Page 38 of Violent Pawn

I swallow, my hand sliding from her neck. Suddenly, guilt creeps up because if she knew the second reason I’m trying to do right by her, she’d be pissed. She’ll speak with that hurt voice again.

Turns out, I really don’t like it. No, I hate it.

No matter what’s next, I can’t hurt her in my journey to resolve Zeno’s past. How it’ll all balance out is something I don’t wish to consider yet either.

She’s staring at me with some expression of vulnerability I doubt I’ll ever get a peek at again. She’s expecting me to act a certain way, and bowing out now undoes so much of the progress that being here today has granted me.

“Curiosity.”

“Curiosity about…?”

Swallowing the remorse, I bend, placing my mouth in the area between her face and shoulder, but tip my head to watch her in the mirror. Watch the way her eyes darken and her tongue sweeps across her bottom lip—a reaction my body tightens at.

“You, of course.” My tone remains low, crooning—seductive. “Interest.” I move until my lips barely brush her skin. “Desire.” Then my tongue flicks at her pulse.

She jolts, but the table blocks any hope of escape. “What are you doing?” Fear clouds her eyes, so I pull back slowly.

“Answering you.”

“Hands to yourself. Intermission is nearly finished. You should return to your seat.”

There are still five minutes remaining, so she’s pushing me away. The purpose behind this trip has already been fulfilled, though. I’m getting beneath her skin, even if she hates it. I came as a friend, interested in her life and hobbies. For a moment, she wasn’t as cold as normal.

I’m winning her trust.

Her desire.

Her attraction.

So, hands lifted and eyes meeting hers in the reflection, I back away and allow her to win this round. “You hold all the power. Don’t think otherwise.”

She whirls in her seat, the tiara fused into her hair jostling with the quick motion. Nails dig into her vanity, the other into her knee. “What makes you assume I’m not aware of that?”

“Because I see you here.” I tap my temple. “You’re scared to let people in. If it’s the last thing I do, I’ll prove why it’s not a bad thing. Why I can be that someone.”

With that revelation hovering between us, I open the door and leave without another word.

21

ANASTASIA

Other than changing my shoes, I rush out the back entrance and skip the offers from the other performers to get celebratory drinks.

Nero stayed for the entirety of the show, and there’s no chance on the planet he’d skip dropping by my dressing room afterwards. Escaping before he invents new ways to madden me will make a clear point to him. Once home, I’ll have every soldier on the premises keep an eye out for him, changing Vanessa’s latest order that the two Cosa Nostra men are allowed on the property to a complete and utter ban of Nero.

At the last second, I grab the gifted roses.

When I reach my car, my phone vibrates. Presuming it’s Vanessa or Lev, I glance at the screen while sliding into the driver’s seat. My heart stops at the Unknown moniker label. Something that might normally raise a few yellow flags and have me bracing for who’s on the other end, but this time, I know who typed himself into my irritation.

Unknown

Quick feet, Petrov.

Me

How did you get this number?

Vanessa, Lev, or Zeno. Someone will die for this.