“You didn’t let me in. I broke in, and then broke out of the closet you stuffed me into after you tasered me.” He ripped a section of tape off his wrists and all of us winced, even Jezebel.
I glared at her. “Why are you tasering my husband? If I want him unconscious, I’ll do it myself.”
“Come on,” Trixie said, grabbing Jezebel’s arm and herding the other women inside. “We all need to get to work.” She got them all inside, physically dragging Jezebel, and then closed the glass door behind, leaving me alone with Dirk.
I suddenly remembered the mess I’d made on the table when I spilled the drink, and started cleaning it up, all the time so aware of him, his strength, power, and warmth I needed so desperately.
“How are you feeling?” he asked, gently, touching my shoulder.
“Hm?” I asked, accidentally looking up at him and then not being able to look away, not when the lights and shadows played over him like that, highlighting the contours and angles of his chiseled jaw and soft eyes. Why were his eyes so soft? How could I possibly resist that?
“Your arm was badly injured, and you had some other less serious wounds as well, didn’t you?” He carefully ran his hand down my arm, featherlight, gauging the damage. It felt so good to have him touching me until his hand brushed a certain part and I gasped at the unexpected shock of pain.
He swept me up in his arms and sat down on a chair with my arm resting between us. I stared into his warm, sweet eyes and couldn’t remember what I’d been going to tell him.
“I hope you don’t mind if I sit. I’m still woozy from being tasered.” He gently bumped my head with his. He was so gentle, so precise with me. He really was masterful at manipulation.How could I ever let him go? I couldn’t when he was holding onto me. I just couldn’t, and happily, keeping him close, at least physically, was in his best interest.
I sank against him and closed my eyes, only for a moment, and again I was back in the tent, waking up with him in the morning, with happiness and contentment wrapped around me along with his arms.
Could I keep this moment forever? Maybe I could die right here, a perfectly happy ending, except that would leave everyone I cared about vulnerable.
Toni needed me to be strong.
I rubbed my arm, but only a distant throbbing was noticeable, mostly because I was so focused on the man that drew every bit of my attention, a man that I could never get enough of. If he wanted me on his lap, that’s where I’d be. I didn’t have enough self-sacrifice to push him away until the very last moment. Even for Toni.
I swallowed hard and then said, “I’m fine. You don’t need to concern yourself with me.”
He shifted me closer, arms still around me, eyes so warm and sweet. “I do, though. That’s the exact thing I need, to concern myself with you. You’re worried that you are dangerous to me?” He brushed my nose with his and my heart flipped, and then I saw past the softness in his eyes to something so implacable, so determined, I knew that he would not be running away to find safety any time soon. I knew villainy when I saw it, and those eyes were brimming with devilish possibilities that made my skin prickle. If he wasn’t a villain, how had he diabolically masterminded everything up to this point? He was a villain, and that was my fault too. He wouldn’t just sit close to me and let me protect him from my family, not with eyes like that.
“Whatever you’re planning, don’t do it,” I warned.
His eyes narrowed slightly. “Daniela, my love, my wife, my song, you give me too much credit. I’m only here on Nix’s orders, to make certain that his favorite secretary didn’t die from her broken arm or Jezebel’s tender ministrations, then I’ll be on my way.”
I gripped his shirt. “Don’t do it.” My voice was louder, my stomach twisting into tighter and tighter knots.
“No? But the game isn’t over; in fact, once he escalated things to shooting rockets at my wife, it rose to a completely new level. I’m here for vengeance, and I’m not quitting until I’m satisfied.” He brushed his nose against mine again, sending a shiver of fear and aching through me.
“No. You have to stay out of it. I can’t watch you get hurt. I’d have to leave and keep Philippe busy somewhere else. Maybe you’d be safer after we had an annulment.”
“Mm. That’s impossible, because we agreed to stay married until Christmas, at least one. Until then, I would keep your lawyer occupied with delays, and you as well. Maybe I’d seduce you to distract you.” He raised a brow as if that was shocking.
It was. I opened my mouth to tell him that he’d never be able to seduce me, but then I closed it and slumped against him, because there was no point denying something so obvious as my weakness towards him. And I wanted Christmas. No, I couldn’t leave him as long as he wanted to keep me, but how could I protect him if he was bent on doing something dangerous to get his revenge?
“Have you considered therapy?” I asked as I fiddled with a seam on his ninja suit.
“Marriage therapy. It was the best idea you’ve ever had.”
“I mean forgiveness and moving on, and finding inner peace, that kind of therapy.”
He raised a brow. “That sounds like religion. It’s a fabulous idea for anyone who doesn’t already have several very importantplans in place. Don’t worry, it will be over before Christmas, and then we can try this forgiveness, moving on, finding inner peace thing together.”
I sat up, forearm against his throat, forcing him to give me space. “What do you have planned?”
“I only reveal my intentions to my sworn allies, my love. You have only to say the word, as I have collateral that I can use in place of trust.” His eyes gleamed, soft mouth tilting at the corners in a smug smile.
I stared at him, heart pounding. “Collateral?”
“You call her Toni. You should know that she’s mine to protect, after I failed to do the same for Nitro, but you could consider it blackmail if it makes you feel more settled about the whole affair.”
