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I hear Radmir walk away after tucking me into the bed.

My eyes spring open, searching around the room. My heart racing for no reason at all. His hands on my body were tender.

He was so gentle.

I shiver at the thought of him, delightful thoughts rushing through me. But then I practically gag in horror at my own ideas.

He is a murderer.

I hate him.

He should not make me feel any kind of way at all other than hate.

I wiggle my entire body beneath the blankets, shaking off the sensation of his touch. Trying to force my body to forget how intense it felt.

I can’t believe how easy that was.

He just fell for everything and now I’m lying in his guest room, sleeping in his house. The fox in the hen house and the hens don’t even know it.

I wonder if all of the Kuznetsovs are this naive and stupid.

I could be anyone. Literally anyone. I could be an assassin—here to slit his throat while he sleeps.

For a brief moment, I envision myself doing exactly that.

I could get a knife from the kitchen and crawl into his bed. He would wake up choking and gagging, drowning in his own blood.

A grin flitters across my face.

It would be satisfying, but too quick.

Then the idea of crawling into his bed sticks in my mind and I can’t get the feel of his broad, solid, sculpted, muscular chest out of my head. And those arms. Holy fuck. He must work out like every single day.

Dammit, Jade. What the fuck?

I huff loudly and roll over to bury my face against the pillow.

Just go to sleep. The plan worked. That’s all that matters. Tomorrow is going to be a big day. I can’t slip up at any point. I have to stay on my game the entire time. I need rest to get that right.

This freaking dress is so tight though.

I sit up in the bed and wiggle myself out of it, pulling it off over my head, I throw it to the floor and snuggle back down in the blankets, wearing nothing but my black lace panties.

It’s not like anyone else is here to see and I generally wake up early, so I’ll just put the dress back on before Radmir wakes up.

It takes me a while to fall asleep because I can’t believe I’m actually here and the plan has worked so far.

***

In the morning, I wake up to an unfamiliar scent. It’s… Oh, it’s him. I can smell him on my skin from when he held me last night.

I scrunch my nose, annoyed at how good it smells. Throwing the blankets off myself I climb out of bed, stepping over my dress and heading towards the bathroom because I need to pee too badly to worry about anything else.

I glance in the mirror, rubbing my eyes and noticing how messy my mascara got from my fake tears. I wash my face and run my fingers through my rather wild hair, then walk back into the room.

Except, Radmir is standing in the doorway holding a cup of coffee and I notice him too late.

I’m standing next to the bed in nothing, but my panties and his eyes are taking in all of me.

Our eyes lock and my cheeks flush red. His eyes are fired up with desire that is turning me on.

He sucks his cheeks in and quickly turns his back on me. “I’m sorry,” he mutters quickly. “I thought you would still be asleep—dressed… Um, I made you some coffee.”

I giggle a little, enjoying him squirming, and rather liking how he looked at me. I run over to the bed and pull the blankets up over myself as I sit against the headboard.

“You can turn around now,” I say, with the blankets tucked in beneath my arms, wrapped over my breasts.

He grins as he walks towards me and that smile sends a shiver through me. How the hell does someone so evil get to be so fucking gorgeous? Something is not right with the world. This man has to be the most beautiful man I have ever seen in my entire life.

He sets my coffee down on the bedside table. Then leans down to scoop my dress up off the floor. He hangs it over a chair in the corner of the room. “I’ll have them dry clean that for you. In the meantime, I sent one of my men out to get you some clothes this morning, he should be back in the next fifteen minutes.”

“What time is it?” I stammer, confused about how I slept so late.

“Nearly nine. Listen, Jade, we need to talk.”

I bite my lip, wrapping my fingers around the coffee mug, strumming my nails against it nervously. I hope he isn’t going to tell me I have to leave.

“Your hair matches your nails. It’s beautiful.” He chuckles, a deep sound that sends a current of curiosity through me.

“Is that what you wanted to talk about?” I smile innocently.

He smirks. “No, uh, Jade, I think it's best if you stay with me for a while. If you go home, they will know where to find you and the Enzos are not good guys. They will hurt you to keep their lives a secret. So, I need you to stay with me for a while. At least until we can get you out of the city, or somewhere else. Safe.“

“Out of the city?” I stammer in shock. I force my eyes to glitter with tears. “Am I in that much danger?” I whimper.

