Katya waited by thedoor.She chewed on her bottom lip anxiously, trying not to smudge her lipstick.Her fingernails dug into her palms.
Kill Adam.
She had to kill Adam to keep her sister alive.It was all she had to do.She couldn’t think that it was Adam.She had to believe it was a stranger.Someone unknown to her.She’d never killed a man, and she didn’t know if she had the stomach to do it, except that she’d have to.For Irina.
After she’d agreed to kill Adam in exchange for her sister’s life, everything had happened in a blur.She’d been taken to another room, fed, showered with hot water, and dressed in a slinky green dress which enhanced her cleavage and hugged her curves.They’d helped her do her makeup, hiding the bruise on her face from the bodyguard’s punch, and then she’d been given the murder weapons: a gun and a quill.
“You can kill him with either one, but make sure to stick the quill in him when you’re done, so the police know who they’re messing with.We’ll leave it in the bedroom.Under the bed,” the mobster had explained.
She’d nodded numbly and had been reminded of what was at stake.She’d be watched, monitored all along.Taking advantage of Adam’s absence, they’d broken into the house, bugged it, left the weapons, and dropped her off.
“Remember, if you don’t kill him, then it’ll be your sister.”
Without another word they’d driven away, leaving her there, waiting.Eventually, she sat down and dozed off on his doorstep.Until now.Now, for some reason, her tiger had woken her up, excitedly clawing at her heart.She heard footsteps and hurried to stand and straighten her outfit.
Her breath caught at the sight of him.His hair was disheveled and dark bags hung under his eyes, yet they lit up at the sight of her, as if she were an apparition.Her heart constricted painfully.How was she supposed to kill him?
“Katya?”He paused for an instant, then rushed to her, cupping her face with both hands and staring into her eyes with the madness of a man in love.She chased the thought away.He couldn’t love her.He didn’t know anything about mates.He was human.A man.Simply a man.
“Adam.I forgot my things here,” she said, her voice coming out in a whisper.“I know I said I’d never come back, but...”She shrugged as if that explained everything.“I need my purse.”
Adam’s brow furrowed in a frown.He didn’t reply.Instead, he kissed her forehead and took her hand.
“Come inside.You look cold.How long have you been waiting?”
He opened the door to his apartment, hesitating briefly at the entrance before motioning her inside.Did he know?Could he tell someone had been there?
“Sit,” he said, placing his hand on the small of her back and directing her to the couch.She did as he asked, afraid if she didn’t, she would blurt out the truth and get them both killed.She plopped on the couch, and he crouched in front of her.His fingers brushed across her ankles sending a shiver down her spine.
“Adam, what are you doing?”
“Making you comfortable,” he said, releasing the straps on her stilettos.“You’re cold and you look like you’ve seen a ghost, so I’m going to warm you up and feed you.”
“I’m not hungry,” she said.She cleared her throat.“Except for you,” she added, attempting to be the sultry woman he’d met once.
He must have noticed something because his response was merely a raised eyebrow and a shake of his head.
“Wait here,” he said.
He disappeared into the bedroom and panic gripped at her flesh.Would he find the weapons?Would they know?Would they storm in and kill them both?She glanced at the front door, fearfully.If at the count of ten he wasn’t back, she’d run to him.She had to stop him from finding the gun and the quill.
One.Two.Three ...nine.
“Here you go,” he said, returning with a large blanket.“You okay?Did you need to use the bathroom?”
“Oh, no.”She chuckled self-deprecatingly.“I was just wondering where you’d gone.I was about to go look for you.”She feigned a pout.“You left me alone for so long.”She stretched her arms toward him.“I need you.”
He smiled and threw the blanket over her.Leaning across her lap, he tucked her in and lowered his mouth to her ear.
“They’re watching us, aren’t they?”A shiver ran through her, and a whimper escaped her.“Just act normal,” he continued.“I’ve got your back, little one.”
“Yes, some hot chocolate would be nice,” she blurted out the first thing that came to her mind.
“Hot chocolate it is,” he responded without missing a beat.
Adam moved to the kitchen and began to heat milk in a saucepan.“I like to make it in a pan instead of the microwave because in my opinion that slow boil of the milk and chocolate together gives it a certain texture that the microwave doesn’t.”
Katya nodded as if she were listening attentively, but she could not help but think this was going to be the end.They were going to be caught and killed.
