“Not today?” I feel her stiffen.
“Today, I need to get to London. Tomorrow, however…” Tomorrow, with any luck, I will have vanquished her dragon.
Her arms slide away from me, and she gives me a light push back. “I’ve never really been a tomorrow person. They aren’t guaranteed.”
That one cuts me. Because she’s partially right. The game I’m engaging in tonight is dangerous.
But also, it’s my job to give her more security. To help her start believing in tomorrows. Which is why I pull her tightly tome. “Before I leave, I want you to log into all the accounts I set up yesterday. I’ll also give you the name of the accountant to help you access the funds. Should there be any problems.”
She looks away, her face flushing red. “I still can’t believe…”
“Katarina, understand that I will do everything in my power to give you a bright future. Tell me you trust in that?”
“I do.” She slides her hands up my arms. “I know who you are and what you’re capable of, Win.”
I hold her chin, bending down to kiss her lips. Because even though we’ve only known each other a short time, I think she’s right. She might understand me better than any person I’ve ever known.
I grab the soap and start washing her body.
I likely shouldn’t take the time, but I like caring for her and I can’t get enough of her skin.
She lets me scrub her as she washes her hair.
When she steps out of the spray, I give myself a scrub down, the soap stinging my back even as she starts up the blow dryer to blow out her hair.
I turn off the shower, stepping out to dry off as she arches in the mirror, using a brush and the dryer to style her hair.
For a moment, I just admire the grace of her body, the way she looks when she’s not even aware I’m watching.
The depth of what I feel settles deep in my gut. What I feel for her is beyond anything I’ve imagined possible. And it’s more than the sex, though we are completely compatible in that regard as well. But deeper, I feel understood. Valued.
And it hits me that I’m in love with her. A feeling I had assigned to a folly only young men partake in because they don’t know better.
But it turns out, I’m just…really picky.
Any of my brothers likely could have told me that was true.
It took the exact right woman to remind me that life doesn’t have to be all obligation and duty.
My shoulders expand, my chest broadening.
Now that I’ve found her, now that I understand…there isn’t anything I won’t do to make certain she’s safe, healthy, and happy.
And that fucker, her father...
Tonight, I will end this.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Ken
I slipthe thousand dollars into the footman’s hand. “You’re sure?”
“Sure,” he says as he grimaces. “His Grace left for a business meeting an hour ago. Miss Ivanov did not go with him. She’s still here.”
I frown. I know that Ivan hoped that Katarina would be with the duke.
The whole point was to have her attend.
