Lap of Luxury (Love Don't Cost a Thing)

When I’m a shaking, whimpering mess, he finally lets me go. I turn to him on legs like jelly. My tongue feels thick and heavy in my mouth. There’s blood all over his shirt, all over me, and we just did that. I push my hair back from my face, gazing round in sudden alarm.

My mouth opens, searching for words. Anything at all. “What…”

“Princesa. It’s all right.” He gathers me close, his touch gentle. I rest my cheek against his bloodied chest. His heartbeat is slow and steady while mine flutters like a frantic moth. All this blood, and we all but screwed right in the middle of it.

“Let’s get you cleaned up.”

He takes my hand and starts to tug me toward the door. My eyes land on the envelope and my handbag lying on the carpet. I suddenly remember why I’m here. The contract. My boss. Mr. Ravnikar’s brother…oh god. I’ve just been wildly inappropriate with the director of the company.

I try to pull out of his grasp. “Wait, I have to go.”

Damir’s eyes harden, and he doesn’t let me go. His hands on my arms are like iron and there’s an animalistic glint of possession in his dark eyes.

I squirm in grasp. “Mr. Ravnikar—Mikhail—I have to—”

“What?” he raps out.

“My boss,” I say helplessly, wondering if I should beg him not to say anything to his brother about this. I don’t want to lose my job. “Mr. Ravnikar.”

Damir releases me so suddenly it’s like he’s afraid he might burn his hands on my skin. When I look up at him, his expression is black.

“Then go,” he snarls. “Go back to Misha.”

Misha?

Uncertainly, I back away. Looking at him, drenched in blood, I decide it’s not worth my life to stay and find out what’s made him so angry. I grab my handbag from the carpet and turn and run. There’s a bathroom down the corridor, and I lurch inside. In the mirror I see how much blood is speckling my face and hands and I wipe myself down with paper towels. There’s a black cardigan in my bag and I put it on and button it all the way up to my throat. I’m hot and slick between my legs. What sort of screwy Halloween porno have I been living in the last twenty minutes?

I’m halfway back to the office when I realize that I’ve left the contracts on the floor at Ravnikar Enterprises. There’s no way in hell I’m going back for them.

Chapter Two

Damir

I watch Bethany go, fury like I haven’t felt in eighteen years burning through me. He got to her first. The only woman I want, one that has been ri

ght under my nose this whole time, and he got to her first. I’ve seen her at countless meetings and functions, beautiful and poised, but enigmatic. I didn’t realize what that pretty face was hiding. That beneath her clothes, she’s as fucked up as I am.

I take a step toward my door to go after her, but the financial director is blocking my way.

“Where the hell have you been?” I ask, at the same time as he says, “What happened here?”

“Nothing,” I snarl, resisting the urge to shove him out of my way. “What do you want? Make it fast.”

“I have to tell you something.”

“What?” I gaze past him down the corridor, trying to calculate how fast Bethany walks. If I run I’ll be able to catch up with her.

“I was at home, crunching the numbers all morning. Someone’s stealing from us.”

Those are probably the only words in the universe that could drive Bethany from my mind. My eyes swing back to him. “What did you say?”

Sweat has broken out on his brow. Words come spilling out of his mouth. Carlton Alders, someone we’ve been working with on a new development, has been embezzling from the company. Seventeen million pounds is unaccounted for.

I grab my phone and call Boris, my right-hand man. My true right-hand man, one who isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty or blanches at some of the less savory activities I have to get involved in.

He answers after one ring, his voice crisp and efficient. “Boss?”

“We’ve found a thief. I need you to go and collect him for me. Soften him up on the way.” Make him bleed and put the fear of God into him.