Chapter 11 Episode 11
1607 Words
There’s a pause. “Um… no, I’m sorry. I don’t remember youbeing with anyone.”
“You were alone this morning,” he says. “And you reserved aroom for one. A single room.”
The modern gray walls of the Zhukova Incorporated lobbyspin around me. I’m feeling faint. Like the world is rippingitself out from under my feet.
Officer Sweeney sighs and turns to Nikolai. “Do you know ifshe has any other family we could call?”
“My sister,” I rasp deliriously. “My sister was with me. I—Shewas with me.”
“Sorry,” the clerk says awkwardly. “But if there’s anythingelse I can help you with—”
I hang up and turn my ire on Nikolai. “You.”
He meets my gaze, his steel gray eyes piercing andimmovable. I know what happened here: he paid off the clerk.
“Miss,” Officer Sweeney warns, “we are really going to haveto insist that you come with us. Mr. Zhukova has—”
“Has foiled my plan,” I finish, sagging dramatically. “He wasright. I’m a crazy ex-girlfriend.”
Officer Hedger’s forehead wrinkles with suspicion. “Excuseme?”
“I just love him so much,” I say, choking back a fake sob. “Ilet my emotions get the best of me. I’m sorry I wasted yourtime.”
Everyone, including Nikolai, looks confused now.
I take the opportunity to throw myself at Nikolai. I jump, andhe catches me as though it was rehearsed, dropping everythingin his hands without a second thought. His arms hook underme as I curl my legs around his waist and fist his shirt in myhands.
Our faces are impossibly close, but I can’t let that rattle me.Not now.
“I’m sorry, Nicky,” I pout. “Forgive me?”
Nikolai arches a brow. There’s a challenge in his expression.And I meet it, biting my lower lip while I slide a little furtherdown his chest. My hips roll against his crotch.
He wants to play dirty? Fine.
Officers Sweeney and Hedger are tensed, ready to jump in andyank me away from Nikolai at the first sign of trouble. Allthey’re waiting on is for Nikolai to give the word.
But I already know he won’t.
He’s staring into my eyes, his pants hardening noticeablybetween us. Then he smiles and looks around me at the policeofficers. “Sorry for the trouble, officers, but I can take care ofthis from here.”
“Are you sure?” Officer Sweeney asks. “If you’d like to file areport, we can—”
“No report. I’ll handle it.”
Sweeney sighs. “Yes, sir, Mr. Zhukova.”
The two men turn as one and stomp into the waiting elevator.Just as the elevator doors are closing, I hear Officer Hedgersnort, “He’ll ‘take care’ of her alright.”
Then Nikolai and I are alone.
The second the doors close with a ding, I shove him awayfrom me. “Let go of me, you psychopath.”
“You’re the one who threw yourself at me,” he remarks.
He fixes his cuffs, which did not need fixing, and plucks animaginary piece of lint from his shoulder, which did not needplucking. The whole thing is an act, to show how in control heis. Truthfully, it’s hard to imagine a single fiber of him everbeing out of place.
Me, on the other hand? I feel beyond frazzled.
“Because it was the only way to avoid being dragged out ofhere by those two police officers you’re obviously paying off.”
“You’d know if I was paying those officers off.”
He gives me a lethal smirk. “You’d be dead.”
A shiver moves down my spine, but I do my best to stand tall.“Just give my sister back to me and I’ll leave.”
“Now, why do you think I’d want you to leave?” he tuts.
“Gee, I dunno, maybe because you just threatened to kill me?”
I sound much braver than I feel. In my head, though, I’macutely aware of how dark and how empty the hallway behindNikolai is. No one else is here. We’re completely alone.
“I don’t make threats, little lamb. Only promises.”
This time, I can’t hide the icy chill that moves through me.
Nikolai notices and smirks. “What’s the matter, lapochka?Scared?”
“As I should be,” I snap. “You’re insane.”
He shakes his head. “No. Insane people don’t know they’reinsane. They think they’re perfectly normal. But I know I’mnot normal.”
“How comforting,” I mutter as I creep closer to the exits. Iglance to the side, eyeing the sign that marks the stairwell.Maybe I could race over and get down the stairs beforeNikolai could stop me.
