Page 75 of Claim Me

With that, she walked out the door, Simon peering inside as soon as she did. He glanced back as she walked toward her car then to me, his eyes wide open. “Um. Should I go after her, boss?”

“No,” I said, my jaw clenched so tightly it ached. “I’ll handle it. Change of plans. Get the men ready to leave. It’s your job and the others to protect Ms. Valentine. Do not allow her out of your sight.”

He sucked in his lips and for a second, I was certain he was trying not to smile. I glared at him and stormed toward the front door. I’d buy another goddamn change of clothes. I could buy anything I wanted in the goddamn world.

I could do anything I wanted. Skydiving. Rock climbing. Purchase a yacht. Hell, I could buy a couple of houses in Europe with a single phone call.

Yet I couldn’t control one feisty female.

Brushing past Simon, I headed to her car just as she started to climb inside. Obviously, I hadn’t done a very good job of explaining the situation, the danger, or the part about who was in charge.

That was about to end.

“You’re not going.”

“I am,” she said sweetly. “Unless you’re prepared to handcuff me to a chair, I’m going with you or without you. Perhaps I’ll handle the meeting with Popov. Hell has no fury like a woman pissedoff that some Russian asshole decided to make himself both king and God.”

“Which Russian are you talking about?”

“You tell me.”

At least I could still shock her. I grabbed her bag with one hand, tossing her over my shoulder with the other. She did have a right to face the enemy and even to revenge, but she wasn’t prepared for what that meant and I certainly wasn’t going to dare tell her she had a point.

“Put me down,” she demanded.

“No. You’ve made your point and I can’t risk you doing something crazy. I can’t protect you that way. Fine. You will come with me, but you are going to do exactly what I tell you to do.” I threw open the car door, gently dumping her into the passenger seat.

Before she had a chance to refute me or even try her hand at escaping, I reached across her, grabbing the seatbelt while placing a single finger of my other hand across her lips. “Do not fight me. Do not.”

She pulled back, giving me the same look she had the first time I’d officially met her before turning her head away. I clicked the belt into place, ensuring her long legs were safe inside, then slammed the door.

Fuck me.

As if I wasn’t starting to get gray hairs already. The woman was going to be the death of me.

CHAPTER 22

Kazimir

“Do not say a word. Not one.” I pointed my finger at my Pakhan as soon as Mikhail walked toward the bar, my other brother Alexsey in close proximity. I glanced toward the tables in the small restaurant, several now occupied by members of both families.

The look on their faces when seeing Marissa would forever burn into the back of my mind. Their expressions had nothing to do with being chauvinistic as we all knew women could easily be more dangerous and cunning than men.

Their twisted expressions were based on knowing what I cared about.

Almost nothing.

Now a woman and fate had managed to bulldoze my life with the gear stuck in drive.

I adjusted my jacket, casually looking around the room.

My cousins Vissarian, Sasha, and Nadia were already enjoying a cocktail, all three conversing as if we were attending a celebratory function. Nadia was laughing, acting as if she didn’t have a care in the world. And who was providing the entertainment for her happy mood?

The woman who kept my jaw clenched, my cock fully aroused, and my anger at a heightened level.

Somehow, Marissa seemed unfazed she was in a room full of highly skilled killers who just happened to be from a crime syndicate. Either she was the world’s best actress or Marissa was truly enjoying herself despite the horror she’d been through. How many layers did I need to peel away?

“I’m not saying a single thing other than I hope you know what you’re doing,” Mikhail stated, grinning before motioning the bartender. “Whiskey. Neat.”