“Why aren’t you at your post?”
“My shift ended, Boris. I wanted to spend some time with Zoe.”
Boris’s lip curled. “You’re needed downstairs. Come.” He walked away without waiting for Aleksei. He knew Aleksei would follow.
“I must go,dorogaya.” Sweetheart.
“I know. Thank you for visiting, Aleksei. It was good hanging out with you again.” She’d forgotten how much she missed hanging out with him until she hadn’t seen him for the past few days.
Aleksei kissed her softly on her forehead. “Think about what I said. You deserve happiness.”
“So do you,” she reminded him and wished she hadn’t when that sad look came back into his eyes.
“Maybe one day.” Aleksei stood and left.
Zoe let out a deep sigh. Poor Aleksei. She wished there was something she could do to help him. It was fear of disappointing his brother that stayed his tongue.
It was a problem for later. Right now, she had to sneak out and meet up with Greg.
Chapter 19
Greg paced the small confines of Zoe’s apartment. He checked his watch every few minutes, wondering where the hell she was. If she was alright. He didn’t like feeling so helpless as he waited for her to arrive. If only she had a phone he could text, but Maxim monitored her phone, and it would look suspicious if he contacted her. So all he could do was wait.
He’d left the lights off just in case someone had learned about this place. The furniture was minimalistic, so he had a clear path from the living room to the bedroom without stumbling into furniture.
His head cocked hearing the lock on the door. He knew it was Zoe, but just to be on the safe side, he pressed himself into a dark corner and placed his hand over his pistol. The hallway light haloed around the back of her as she let herself in. She paused in the threshold, looking around before closing the door, then the lights came on.
Her head turned immediately toward him as if she knew where he had been standing the whole time.
“I hope you weren’t waiting long. I had to wait for the security to change.”
He didn’t care what took her so long, only that she was there. He closed the distance between them, clasped her face between his hands, and pulled her to her toes to kiss her.
It was to reassure himself that she was alright and also because it had been too long since he’d last kissed her.
Zoe pulled back slightly. Her eyes a little unfocused. “Greg—”
“I was worried about you,” he said as if that explained everything. He knew he was acting out of character, but when it came to Zoe, all his common sense went out the window. All he wanted to do was always be by her side.
It was then he realized he loved her. Honest to god, love. It wasn’t just a fling to him. She wasn’t temporary. She’d become the center of his world, and he would do anything for her.
He wanted to tell her his feelings. The words were right there on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them back. Zoe spooked easily. If he told her how he felt, she would most likely run.
He had to make her fall in love with him. Make her want to stay and be with him. There were complications to be sure. She had a career, and he wasn’t going to stand in her way of doing it, but he would make sure she always had someone at her back. Even if he had to give up his career to do it.
Zoe smiled at his confession, her hand coming up to rest on his cheek. Greg leaned into her hand. Savoring her touch. The reaffirmation she was alright. “I told you, I can handle Viktor.”
He knew she could. He just didn’t trust Viktor Popov. Jack had been following him all afternoon. He’d been visiting Maxim’s establishments and even went to where the drugs were stored before distribution. This didn’t bode well for Maxim.
“I know you can, kitten, but I’ve been pacing here, driving myself crazy, wondering what was happening in that house. Wanting to demand to be there even if it raised suspicion.”
Zoe gave him a soft peck on the cheek. “I’m glad you didn’t. Maxim wouldn’t have liked that.”
“I don’t care.” He didn’t care about the risk to himself. Greg knew about stealth. It was Zoe he was concerned about. “I thought about sneaking in and watching from the shadows.”
Zoe’s eyebrows puckered in concern. “If you had been caught—” She left her statement unfinished.
“You do know who you’re talking to, right?” He chuckled as if he found the thought of breaking into Maxim’s fortress humorous.