And maybe I’ll also magically learn mixed martial arts or howto fly.
No, escape isn’t an option.
“You know how I know that?” he whispers, drawing in evencloser. “Because normal people don’t have ‘henchmen,’ as youcalled them, who can kidnap fourteen-year-olds out of theirhotel room, pay off the front desk worker, and hide them awayin places where no one will ever find them.”
I know Nikolai is guilty, but hearing him admit it so openly isstill a shock. “Give her back,” I spit past my suddenly numblips.
“Agree to my terms for the audit and I will.”
“Are you—Seriously?” I shake my head. “This is still aboutyour f*****g audit? I won’t tell anyone if that’s what you’reworried about, okay? I’ll walk away and never mention it to asoul. You don’t have to worry about that.”
Nikolai studies me for a moment. My body flushes hot everyplace his eyes touch.
Then he releases a pent-up sigh and turns away from me.“Come back when you’re ready to do as I ask,” he says overhis shoulder.
Before I can think about what I’m doing, I lunge forward andgrab Nikolai’s arm.
First, I’m struck by how muscular he is. His forearm feels likeiron in my hand.
Second, I’m struck by how fast he is. Before I can even blink,Nikolai spins around and pins me against the receptionist’sdesk.
I gasp from both the shock and the way the desk jams into myspine, but the sound cuts off when he clamps his hand aroundmy throat.
“You’re alive because I want you to be alive, Miss Dowan,” hehisses. “You’re here right now because I want you to be here.And you slid yourself onto my c**k in that airplane bathroombecause I wanted you to. Don’t you get it?”
I swallow. My throat bobs against his rough palm.
He leans in close, his breath hot against my cheek. My lipspart on an inhale.
For a moment, I think he’s going to kiss me.
Then his eyes flick back to mine, and I realize I’m looking intothe gaze of pure evil.
“I get what I want,” he concludes, enunciating each wordcrisply. “You might as well save us both some time and goalong with it.”
He lifts his hand from my throat and cups my cheek, his thumbbrushing over my lower lip. From violent to tender in the blinkof an eye.
He’s right—he’s not normal in the slightest.
Then, all at once, Nikolai lets go of me and walks away. Heturns into a silhouette, and then even that melts into theshadows of the dark hallway, and he’s gone.
I’m left alone in the lobby, breathing heavily. Adrenaline andfear pump through me, but I have nowhere to put the energy.
Attacking Nikolai isn’t a valid option. I understand that now.He’s strong and fast and ruthless.
I’m frozen, stuck in a purgatory I never imagined. Elise hasonly lived with me for two weeks and she’s already in danger.
What am I going to do? What am I going—
The silver keys on the floor catch my eye.
Nikolai dropped everything when I jumped into his arms…and he never picked it up. He left behind a set of keys. Carkeys, by the looks of them.
I can’t believe my luck. Mostly because I’ve never had such athing before. But I decide not to look this gift horse in themouth.
As quickly as I can, I punch the elevator door button, swoopdown to snatch up the keys, and then step backwards throughthe doors.
I keep an eye down the hallway where Nikolai disappeareduntil the doors close. Then I hit “P” for Parking and pray mygood luck continues.
That would be a first.
The parking garage is dimly lit and mostly empty. Theyellowish glow from the lights makes it feel like I’m walkingthrough an apocalyptic movie. Alone in a dying wasteland.
I hold up the sleek black key fob and press the unlock button.A seductive chime emanates from a car immediately to myleft. It’s the closest space to the door, with a bolded nameplateabove it that reads “MR. ZHUKOVA.”
“Color me shocked,” I mumble sarcastically.
I jump into the leather front seat and immediately lock thedoors behind me. The car smells like him. That intoxicatingallure of leather and spices and luxury.
I muddle through my lusty mental fog and start the engine. I’mnot much of a gearhead. When the mechanic asks me whatkind of car I have, I tell them “green.”
But this car purrs under me.
It feels like a live beast at my fingertips, stretching andgrowling and warming up for the drive. Even his goddamn caris sexy.
- Writer
