“I am not going to force you to have sex with me, Keira.”The fact that she seemed to think he would…
She waved that away.“No shit.You’re a monster, butyou’re not a total piece of shit.”She met his gaze again.“But let’s not fuck around—it’s going to happen one way or another.You know it.I know it.You set your mind on seducing me, and I might not topple like a domino, but I’d be fighting both myself and you to hold out.”
He bit back his first response and considered her.It was no secret that she wanted him.They’d had several near misses over the last year, though he had been the one putting on the brakes at the time.With Dr.Jones’s warning about her emotions ringing through his head, he hadn’t planned on broaching that subject for at least another week or so.To have Keira state it so baldly intrigued him.He leaned forward.“You want me.”
“I’m not going to say it twice.”She shook her head.“My point—myaddendum—is that you will not try to sway me to sex.When I decide it’s time, I’ll let you know in no uncertain terms.”
That surprised a laugh out of him.“No.”
“What the hell do you mean, no?”
He leaned forward and laced his hands on the desk.“No.Nyet.Whatever language you prefer.As you said, I want you, you want me.I will not force you, but we both know I won’t have to.”
“Arrogant prick.”
Dmitri nodded.“Without a doubt.”It wasn’t arrogance if it was the truth.And itwasthe truth.
But it was also the truth that Keira craved some kind of control.He could respect that, even if he refused to budge on certain things.They would be consummating the marriage sooner rather than later, but he said he wasn’t going to force her, and he wouldn’t.“You may choose when we have sex, but I plan to seduce at will.”
She blinked.“Seduce at will.You seriously just said that.”
“Da.Because it’s the truth.”He took in her appearance again.She was a long way from healthy, but hewouldhave her by the time of the wedding reception in a few weeks.“We will have dinner tonight.”
“No.”
“We will have dinner tonight,” he repeated.“There are things in play that you need to be aware of, and I will not chase you around the house to inform you as they develop.”He liked the thought of chasing her entirely too much, so Dmitri set it aside.“Seven.”
“I’m not a dog you can just call when it suits you.”She seemed to struggle with something, and her chin dipped.“But I’ll think about it.”
Curiosity grew, digging its claws in deep.She relented, but not because he’d won.Keira wasn’t shaking in fear anymore, but she hadn’t bounced back to the fierce woman she’d been before.There was something different about her, as if she’d reached a point where, forced to either bend or break, she’d bent.It changed the shape of things, but he was at a loss as to what to expect from her.“If you attempt something violent, it won’t go well for you.”
“Aww, Russian, I’d almost think you were scared.”She popped to her feet and gave him a mock curtsy.
He watched her walk away.Too many skipped meals, her curves whittled down to barely nothing, her body showing the wear of the abuse she’d forced on it.And yet…
And yet.
Keira was beautiful.There was no two ways around that truth.Aiden might not have been taking proper care ofher, but if Keira were allowed to grow and flower, Dmitri couldn’t begin to guess what she’d become.A force to be reckoned with, that much was sure.
Mikhail stepped into the room, but didn’t shut the door.“Better to put her in her place now than to indulge this.”He spoke in Russian, as was their custom.To Dmitri’s knowledge, Keira didn’t know the language, but he’d need to ensure that was the truth before speaking it in her presence.
“If I wanted your opinion, I’d ask for it.”
Mikhail hesitated, but continued.His position as second gave him certain liberties other enforcers didn’t enjoy.One of those included questioning Dmitri—within reason.He cleared his throat.“You might have her cowed, or she might be playing the part to undermine everything you’ve been working for.”
It was possible.Dmitri would be a fool to ignore it as an option, no matter how unlikely.Aiden was a more formidable opponent than Dmitri had expected, so it was possible that he’d orchestrated this…
He shook his head.“Nyet.Aiden O’Malley would never sacrifice his sister like this.Not Keira.Carrigan?Possibly.But not Keira.”The man would do anything for his family.His siblings might not be able to see it because of his methods, but to the outside observer, it was pathetically apparent.It might as well have been a big shiny red button inviting enemies to push it.It was that loyalty that predicted Aiden would come around once again to ally against the Eldridge women.The man was as predictable as he was honorable.No, he wouldn’t try something like this.
But Keira?
Dmitri found he couldn’t conclusively say one way or another what Keira was thinking—or what she would do.
CHAPTER FIVE
Keira skipped dinner.She mostly did it to see what Dmitri would do, but other than a gruff Pavel conveying that they’d reschedule at a later date, nothing had happened.She laid low for two full days to give Dmitri a false sense of security before she started losing it.Her rooms were big enough to live in and never leave, but she was bored out of her goddamn mind and she could only sleep so much.Best she could tell, this building took up the greater part of a city block.Plenty of places to hide bodies.
Not that Romanov would ever be crass enough to commit murder in his own home.He was too savvy for that.He wasn’t the type to get his hands dirty unnecessarily, though he must have at one point or he wouldn’t be head of the family.
