"Careful, this is the last one," Victor calls out.
"Don't worry about me," I say, getting through. "What the hell are you going to do anyway besides give me all the work?"
He laughs again but doesn't respond.
I stand and crack my neck, my body trembling from the exertion. I pull the keycard from my dress, but before swiping it across the reader mounted beside the penthouse door, I pause and look at Victor.
"Seriously, what's next? I'm here, so..." I trail off.
Victor crosses his arms.
"You know, I saved your life. Dealt with all your friends between where I left you and here. You should be more grateful."
I laugh.
"Is that really your answer?"
He looks at me for a second and then shrugs.
"Look up."
I hesitate, then do, and see another panel that I won't be able to reach without him.
I nod and swipe the card across the reader.
The lasers vanish instantly.
I turn to see Victor already walking toward me, his stride confident. The dim emergency lighting highlights the sharp line of his jaw, the intensity in his dark eyes.
He somehow manages to look elegantly put together and entirely lethal at the exact same time.
And as he stops inches in front of me, his dark eyes locking onto mine, my stomach does a sharp, undeniable flutter.
Dammit.
I'm in trouble.
15
VICTOR
Iwalk down the hall toward this little Russian beauty. She's still breathing hard from navigating the laser grid, her chest rising and falling beneath that tight red dress. She runs her fingers along her collarbone, brushing her hair behind her shoulder.
I can't help but stare. As a matter of fact, I feel like that's all I've been doing. I can't seem to take my eyes off her.
I want her because I shouldn't, that much I understand. But it's more than just the thrill of the forbidden.
She's stunning. I knew that from the moment I saw her in Cornel's rundown house and was reminded again in Bogdan's home. But seeing her move through those lasers, it's a different kind of beautiful.
The kind where her skill and expertise make her interesting. She's gorgeous yet ruthless and I want to find out just how far that smart mouth can take her when she's pinned again the bedsheets.
My cock stirs at the thoughts and pushes a desire to absolutely abandon this mission and ruin her in every pleasurable way.
I force myself to focus, however, telling myself that she did stab me after all, but for whatever fucking twisted reason, that's starting to matter to me less and less.
One thing I'll give her, politics taught me how to read people, how to manipulate conversations, how to find leverage in the smallest cracks. But Danika? She operates on a different level. Her tactic is simple: act pinned, act indifferent, then strike when you think you've won.
I should know.
