Her innocent pleasure didn’t seem naive. Couldn’t have been. Sofia possessed the mind of a young Marie Curie if giventhe appropriate lab. She was no ingenue with politics. And with Dmitri sitting at her side…
“You’ve no idea what you’ve given me, have you?”
If she had, they wouldn’t be a gift.
“Samantha said something about a queen and blood curses. I thought she was joking at first,” she admitted. “You’re a scientist. A man literally of science. Curses don’t…” Her words waned when I didn’t rush to agree with her. “…but then I realized Samantha was being deadly serious. I told her of our acquaintance but that we’d never discussed antique jewelry and that I’d talk to you alone instead.”
“Remind me to kill her,” I bit off. “She’s supposed to be working for us! What the hell is she doing, giving a backstory?”
“Probably wanted to increase her commission,” Ilya said dryly.
“Well, at least she wasn’t lying about your ties. I’d have hated for Dmitri to have to kill her.
“Anyway, I finally settled in Poughkeepsie and Maxim informed Dmitri that he’d be hosting a Summit, so Dima passed my message along to you.” She beamed again. “Are you happy with them?”
“I’d kiss the ground you walk on, Sony, but I doubt Kitty would approve.”
Kitty half-purred, “Damn straight I wouldn’t.”
“You like them, then?” Sofia pestered.
I shook my head. “They’re monstrosities.” A surprised laugh escaped her. “But fuck if they’re not two of the best monstrosities I’ve ever seen in my life.”
Even Taube laughed, but I wasn’t joking.
A part of me wanted to stride out of the room, slide them onto Kitty’s wrists, and fuck her with them on. Another wanted to contact Luc and Rory, to tell them we’d stumbled upon one of our lost treasures bychance.
Hell, I could even shove their faces in the fact that I’d privately hired Taube to save the daughter of a sworn enemy and it had resulted in this windfall…
I did neither.
I kept the box open until the conversation drew to a natural conclusion and we were guided to our suites by Sofia, playing the hostess.
With the case tucked under my arm, how I was about to fuck my princess while she wore the rubies of my bloodline dominated my thoughts.
Was it any wonder I rocked a semi?
FORTY-SIX
STAN
“You’re endlessly surprising,duci,” I growled upon crossing the threshold of the bedroom in the suite.
A smile played on her lips. “I hate surprises.”
Carefully depositing the case on the console dresser by the door, I grabbed her hand, dragged her into me, then cupped her chin so she had nowhere else to look but atme.
“Why the change of heart?”
She knew precisely what I was talking about.
“Because some people deserve to die.” The words were uttered flatly. “And some people don’t deserve access to basic healthcare.”
“Hardcore.”
She hitched a shoulder. “Undoubtedly to our enemies, you’re no better, but you’remine.”
Ourenemies?
