With This Ring

“Are you alright?” she asked breathlessly.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“What’s going on, Freya?”

I sighed. “I’m almost certain it has something to do with Maxim. I was living in relative peace until he showed up.”

“Hmm …”

“Anyway, someone is going to arrive soon to protect you so when he comes, please call me so I can confirm with Maxim that he is the one. We need to be extra careful.”

“Uh, what do you know? I think he just arrived,” she said.

“Describe him,” I commanded tightly.

“Well, he’s in a badly cut suit, bald, brick wall broad, and very vicious looking. He just came onto the rooftop and is standing by the door all military like, but silent. Should I go over to him?”

“Just a second,” I replied and hurried out of the room.

“Maxim,” I called and he looked up from his phone. “Who’s the guy …” A better idea occurred to me. “Britney, send a picture of him real quick.”

I waited and had to look away to avoid meting his gaze. I could feel his eyes on me. It made me so self-conscious I wanted to scratch my skin off. The bud between my thighs throbbed so painfully that I kept shifting my weight from one leg to the other.

When she sent the picture I stood at a safe distance from him and turned the phone towards him. “Is this your guy?”

He got out of his chair and without warning reached for my hand. My grip instantly loosened and the phone fell to the ground.

I stared at my wrist in wonder. His touch had burned me. I didn’t move to pick the phone up, so he leaned over, retrieved it, and looked at the image. “Yes, that’s Viktor,” he confirmed. “He’ll keep her safe.”

“Thank you,” I replied and he handed the phone back to me.

I was extra careful not to make any sort of contact with him, but after I ended the call I suddenly felt hot and bothered. “Do you want something to drink? Tea, coffee, water?”

“Coffee would be good.”

Britney had brewed some that morning, but it would be yuck by now so I walked stiffly towards the kitchen to make some more.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Maxim

I was intensely aware of her, but I knew she was watching me so I didn’t raise my head and let her know how much satisfaction just being in the same room with her gave me. Hell, I could have spent the whole day with her. And considering the waspish mood she was in, it was some feat for me. I have never had time for other people’s dramas.

“Does love mean nothing to you?” she demanded suddenly.

I lifted my head. “Excuse me?”

She swept her hand towards me. “You said that you were willing to marry me because the request wasn’t too bothersome. Don’t you want to be with someone you’re in love with?”

“I’m not in love with anyone,” I replied and returned my gaze to my phone but she had my rapt attention.

“Well don’t you ever want to be?” she insisted.

I felt the impatience in her voice and almost smiled. It was too easy to bait her. I lifted my gaze to watch her. “What does being in love mean?” I asked.

That got her attention. “You really don’t know or are you just taunting me?”

“I’ve never been in love,” I answered honestly. “And since I have a suspicion it makes fools of men, I’m more than willing to settle for mutual respect and responsibility.”

“That sounds dull,” she said.

I didn’t have a response.

She folded her arms under her breasts, drawing my eyes to them. “Actually, you also seem pretty dull.”

I lifted my gaze to her and knew that was just what she wanted; my attention.

“Did you always want to be a mafia don, or did you have some other dream? Bianca told me Levan’s was always to be a brewer.”

“Yes, I have a dream,” I said just as my phone buzzed with a message. I looked at it. The locksmith was coming up the stairs.

“What is it?” she asked.

I rose to my feet. “It’s to keep those dearest to me, safe. Now I have to go. The locksmith should be here any moment now and I have people watching you, so you can rest easy.”

Both of us heard the tread of the locksmith in the corridor. As I passed her I wanted to reach out and stroke her cheek. The impulse was so strong I had to clench my fist to stop myself.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Freya

I watched him leave and felt my heart drop into my stomach. The cold bastard. How could he be such a block of ice? Did nothing affect him? I had wanted a chance to at least come close to him again… To perhaps elicit a kiss from him, but of course nothing like that was possible with him. Anyway, why the hell was I thinking such thoughts about him? I hated his guts. Confused, I thought of Levan and how deeply he cared for Bianca. Why couldn’t he be like that?