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He didn’t need to.

‘You?’ she breathed, the word ragged with disbelief.

Only then did he turn, slow and deliberate, his gaze sweeping over her.

He said nothing for a long moment.

‘It can’t be you!’

After a beat, he cast out his rod, then arched a brow. ‘You seem disappointed.’

She blinked. ‘You’re Alexandr-Alexandr Levine Roman?’

His lips curled further. ‘Who else would I be?’

‘You didn’t tell me.’

‘I didn’t think it pertinent to share at the time.’

Her jaw clenched. ‘Fokk.’

She stared at him, hands on hips, her poise thrown off-axis.

The smooth heat of him. The impossible grace. The unbothered power. The fact that he was smiling.

‘On a serious note,’ she said, glancing at him sidelong, ‘what do you prefer me to call you? Commander, Sir, Alexandr-Alexandr?’

He glanced at her then, his eyes glinting, fiery violet, gleaming.

With a voice like smooth nightfall, he said, ‘Call me Xander, Savvine Bianchi.’

She mulled the name. It was soft, dangerous, so utterlyhim.

‘Xander,’ she murmured, the syllables curling against her lips like a secret.

The corner of his mouth lifted. With the faintest, most private smile, like he’d just handed her a key no one else had ever held.

She narrowed her eyes. ‘OK, Xander. Nice name. How the hell are you a -?’

He focused back on his sport, reeling in, taking his time, his profile glowing against the lake’s shimmer. ‘Amostro.Naam, you can say the word. I won’t get offended if it comes from your lips. As for how, tis a long story.’

She masked her shock at his blatant chiding and folded her arms. ‘You’re fishing. Seems we have all day.’

He glanced at her sidelong, amused. ‘Grab a rod, Chief. If you want more answers, earn them.’

He twisted from her, eyes on his line, silent, a mountain of a man.

That’s when she realized he was serious.

‘Asfokk,’ he rasped.

Did he also read minds?

With a huff and still dazed, Savvine marched back up the shore and yanked one of the spare rods from the stand near his leather bag.

‘Fine,’ she muttered. ‘Let’s fish.’

Xander’s chuckle rolled at her like warm smoke.