Page 113 of Alexei

“Miss Ashford.” A strange man’s voice came from behind me and annoyance flared in me.

“If you are Byron’s bodyguard, you can leave,” I told him without looking behind me and started walking toward the lobby door. “I don’t need one.”

An unexpected soft female chuckle had my steps pausing, and I turned around to meet two sets of unfamiliar eyes. My eyes shifted from the tall man with dark hair and even darker eyes, wearing a three-piece-suit. Tattoos on his neck. A rose tattoo on his right hand. It was a habit at this point to catalog it all.

He held the woman’s hand with his left hand and somehow I thought it was on purpose. To keep his right hand free. My eyes traveled over the woman. She was startlingly beautiful, and she was pregnant. I couldn’t guess how far in her pregnancy she was, but she was definitely up there.

“Then who are you?”

“I’m Cassio King,” the man answered. “This is my wife, Áine.”

I recognized the name. Cassio King was the son of the late Benito King. The entire family ran a crime organization. I’d even looked into Benito King, thinking he might have been the one to take Kingston. But he didn’t fit M.O., and he liked to be in the spotlight too much.

“So?” I cocked an eyebrow. I behaved like a brat, just as my brother called me. “Listen, whatever it is you want, I don’t have it.” My eyes fleeted to the woman. “You better get into an air conditioned room,” I told her, eying her belly. “This heat can be brutal, and you look like you might pop.”

She offered me a brilliant smile. “I thought you’d never ask.” I blinked in confusion. “Lead the way, Miss Ashford.” What the fuck just happened?

“Where to?” I asked stupidly.

“To your apartment,” she answered with a beaming smile.

A strangled laugh escaped me. “Ummm, I don’t think so. I’m not taking strangers into my apartment.”

“We are Alexei’s friends,” Cassio chimed in. Instantly alerted, my eyes roamed around. I almost expected to see him.

“Is this about the delivery?” I whispered in a low voice.

“Delivery?” Cassio asked, confusion marring his expression. Okay, maybe he didn’t know about the delivery.

“Never mind,” I muttered.

“Miss Ashford, are these people bothering you?” I glanced behind me, and the moment I saw the man, I knew that was my bodyguard. He looked exactly the type Byron would hire. Probably an ex-Navy SEAL.

Cassio stepped forward, but his wife took his arm and held him back. He behaved like my own bodyguard would attack me.

“Ah, no, no,” I quickly answered before things escalated. “They are… old friends,” I lied, blushing. “We’ll go inside. Cassio, Áine.” I forced what I hoped was a passable smile. “This way.”

Hopefully, I wasn’t an idiot to let them into my home, but considering Alexei threatened his own brothers about hurting me, I didn’t think his friends would hurt me either.

Once inside my apartment, the two sat down on my modern couch. I watched them look around as I brought them each bottled water.

“This place looks like a hotel,” Áine muttered. “It doesn’t look like anyone lives here.”

I took my spot by the window, my eyes on the door and the entire living room in my sight. “I don’t spend much time at home. Now what is this about?”

Cassio and his wife shared a glance.

“I heard that you and Alexei captured Ivan Petrov.” My heart twisted into a knot. “His brother gave us a rundown.” I exhaled a ragged breath and ensured my expression didn’t reflect any of my thoughts.

“So?”

“I have a question for you.” Cassio narrowed his eyes on me, studying me. “Do you love Alexei?”

Suppressing a flinch, I held his stare.

“That’s none of your business, Mr. King,” I told him, impressed that my voice reflected none of the emotions swirling in my chest.

He didn’t look impressed.