"About fucking time," he mutters. "The guys were starting a pool on how long you'd—"
"Andrei."
"Right. Complete profile. By morning. Anything else?"
I think about my mother, crying in Severny Harbor. I think about Dimitri and his perfect family. I think about Jemma'ssmile and the way she looked at me like I was worth something more than fear.
"Clear my schedule for the next six days."
"Six days? Boss, we have the shipment coming in from—"
"Handle it. I'm going to be unavailable."
Another pause. "Is everything okay?"
"Everything's fine. I'm going to Christmas."
"You're going to—" He stops. Recalibrates. "With the barista?"
"Yes."
"And if she refuses?"
I smile. It's the smile that makes grown men nervous. The smile that built my reputation.
"I'm not going to give her a choice."
Silence on the other end. Then, carefully: "Boss…"
"I'm not going to hurt her. But I am going to take her." I drain the vodka. "She's been mine since I first laid eyes on her. She just doesn't know it yet."
"You're kidnapping her."
"I'm claiming what's mine. There's a difference." I set down the glass. "Have the car ready. And Andrei? Make sure there's nothing in her life that can't wait five days. Clear any obligations."
"You want me to?"
"Pay her rent if it's due. Handle her bills. Make sure her friend at the coffee shop doesn't call the police when she doesn't show up for her shift." My voice goes cold. "I want her to have no reason to run back to her old life. Understand?"
"...Understood."
"Good. I'll see you in the morning."
I end the call and pour myself another vodka.
Tomorrow, I'm going to take what I've wanted for eleven months.
I'm not going to ask permission.
I'm not going to negotiate.
I'm going to put her in my car and drive her to Severny Harbor and by the time we get there, she's going to understand exactly who she belongs to.
Maybe she'll be angry. Maybe she'll be scared.
But I've seen the way she looks at me. I've seen the dark romance novels she reads on her breaks—the ones with possessive men and reluctant heroines who always,alwaysend up exactly where they're meant to be.
She wants this. She just doesn't know it yet.
