Page 100 of Shadow Waltz

“You remembered,” I said, and hated how surprised I sounded.

Luka finally looked up, and his expression was softer than usual, almost fond. “Of course I remembered. I have an entire intelligence network at my disposal, and you think I'd forget when my most valuable asset was born?”

“Most valuable asset?” I raised an eyebrow. “How romantic.”

“I was going to say 'favorite person,' but I thought that might go to your head,” Luka replied, and there was genuine warmth in his voice that made my chest tighten in ways I wasn't ready to examine. “Besides, you're technically both.”

The casual way he admitted I was his favorite person sent heat racing through my veins, because coming from someone like Luka, that admission carried more weight than poetry from anyone else.

“Twenty-six years of survival,” he continued, setting down his tablet to give me his full attention. “Most people don't make it half that long in the situations you've navigated. That's not just luck, Ash. That's intelligence, adaptability, and a stubborn refusal to break that I find... inspiring.”

“Inspiring enough to buy me dinner?” I asked, trying to deflect from the intensity of his praise with humor.

“Inspiring enough to buy you anything you want,” Luka said, and the sincerity in his voice made my breath catch. “But I have something special planned for this evening. A gift that I think you'll find... educational.”

The way he said 'educational' made heat coil low in my belly, because I'd learned that Luka's ideas of education usually involved testing boundaries I didn't know I had. But there was something different in his voice today, a darker edge wrapped in velvet that suggested whatever he had planned would push us into territory we hadn't explored before.

“Let me guess,” I said, leaning back in my chair with mock suspicion. “It involves me, a collar, and your creative interpretation of birthday traditions?”

Luka's laugh was rich and genuine, the kind that transformed his face from dangerous to devastating. “Among other things. But this particular gift requires trust, and I want to make sure you understand exactly how secure you are in your place here.”

He stood and moved around the table until he could rest his hands on my shoulders, the touch warm and possessive. “I know birthdays haven't been... celebratory for you in the past. I want to change that.”

The unexpected gentleness in his voice made my throat tighten with emotions I wasn't prepared to handle. “You don't have to?—”

“I want to,” Luka interrupted, his fingers finding the collar at my throat and tracing the leather with deliberate intimacy. “You deserve to be celebrated, Ash. You deserve to have someone who remembers what matters to you and acts accordingly.”

The touch was possessive but also reassuring, a reminder that whatever he had planned, I belonged to him completely—and that he took that responsibility seriously.

“Should I be worried?” I asked, though I was leaning into his touch despite the uncertainty churning in my stomach.

“You should be excited,” Luka said, his voice dropping to that register that made my knees weak. “Because tonight, you're going to learn something about yourself that you didn't know you wanted to discover.”

“And what if I don't like what I discover?”

“Then we'll discover it together,” he replied, thumb stroking along my pulse point. “But I have a feeling you're going to surprise yourself.”

Before I could ask for more details, Troy appeared in the doorway with his usual silent approach. But today he wasn't alone—Dmitri stood beside him, and both men looked like they were trying not to smirk about something.

“Oh good,” I said dryly. “The cavalry has arrived. Let me guess—this is part of my birthday surprise?”

“Sir,” Troy said, addressing Luka with professional neutrality that didn't quite hide the undercurrent of amusement. “You wanted to see us?”

“I did.” Luka's hands remained on my shoulders, a possessive weight that made it clear I wasn't going anywhere. “I'm expanding Ash's security detail. Effective immediately, Dmitri will be working with Troy to ensure comprehensive protection.”

I felt my spine stiffen under Luka's hands, because this was the first I was hearing about any expansion. “I don't need two bodyguards,” I said, trying to keep my voice level despite the irritation building in my chest. “What's next, a marching band?”

“The marching band comes later,” Dmitri said with a perfectly straight face, earning a sharp look from Troy and a surprised laugh from me.

“After yesterday's surveillance reports, you need whatever protection I decide you need,” Luka said, but there was fondness in his voice rather than irritation at my protests. “And if I decide you need a marching band, you'll get a marching band.”

“A whole marching band seems excessive,” I said. “Can we compromise on a small jazz ensemble?”

“We'll discuss your musical preferences later,” Luka replied, and I could hear the smile in his voice even though his expression remained serious. “Right now, we're discussing your security.”

I looked at Dmitri, taking in the way he stood like a weapon waiting to be deployed, but with something almost playful in his dark eyes. “And what does Dmitri think about this arrangement?”

“Dmitri thinks what I pay him to think,” Luka said before the man could respond. “Just like Troy, just like everyone else in this organization. Including you.”