He sits down on the edge of the bed, reaching his hand towards me, then changing his mind. Probably considering how naked I am beneath the blankets.

“You are in danger, if I let you go. But here with me, I assure you there isn’t a safer place for you to be.”

“But… How will I ever repay you for helping me?” I ask, fresh tears running down my cheeks.

This time, he reaches forward, takes the coffee from my hand and pulls me into his arms. “I’m so sorry about all of this,” he says, gently stroking his hand down my back. My body is betraying me more and more as each moment passes. Every cell is screaming for me to reach my hands up and wrap them around his broad neck…

But he remains controlled and the perfect gentleman as he holds me against him, nothing but the blanket between us. He is gentle and sweet and comes across as so genuine.

He’s not, though. He’s a monster and I see straight through his facade.

“Sir,” a voice carries from somewhere outside the bedroom.

He quickly pulls away from me and turns his body towards the door. “‘I’m in here,” he calls out, standing up.

Radmir walks towards the door and one of his security guards hands him a few packages. Brown and white shopping bags. “Thanks, Neil,” he says, taking the bags and nodding.

The other guy leaves and Radmir walks back towards the bed.

He sets the bags down and says, “These are for you. I hope they are comfortable. Let me know if you need anything else. I’ll be downstairs. Breakfast will be ready whenever you get there.”

He won’t look at me and I sense a tension in him.

But he’s smiling softly when he turns towards the door to leave, closing it behind himself to give me privacy.

For a moment, I just stare at the door.

Radmir is not what I expected. Although I am the one who is being naive if I think that’s the real him. He’s probably playing me. Using me to get close to the Enzos or to try and get information out of me. That’s all. I guess at least if I’m aware he’s using me I can play the game he’s expecting while I gather my own information against him.

I expected him to rescue me and play the macho man role, expecting something in return even—like most men do.

Sheesh, I’d hate myself for enjoying what I thought he was expecting in return.

I let out a loud, frustrated breath of air. Focus. Shower. Get dressed. Let’s see what clothes this idiot got you. Probably old lady clothes with lame or zero fashion sense.

Although his clothes are pretty damn fine. Well fitted over his broad shoulders, those blue jeans were nice and snug…

Jade .

I can’t believe my thoughts keep going back there.

Alright. Let’s do this.

I throw the blankets off me and grab each of the bags, emptying the contents onto the bed.

“Mm,” I mutter in shock. The clothes are absolutely perfect for me.

High-waisted, tight blue jeans and a few cute tank tops.

A couple of flowing dresses and a really funky pair of black sweatpants with red pockets and ties and little zips for features, and a matching cropped hoodie. I guess the man has style. Or his henchman has style.

Although he is the one who noticed my nails and my hair. Did he get the red sweatpants on purpose? To match my hair and nails?

I pull my mouth tight and push the sweatpants aside. That would be too sweet of him. A trick of some kind. I’m annoyed that I like them so much.

One of the bags is just filled with toiletries. Soaps, creams, hair care… I don’t throw that one out on the bed, instead I pick it up and gathering the jeans, a white tank top and some undies I head towards the bathroom.

After my shower, I stand dressed in front of the full-length mirror in the bedroom. These jeans looks freaking incredible on me. I turn in front of the mirror.

It’s time to go downstairs and play miss sweet and innocent, and traumatically wounded by the horrible experience last night.

I grin, then straighten my face and pull my bedroom door open.

Following the smells of bacon and fresh coffee I find myself in the kitchen. A gorgeous white marble counter accented with white cupboards and dark grey handles. The place is immaculate. It’s gorgeous. Straight out of a magazine.

To my surprise, it’s Radmir standing at the stove, flipping the bacon over with a fork. My eyes trace over his back and perfect ass.

“I hope you like it crispy,” he says, glancing over his shoulder at me, then doing a double take and smiling. “You look lovely, Jade.”

I feel my cheeks flush with genuine warmth.

“Thanks,” I mutter, biting my lip.

“Take a seat, we can eat at the counter here.” He sounds so relaxed and down to earth. I sit down on the high bar style chairs, noticing that he has already set out plates, a pot of fresh coffee, sauces, salt, pepper—the works.

He carries the pan over to me and dishes up three pieces of bacon.

“Another?” he grins.

I nod, smiling. “I love crispy bacon.

