Page 13

13

ROMAN

“ I thought the kids were coming in this morning?” Dimitry casts me a curious glance the following day in my office.

“Change of plans,” I say curtly. “And I need you to head to the address I’m texting you. Pick Miss Lopez up and bring her here. She’ll be expecting you.”

“Will she, now.” Dimitry lounges by my desk, smirking.

“After you’ve brought her here, I want you to go back to her motel room. Discreetly, Dimitry.” I glare at him. “Very discreetly. That means not a single motherfucker knows you’re there, including the old man in the room next door to her.”

“What am I looking for?” He lifts a quizzical eyebrow. “I thought the geek squad was doing the background.”

“Lucia is using a fake name.”

Dimitry’s smirk fades.

“And she’s running from something.”

He starts to frown.

“I don’t know from who or what. But we have to assume they’re searching for her. That means we do nothing that might alert whoever it is to her whereabouts.”

I might use Pavel to do a digital search, but when it comes to keeping a confidence, Dimitry is the only person I truly trust. Briefly I give him a rundown on what little we know. “I want to know who Lucia is, and for that I need DNA. She’s been in that motel room for two nights, and she definitely uses a hairbrush. Get in and get out without being seen.”

“Got it, boss.”

There’s no trace of a smirk now. Dimitry knows when I mean business, just like I know nothing will stop him carrying out my orders.

Except that instead of jumping to them, for some reason he’s still standing in my office.

“You should probably fuck off, if you want to beat the traffic.”

Dimitry doesn’t move. I frown. “Something you want to say, brother?”

“The children.” He folds his arms and gives me something close to a glare. “After everything they’ve been through, do you really think it’s wise to give them a nanny who poses that kind of flight risk?”

I scowl, not least because I know damn well he’s right. Under normal circumstances, there’s not a chance in hell I’d let anyone near those kids without a high security check.

But Lucia Lopez isn’t normal. And whatever else she might be, my gut tells me she’s not a threat. At least, not in the way Dimitry means.

“Do you honestly think,” I snarl, “that I’d do anything at all that might put Mikhail’s children in danger?”

“I don’t doubt you can keep them safe.” His glare doesn’t diminish in the least. “But I also think that it’s about damn time you did something more than just keep them safe. They need more than just a nanny, Roman. Especially one who might leave at any minute. They need a father. And a mother. One who actually gives a shit about them.”

I’m torn between punching him out and giving him the mother of all roardowns. Not least because his remarks about Lucia being a flight risk hit home far more than I find comfortable. But the truth is that Dimitry, the stubborn prick, is the only person I know who has the balls to face off with me.

Most of the time I like it.

Right now it pisses me off.

And Dimitry clearly knows it.

“Fine.” He holds his hands up in mock surrender. “I’m going. But those kids deserve better than what you’re giving them, and you know it.”

He closes the door, leaving me furiously pacing the floor of my office.

The worst of it is, I know he’s right. I also know that I’m not the person he wants me to be.

Dimitry has some romantic notion that being tasked with the care of Ofelia, Mickey, and Masha will somehow magically transform me into a soft-hearted family man.

I know there’s zero chance of that happening.

That was Mikhail, not me.

I won’t ever understand why Mikhail gave me the care of his children. How he ever thought I could be anything more than the cold-hearted bastard I have been for the past two decades.

And if anyone should know exactly how ruthless I am, it’s Dimitry, who has known me for almost all of that time. The fact that he seems to expect more of me pisses me off.

I’m still fuming when Lucia walks in.

Holy. Fucking. Shit.

The floaty sun dress itself is demure enough. But the way the thin cotton clings to the curve of her ass and dips to reveal the swell of that fucking delicious cleavage is pure sin.

The combination of lust and fury makes my voice harsher than I intend as I hand her a document folder.

“I’ve set up a company account for your exclusive use, as we discussed. Inside that envelope is the access card. There is also an opening balance, the amount of which is also on the paperwork inside the envelope.”

But she doesn’t open the envelope.

“I thought,” she says, frowning at me, “that I was supposed to be at the airport this morning, meeting your children.”

“Godchildren,” I correct her. “And I’ve delayed their return until tomorrow, by which time you will have had time to shop for an appropriate wardrobe and move into my building.” I nod at the envelope. “Why don’t you open that?”

