“What do you want?”
“You know what I want.”
“I told you, the answer is no.”
“You broke your own rule today when you manipulated Verlene’s spirit.”
Ivan narrowed his eyes. “You were there?”
“I’m everywhere.”
“It was only for a moment. She already has her freedom of choice on the matter, again.”
“It allowed your little bird, Alice, to sing.”
At the mention of her name, he tensed. “What the fuck do you know about her?”
“Enough.” Boris tilted his head. “Sweet little thing. So tormented, living in the shadow of her mother. The daughter will forever exist as an afterthought. Her mother made sure of that when she killed herself. Everyone will remember the dead mother because of the theatrical way she died. Clever on the mother’s behalf, really.”
Ivan took a step toward him. “Shut up.”
“That’s the advantage of being dead. You know everything.”
“Get out.”
“I see I’m not welcome.” Boris adopted a wounded expression. “I’ll get to the point, then. There’s an easy way of making someone comply with a request. All I have to do is find a weakness. I’ve just found yours.”
“What weakness?”
“The beautiful Alice.”
“You’ve got it wrong. She belongs to me, but she’s not a weakness. Weakness only comes with love.”
Boris got to his feet. “If you say so. Consider the offer while it’s still standing. Godfrey won’t be patient for long.”
The lights flickered on of their own accord. Ivan looked around the room, but there was no one but him. He wiped a hand over his face. Fuck, he didn’t know what was real, anymore. Maybe he was crazy. The only person who could keep him sane was Alice, and now her life was in danger, just like Nicolas had said, because of him.
Walking into her office the following morning, Alice found a bouquet of twelve red roses on her desk.
Tilly stuck her head around the adjoining door. “They were here when I got in. There’s no card. Any idea who they’re from?”
Alice shook her head, admiring the velvet leaves as she inhaled the sweet scent.
“Come on,” Tilly said. “You can tell me.”
“I honestly don’t know.” She pulled out her chair but froze when Ivan walked through the door.
“Morning, handsome,” Tilly said. “Early rehearsal?”
“Something like that.” He stopped in front of Alice’s desk. “Nice flowers.”
She searched his face but his expression was blank. For a crazy second, she’d hoped the roses were from him. He used to give her roses.
“I’m going for a coffee in the canteen.” He held his hand out to Alice. “Come with me.”
“I have to finish the press kit for the radio station.”
“It can wait.”
Aware of Tilly’s curious stare, Alice sighed and took her bag. “Tell Johnny I’m upstairs, please.”
Tilly’s gaze followed them down the corridor. When they turned the corner, Alice said, “You’ll give people the wrong impression.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “What impression?”
“Don’t play dumb. She’ll think something is going on between us.”
He pressed the elevator button to call it up and leaned on the wall, his expression dark. “That will bother you?”
“I don’t need a scandal in my life.”
His eyes turned cold. “I’d be a scandal? Still not good enough for you?”
“It’s not that.”
The elevator pinged, and the doors opened. Alice stepped inside, Ivan following close behind.
He gripped her wrist and turned her to face him. “Explain it to me.”
“I don’t want to end up in the gossip columns as your latest conquest.”
He trailed his gaze over her. “Are you?”
Heat worked its way up her neck. “I don’t know, Ivan. What am I?”
“What do you think?”
“I think I’m revenge.”
“Is this because of how I fucked you yesterday?”
It was hard to hold his eyes when the look in them was so intense, but she refused to cower. “It’s that and everything you said.”
“Yet, you let me.” He cupped her breast, stroking her nipple with a thumb. “You wanted it exactly how I gave it.”
Just like that, her body jumped to life. The hard tip of her breast started pulsing while heat accumulated between her thighs.
“Look me in the eyes and tell me you didn’t like it, and I’ll never touch you like that again,” he said.
Staring up at him, she worked her lip between her teeth. She’d liked it, all right, but she wanted to be loved afterward, not consoled. That, she couldn’t tell him. It would make her more vulnerable than ever.
He brushed his hand down her side to her hip. Finding purchase there, he pulled her against his groin. “Thought so.” His hard-on pressed against her stomach. “I’m back, Alice, and you’re mine. It doesn’t really matter if Tilly suspects that my dick was buried in your ass last night or not. Soon, everyone will know.”
Her heart contracted at his words. “Making a trophy of me again, just like in school?”
He stepped away from her. “Ashamed of everyone knowing, just like in school?”
She turned her head to the side. “No.”