“Me too.” He smiles, turning away and grabbing the toast as it pops out of the toaster. He sets two pieces on my plate and waves his fingers around to cool them off. I giggle. Then press my lips together.

Since when do I giggle?

Radmir opens the oven and pulls out a dish that was keeping the rest of the breakfast warm. Eggs, fried tomatoes and sausage.

I love food, but this is a feast for more than just two people.

He dishes up the rest of my breakfast and sets the oven plate on a wooden board nearby then comes to sit next to me with his own food.

“Is that alright for you, Jade? Do you want more of anything?”

I giggle again. Dammit. Seriously?

“This is perfect for me. And more than most girls would ever eat. Usually guys are trying to get girls to eat less, not more.” I chuckle, thinking about the assholes I’ve dated in the past.

“Why in the world would a guy have any right to tell you what you can and can’t eat?” he asks with genuine horror.

I know I don’t have the perfect figure according to the social norms. I know I’m on the bigger side. But I’m mostly comfortable with myself, when I’m alone anyway. I struggle a bit with my body when I have to dress up or get a bit naked, but I don’t dislike it. I can be shy sometimes because I know I’m plus-sized. I think my self-esteem also took a knock because I’ve dated some real assholes in the past who had a lot to say about my body and how I should be dieting.

I swallow hard, Radmir’s frown is still turned towards me.

“Because… Uh, of being… Chubby,” I say, my cheeks flushing red again.

When I look up into his gaze I gasp at the dark hint in his grey eyes. They look almost black and hungry. Not even for food.

He looks me up and down and then stares straight into my soul. “You are absolutely perfect, Jade,” he says, almost a growl.

My heart is beating a hundred miles an hour and I have to look away because of what his gaze is doing to me.

He thinks I’m perfect?

Picking up my fork, I shove a piece of bacon into my mouth to stop myself from saying anything stupid. Why does he make me feel like a little girl?

Then I realize I didn’t cut the bacon and it’s too big and now my cheeks are full, and I look like an idiot.

I start to giggle again.

Radmir glances at me and starts laughing too. He picks up a napkin and touches it against my lips. I reach up to take it, but our hands touch, and it sends bolts of electricity through me.

Damn, this guy is so fucking good at being charming.

I really need to watch myself.

I pull the napkin from his hand and nod a thanks, swallowing the bacon mostly unchewed because I can feel my cheeks flushing red again.

After a while of eating quietly Radmir does what I’ve been expecting him to do—he starts fishing for information.

“This boss that asks you to deliver documents to the Enzo family, does he tell you what the documents are?”

I shake my head. “Oh no, I’m just an intern. Mostly, I haven’t even worked my way out of the mail room yet. I run all the errands, delivering paperwork around the city.”

“What kind of company is it?”

“It’s a company that helps other businesses restructure so that they can run better.” I nod enthusiastically. “I studied business in college. I want to start my own business one day, I just don’t know what yet.”

He nods, smiling at me, encouraging me to carry on.

“So, I thought if I could work at a company that teaches other companies to run better, well I could learn the most from them, right?”

“That’s clever.” He grins. “How often do you deliver documents to the Enzos?”

“Mm. Maybe once a month. Usually, it’s during the day, but there was a mess up or something. My boss looked stressed, so I had to deliver those at night as soon as they were ready.”

I sit quietly for a moment while he is lost in thought, then I reach out and touch his hand. “Radmir, please will you keep me safe. I didn’t know they were bad people. I just—I don’t have anywhere else to go. I don’t—“ tears spill down my face as I stammer over my words, begging for his help. His dark grey eyes are soft when he looks at me. He gently takes my hand in his and reaches out to touch my cheek, brushing a tear away with the pad of his thumb.

“I promise you, Jade, I will protect you. My home is your home,” he says so sincerely, and with such a deep and sexy voice that I practically swoon out of my chair.

For the rest of breakfast I am careful to avoid physical contact, even when I help him tidy up a bit, despite him insisting I don’t need to. I am a polite houseguest. I will play that role perfectly.

“I need to go do a few things for work in the office upstairs. Feel free to explore the mansion. Shout if you need anything,” he says, then disappears from the kitchen.

I guess this is my first opportunity to start exploring his home and trying to gather whatever information I can.

I push away from the counter and head down the first passage I find to roam through his ridiculously oversized home.