Page 56 of Break Me

“Of course.” When I turned back to encourage Halle to make herself comfortable in the hotel’s lobby, she’d already disappeared into the crowd. Another even more brutal pang of sadness hit me. Maybe even a touch of guilt for ruining our evening. Whatever the case, I’d meant what I’d said to her.

Our time together was far from being over. She’d become a part of my world whether she wanted it or not. At least she understood my motives.

I had no intentions of letting her go.

“Mr. Dmitriyev. Can you tell us what happened here tonight?” The reporter had his microphone jammed inches away from my face. Ordinarily, I’d answer by offering a smile, adjusting myjacket and spending just enough time to mesmerize the person with my dazzling personality.

Not tonight.

Tonight, I wanted to punch him in the face. Plus, I hadn’t realized until Halle had walked away that my shirt was stained with blood, the dark patches proving my involvement in the shooting.

Sasha lifted his eyebrow, in his own way reminding me to keep my cool. Something that was difficult when I was this angry.

“I was attacked while leaving the hotel.” Why not tell the truth and bait Papadakis?

“Do you have any idea of the identification of your attacker?” The reporter was too eager for his fifteen minutes of fame.

I took a step closer, grinning for the cameras and for those watching. “Not yet, but the police are already working diligently to discover those behind the assassination attempt. And when they do, justicewillbe served.” Yes, my phone would likely blow up from my attempt to bait the attacker on camera, but I just didn’t care.

“I’m certain they will, sir. Can you tell me if you were alone when this happened?”

The question had already become tangled in my brain. I’d made the choice to tell the police a little white lie in that I’d been alone during the attack. I had no intention of changing my story. “Thank God, I was. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to get home and recover from the heinous attack.”

“Of course, sir. Thank you for your time.”

I turned away, thereby shutting down the other reporters.

“Nice acting job,” Sasha mused, keeping his voice low.

“Necessary.”

“Mmm… Protecting her.”

Shaking my head, I scoured the parking lot with my gaze searching for anyone who might be with the Papadakis clan. “There is no reason to bring her into this shit storm.”

“From what you told me, you’re lucky to be alive.” Sasha had made it to the scene in record time and without his amazing daughter.

“You underestimate my skills, cousin. Who’d you get to watch Nina?”

He laughed. “My next-door neighbor. I have to admit she was pretty weirded out that the neighbor she’s only waved to a few mornings from passing cars suddenly appeared on her doorstep in the middle of the night.”

“Send her flowers. That makes it all better.”

“You should know. Isn’t that exactly what you do every time you go on a date?”

I placed my hand against my heart while glancing at the forensics team who were finally getting ready to bag and tag the victims. “You know how to hurt a guy.” Just like Halle.

“Ha. I just tell the truth. So I understand you were on a date? This wasn’t just some random woman in the parking lot who witnessed the hit.”

“Mikhail told you. Yes, I was. The woman who saved my life in the fire.”

“Oh,” Sasha half laughed. “A formidable woman. Maybe that means she’s someone special in your life.”

“Let’s just say I won’t be sending her flowers.” He was right. That’s exactly what I’d done on numerous occasions. My reputation and my obvious bank account had attracted women of all shapes, sizes, ages, and social standing. None would mind being Mrs. Dmitriyev so long as with the ring there also came an unlimited spending account.

And that’s what marrying me would be. A complete sacrifice. Why in God’s name was I even thinking about marriage at this point?

“Did she enjoy your company?”