Frowning with confusion, she opens the envelope and pulls out the paper inside. Her eyes widen as she reads, and the color drains slowly from her face. When she finally puts the paper down on my desk, her hands are shaking.

“This is more money than we discussed,” she breathes. “This is—it’s a fortune, Roman.” The breathless way she says my name, the hint of brilliance in her topaz eyes, makes me feel ten feet tall.

That’s right , I think savagely. I did that. Nobody else. And more, besides.

“Take out the other paper in the envelope.” I watch as she pulls out the single sheet that shows photographs of the beachside villa conversion I’ve had an entire crew working on since late last night.

“A medical team will arrive at your motel in an hour.” I speak curtly to disguise the fierce rush of pride. “They will move the old man from the room next to yours into the villa you’re looking at. It’s within easy walking distance of your own and is fully equipped to manage his needs.”

“Juan.” I barely hear the small whisper, because her face is turned to the floor. “His name is Juan.”

“Juan, then.”

I’m quite certain that isn’t his name at all, but that’s fine. I’ll have his DNA soon enough.

“Any specialist care Juan requires will be arranged after he’s been properly assessed. You can help him settle in and meet the team yourself to make sure you’re satisfied. They’ve been hired by Hale,” I add. “Your name hasn’t been used. And they will call you, and your friend, by whatever name you tell them to. Hale people also handle the security there, so nobody enters or leaves without express permission. The medical team will be fully background checked.”

“Why—” Her voice cracks, and she lifts a trembling hand to her face. “Why are you doing all this?” She raises her face, and I realize, in horror, that she’s actually crying.

Oh, fuck no.

“Pull yourself together, Miss Lopez.”

I don’t do tears.

“This is a business arrangement. It’s my experience that people perform at their best when their time is free of distractions.”

“But this money.” She swipes her hand across her eyes and takes a shuddering breath, then another one. It’s actually pretty impressive, watching her regain control of herself. “The villa. You didn’t have to do any of this. Or take care of... Juan. I could have done it all with what you were already paying me.”

“And you would have been stressed out trying to take care of it all. This way my godchildren will have your undivided attention during the day—and I will have it at night.” I shrug. “It’s just good business, Miss Lopez.”

She’s still deathly pale, but now two hectic spots of red glow on her cheeks. “You cannot know what this means to me.” Her voice is shaking slightly, her body taut with inner tension. “I’m more grateful than I can ever tell you for what you have done. What you are doing,” she says quietly. “But I do wish you’d left... particular issues, for me to sort out alone.”

That pisses me off.

“I would imagine,” I snap, “that signing a lease would be difficult when you’re trying to stay under the radar.”

She stiffens. Her eyes narrow. “I thought you said you had no interest in my personal circumstances.”

“I didn’t. I don’t. But I do have a vested interest in ensuring that nothing interferes with the children’s schedule—or mine.” I don’t like the suspicion I can see in her eyes. They aren’t darting this way and that anymore. Instead, they’re watching me as if I’m a serpent about to strike. There’s no trace of the vulnerability of a moment ago. And even if I did intend to put her in her place, it still upsets me to see her retreat, to pull down that shield. More than anything, I want to break that wall down, see her entirely bared to me.

And I will.

But for now, I need to reset the power dynamic between us. At the same time, something tells me that unless I lay some truth down, Miss Lopez might just be gone before I ever get to see the body hiding under that dress.

And that is not an option.

“Look, Miss Lopez.” It’s time to cut the bullshit. “I know you’re living under an assumed name.”

She freezes to the spot, staring at me like I’m about to thrust a dagger into her. But we’re doing this now. She needs to know who exactly she’s dealing with. A bit of mystery might be intriguing, but I’m a busy man. I’m not dancing around whatever game she’s playing, and it’s time she understood that.

“I know you’re running from something or someone,” I say curtly. “And since you won’t give me the information I require to do a proper security check, I intend to stay informed of every detail of your life for the duration of our agreement. If you can’t accept that, then I suggest we take that contract back out of my drawer and tear it up on the spot. Because while I might not give a single fuck about your particular issues , I take my own very seriously. For the next five months, my issues will be your entire world. And in my world, you play by my rules.”

The topaz eyes have remained glued on me the entire time I’ve been talking, their depths slowly shifting from cold fear to hot defiance. The transformation infuriates me. It intrigues me.

