obviously know fashion. I love your boots,” Lindy gushes.
“Thank you,” Kat replies in her usual clipped voice. I still don’t get how she has this job. People with black hearts and poison running through their veins aren’t really the type you’d expect to see doing good for the sake of doing good.
Not that it changes the fact that I still have a hard-on for this woman, lethal or not.
“So what do you do?” Lindy presses. I turn a questioning gaze to my sister. Why the hell is she so interested, anyway? And is Kat going to tell her—?
“I’m a relationship manager for my father’s businesses.” Kat smiles, and I get the hint that the career conversation is now over. “So, Rocco,” Kat says inching toward me. “What brings you here?”
I can see Lindy’s gaze shoot from me to Kat and then back again out of the corner of my eye. It’s pretty damn clear that there will be plenty of questions pelted at me later about this little exchange.
I straighten and puff out my chest a little and fuck me if her lips don’t curl into a tiny smile. “I’m looking for a dog.”
“Why come here? Why not go to a breeder? These dogs need a lot of love and care. A lot of them have been beaten, tortured, and hurt really badly. They have a hard time trusting people.” She creeps closer still. “What makes you think you can handle that kind of responsibility?”
I’m rooted to the spot. Her eyes lock on me, searching for something…maybe a reason to trust that I can do good, that I’m not all smoke and mirrors. Wow, she actually cares…about the animals. I never saw that one coming, the caring part.
She’s one of the coldest people I’ve ever met.
Ironic that all that frigidness makes me hot as fuck.
“Look, Kat. I’m perfectly able to care for a damaged animal. I want to help one of them. I don’t want some fancy purebred dog.” I hope I sound as sincere as I think I do. Maybe there’s a tiny part of me that wants her to be impressed that I want to do something good, that I’m not just some asshole thug who does nothing with his time except drink, maim, and fuck.
She nods her head, strands of her dark hair falling around her face. The rest of it is swept up onto the top of her head. Still glamorous, even when she cleans out animal cages. “And one other thing…” Kat’s voice takes on a teasing tone. “How will you get the dog home? In your precious car? The one you don’t allow people to sit in?”
Lindy lets out a loud chuckle. “Ha ha! Wow, do you ever have his number!” She pokes me again. “Rocco, tell her you brought the truck today!”
A surprised look crosses Kat’s face. “So you’re serious.” She eyes me, her eyes raking me up and down just enough that I feel pleasantly violated. I can only imagine what she can do with her hands. “Okay, then. Let’s go and meet some dogs. See if you can connect.” She puts extra stress on that word, her lingering glance making my dick twitch.
I’d like to show her all about how well I can connect…with her.
We follow Kat down a long hallway lined with cages. Her hips swing left and right with each step she takes in those sky-high heels. That ass. Good God, it’s perfect. Tight, round, bitable. Christ, what I’d do to it if I had—