“What, cutting someone’s finger off?”
“Something like that,” he muttered. “You know what our world is like. Anyway, your dad’s a surgeon.”
“Yeah, but I’m not. I prefer dissecting equations, not people.”
He stared at me. “You’re fucking weird.”
I opened my mouth to respond, but the words died in my throat when Volkov swaggered into view. “Good work, Thorpe. Very…tidy.”
My jaw clenched. “I hope that wasn’t supposed to be an insult.” Ignoring Ryker’s warning nudge, I stared Volkov down. The corners of his mouth kicked up.
“It was a compliment, Attwood. A little different to the Volkov methods, certainly, but a compliment nonetheless.”
“How would you have done it?” Ryker’s tone was curious, and I wasn’t sure I liked it. I didn’t like anythingthat involved extending my time in Anton Volkov’s presence.
“Hmm. Pliers, perhaps. The loss of a fingernail before the cut. Saw through the bone, rather than a quick cut through the joint.”
Ryker nodded as if he were filing it away for future reference, while I did my best to remain impassive.
“Nothing to add, Banks? Or was it all too much for you?”
Banks. This asshole was trying to goad me into an argument, but I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. “What about a scalpel? If you used a surgical one, you could drag it out. Peel the skin away, then the flesh, bit by bit. Then you could use a pipette to drop acid onto the exposed tissue and sit back and enjoy the effects until you get bored. You could start cutting then. A small bone saw, or even a chisel, should do it.”
The two of them stared at me in open disbelief.
“What?” I shrugged casually. “My dad’s a surgeon. My mum’s a consultant doctor. My sister’s a qualified pharmacist and aesthetic practitioner, and they all work with needles and chemicals every day. I might have picked up an idea or two from them.”
“Fucking hell. That’s… Yeah. Don’t let my dad hear you say this shit. I don’t want him dragging you into his torture sessions.” Ryker shook his head. His voice was deadly serious. “There’s teaching someone a lesson, and then there’s sadistic torture.”
“Perhaps I underestimated you,” Volkov mused, a gleam of respect appearing in his eyes.Yeah, you did. Not that I would ever dream of doing the things I’d described to anyone, even if they happened to be a criminal who had personally betrayed us. There was a reason I was studying accounting instead of going into the family business.
But if it came down to it, I wasn’t afraid to get my hands dirty.
“You did underestimate me,” I said. “Don’t do it again.”
Ryker’s sharp exhale brought me back to reality as I kept my gaze locked on Volkov’s. Shit. I was borderline threatening the Pakhan’s heir.
“Be careful what you say to me,” Volkov warned, stepping closer. His voice dropped to a low purr. “I’ll see you on the ice. My future wife will be watching us from the stands, wearing my jersey.”
7
NOVA
My hand reached for the textbook at the same time as another, my fingers brushing against theirs, sending a jolt of awareness down my spine. I sucked in a breath and turned to face deep brown eyes, glittering with malice. Jay’s lip curled as he stared down at me.
“Hands off my textbook, princess.”
“No. It’s not yours. This is the university library, and I have just as much right to it as you do.”
He knew I was technically correct, but he curled his fingers more tightly around the spine, his hand now covering mine. I could feel the heat of his touch all the way down my arm.
“Nova,” he warned, his voice low.A muscle ticked in his jaw as he held my stare, neither of us willing to look away first. I was finding it hard to breathe, but I couldn’t allow him to know how he affected me. I reminded myself of the way he hated me. Never showed me any inkling of anything other than disdain.
Except for that night in the woods, almost two years ago. Didhe even remember that? Or had it been a moment of temporary insanity? My own jaw involuntarily clenched at the reminder I didn’t want to have, and it was the motivation I needed. Straightening my shoulders, I stood tall and defiant, letting him know that I wasn’t going to back down.
“Jayesh,” I said, falsely sweet. “You should know by now that you can’t always get what you want.”
Releasing his grip, he took a step back. I thought I heard him mutter, “I fucking know that,” under his breath, but I couldn’t be sure. Slumping back against the stacks, I clutched the textbook to my chest, waiting for my pounding heart to slow.
