She nods, her eyes tracking where I indicate, though I’m not sure how much of it is actually sinking in.
“There’s drinks in the fridge,” I add. “And some food. Just basics, sandwich meat and stuff. Nothing fancy.”
“That’s okay,” she murmurs. “I don’t think I could eat if I tried.”
I don’t respond to that. I keep moving, checking windows, testing locks, making sure everything is exactly as it should be. This place was swept over before we arrived, and I know there are at least a dozen men outside guarding us, but old habits die hard.
Alina drifts toward the couch and sits down heavily, like her legs simply give out beneath her. She pulls the blanket around herself, curling in on her side almost immediately.
“You should take the bed,” I say. “I don’t mind sleeping on the couch.”
She glances up at me, eyes glassy with exhaustion. “I don’t want to be in the way.”
“You’re not,” I reply evenly.
She nods, accepting that without argument.
“I’m just too tired to move,” she finally says in a quiet, fading voice. “I’ll just rest my eyes here for a minute.”
She’s barely finished her sentence when her eyes close and her body slumps against the arm of the couch. I can’t imagine how exhausted she must be after everything that’s happened to her tonight.
Without another choice, I leave her where she is and step into the bedroom, setting my jacket down carefully on the chair. I slowly unbutton my shirt and take it off, then my pants, hanging them carefully with practiced precision.
What the hell was I thinking in the car? I lost control of myself in a way I never have. Didn’t I send her away the first time tonight so that exact thing wouldn’t happen? I look at myself in the small mirror above the dresser and hate what I see.
Part of me feels like I took advantage of her, but another part feels like she took advantage of me. She manipulated me with her big, sad eyes and her quivering lip.
The memory presses in despite my efforts to shove it aside. Her lips were so soft underneath mine. I held the line as long as I could, but I eventually gave in to the moment, consuming her in the way I’d been fantasizing about all night.
It was careless and stupid.
I run a hand over my face slowly, jaw tightening. I don’t operate on impulse. I don’t touch women who are frightened, or angry, or unmoored. I don’t let emotion dictate action. Those rules exist because breaking them creates complications, and complications get people hurt.
So, why did I do it? What about her made me throw caution to the wind tonight? Was it truly just her vulnerability, or is it possible she’s playing me?
I step back into the main room and take a look back. She’s dead asleep now, her mouth slightly opened and her breathing deep.
I go into the bathroom and grab a clean, folded towel, before bringing it over to the couch and setting it down by her feet.
I stand there longer than necessary, watching her chest rise and fall, my thoughts finally slowing now that she’s safe and contained. She definitely doesn’t look like a threat, at least not now. She truly is just a scared young woman who was duped by one of my rivals. What the hell was her father thinking setting her up with him?
I turn away and switch off the lights before pulling my phone from my pocket. I have at least a dozen updates waiting for me.
I go back into the bedroom and sit on the bed as I read my phone. The decoy vehicle worked. It was followed and shot at, but my men were able to get the driver out safely before they overtook it.
I run my hands through my hair and take a deep breath. Someone wanted me dead tonight, and they were confident enough to adapt quickly. How can I think of Alina as a threat when her disappearance from the party could have very well saved my life?
I type out instructions to Nicolai, brief and efficient.Lock down communication channels. Review who knew my itinerary. Start pulling footage from the hotel.
He immediately types back that it’s being taken care of. Not to worry about anything at all.
Only then do I allow myself to relax. The mattress creaks softly beneath my weight. I lean forward, forearms braced against my thighs, staring at the floor.
I shouldn’t have touched her. I shouldn’t have let myself get carried away by a moment. I lost control, and that cannot happen again.
I close my eyes and force my breathing to slow. I just need a few hours of sleep to clear my head. Tomorrow I can face every problem that’s waiting for me. Tomorrow I can decide what the long-term plan is for Alina. For now, I just need my body to relax.
The faint sound of movement pulls me back before I realize I’ve drifted. My eyes open instantly. The sound is so faint, it’s barely audible, just a soft scuff against the floor.