It turns me on more than anything ever has.

She chews her lower lip slowly, in a way that makes me want to throw her up against the window right now, before she can change her mind.

For a long, very tense moment, I think she might actually call my bluff.

And in a way, she does.

“Mr. Stevanovsky.” Her eyes glitter, not with tears, but with a strange kind of fire that sets my blood racing and makes me instantly hard. “I speak Russian,” she says in a deceptively calm tone. “Enough to read the same expat newspaper you do every morning. I know who you are. Not this,” she adds, gesturing around at my office. “Not Hale. I know what you are. And just so you know, I’ve met worse monsters than you. I’ve also outsmarted them.”

I’m stunned into silence. Actual silence. Not even Dimitry and his fucking nagging floored me quite this much.

And I do not like the feeling.

Lucia takes a step closer to me. I can smell her sweet vanilla perfume, the faint hint of coconut in her hair.

“I truly am deeply grateful for all you’ve done. I’ll play by your rules, because that’s what I signed up to do. But there’s no amount of money, no contract, and no threat, that will stop me breaking them if I have to. As you said last night, we’ve both already crossed a moral line. You say that you know I’m living under an assumed name. Well—I know you’re bratva.”

She throws the word onto the table like a high roller placing a dangerous bid.

But if she thinks I’m going to react, she has no idea who she sat down to play cards with. I stare straight back at her.

“So how’s this for a verbal addition to our agreement?” She’s so close I can almost taste her, topaz eyes staring straight into mine. “You don’t go looking into my background. In return, I’ll abide to your contract by the letter, and pretend I don’t know what hides behind the Hale facade.”

I’m at a level of tension that isn’t just dangerous. It’s deadly. My fingers are itching to take hold of her and fuck every last ounce of resistance from her body.

Tonight, Miss Lopez, you’re going to find out exactly how high stakes our game really is.

For now, however, it’s my turn to call her bluff.

“This isn’t some kind of negotiation, Miss Lopez. You’ve already signed a contract.” I tear myself away from her with an effort and walk around the other side of my desk, eyeing her coldly. “There are no additions to be made to that, verbal or otherwise. Take it or leave it. Frankly, I don’t give a fuck which option you choose. But if you intend to honor it, you’d better get moving.” I look at my watch. “I’ll be back in the penthouse at seven this evening. I expect you to have made whatever arrangements you need to by then.”

She stares me down for a long moment, the color slowly mounting on her cheeks. An extremely tense silence is broken by Dimitry strolling in.

“Boss.” He stops dead in his tracks when he sees the look on my face, the envelope on my desk, and Miss Lopez’s stiff spine.

“I’ll come back,” he says, backing toward the door.

“No need,” I say icily. “Miss Lopez was just leaving.”

I take my seat and open my laptop, forcing myself not to look at the envelope. From my peripheral vision, I see a small hand reach out and pick it up. My flood of relief only makes me more furious.

“Seven p.m., you said.”

I don’t look up from the screen. “I’m not in the habit of repeating myself.”

“So you said last night. And yet here we are.” My head jerks up in surprise. Her eyes are still glittering. “I’ll be there, Mr. Stevanovsky.” There’s just enough subtle emphasis on my name to remove any respect from the formality at all. “Let’s hope you’ve learned some manners by then.” Turning around, she stalks out of the room, perfect ass swaying that dress in a way that makes me grit my teeth.

Dimitry gives a low whistle as the door shuts behind her. “Holy shit,” he says, eyeing me with even more curiosity than he did earlier. “And you let her get away with that?”

“She’s just signed her life away,” I say brusquely, ignoring the rapid thudding in my chest. “She’s not getting away with a damn thing.” And after tonight, she’ll be walking differently, that much I can promise you.

I’m throbbing hard at the thought of it.

“You get what I asked for?”

“Got it.” Dimitry hands me a screwed tube with a long black strand inside it. “But that old man is sharp, Roman. It wasn’t easy dodging him. He watches everything from the window.”

And I have a funny feeling I know why .

So Miss Lopez knows I’m bratva, huh? That thought should horrify me. Instead, it intrigues me.

The pieces are coming together. I’m another step closer to knowing exactly who, and what, Miss Lopez really is.

And she’s about to discover exactly what kind of monster I am.

I look at my phone.

Seven hours to go.