I talked in my sleep? Mierda! "You're learning too fast. I'll have no secrets before long."
"That's the plan."
I bit my lip, feeling like a countdown clock had started. Again, I thought, What if I trusted Maxim? Maybe I wouldn't be calling Edward down upon me. Maybe I needed to recognize a superstition for what it was.
Might it finally be time for me to recruit a teammate? A partner? Could any man be more qualified than Maxim to take on Edward?
By the time we'd reached the stable, I began to relax again. I didn't have to decide anything for two days, and I was determined to enjoy this man, this place.
After we'd returned Chestnut, we walked back to the lodge hand in hand. As we approached the entrance, he said, "In case those farmers are still hanging around, I'll show them who you're fucking." He grabbed me, tossed me over his shoulder, and carried me inside.
I was squealing with laughter, pounding my mittens on his back, when I heard a man say, "Maksimilian?"
CHAPTER 28
With a laugh, Maxim turned, which put my ass--in tights--on display. "Ah, Aleksandr."
His brother? "Down, Ruso!"
He let me slide down him, then pulled me around with my back to his front. He draped his arms over me, possessiveness in full force.
Aleksandr was as tall as Maxim and had similar features, that strong jaw and chin, the proud nose and broad cheekbones--though Aleksandr's eyes were amber to Maxim's blue. And Aleksandr had tattoos on his fingers and closer-cut hair. Definitely rougher around the edges than Maxim.
Aleksandr stared at his brother as if he didn't recognize him. "You look . . . changed."
Maxim's hair was ruffled, his skin tanned, his bright blue eyes hooded with relaxation. He appeared younger and was grinning--an authentic smile. His brother's shock clearly amused him.
Yet I could detect currents of strain between them, as if Aleksandr remained on guard.
"You brought a date." Aleksandr turned his attention to me. I must have looked like I'd just gotten jackhammered in a covered bridge.
"Katya, this is my brother Aleksandr. Bratan, this is my woman, Cat Marin." There was an undertone of say something, I dare you to his words.
"It's a pleasure, Aleksandr," I said. "I can't wait to meet your bride."
The man frowned down at me. "You're from Miami?"
Maxim laughed. "Yes, this is the girl I held prisoner. But as you can see, she's an overjoyed guest here. Aren't you?" He squeezed me.
"I'm here to keep Maxim in line. There'll be no mischief while I'm on watch, or I'll kick his Russian ass."
That got Maxim to laugh, while Aleksandr just looked baffled. Finally he said, "Natalie is going to like you very well. And please call me Aleks."
After another couple of stilted exchanges, Maxim and I started back to our room.
As we made our way up the stairs, I asked him, "Why was he so shocked?"
"He's never seen me like this."
"Happy?"
Maxim paused on a step, seeming as shocked as Aleks had just been. "Happy," he repeated, as if he were turning the word over in his mind, tasting it. "I suppose I am."
"You enjoyed his surprise. It amused you. Is my presence here solely to screw with people?"
"Though I was perversely pleased by Aleksandr's surprise, I brought you here because I want you with me. Simple as that." He leaned down to say, "And already, you're glad you came. In both senses of the word."
I was attending a Nebraskan dinner in a countryside lodge as the date of a Russian mafiya sex god. What exactly did one wear to an occasion like that? I hoped I'd picked the right outfit.
My simple black pencil skirt accentuated my ass without being too tight. But my copper-colored blouse was a work of art. It was a cold-shoulder design with a scoop neck and long blouson sleeves that were cut out to reveal my arms from my shoulders to my elbows. The back dipped low, almost to my racy new bra, and was held in place by a string (which I hoped Maxim would spend all night thinking about untying). My black, strappy heels were high--because of my date's height.
Saving the pearls for the ceremony, I wore the lock-and-key earrings. I left my hair down, curling loosely. All that time by the pool had highlighted strands to a caramel color, and I wanted to show them off.
My makeup was understated, a touch of tawny eye shadow, mascara, and a bit of shimmery blush. The burnished gloss on my lips picked up the play of light on my blouse. My black clutch had a small copper medallion in the center.
Holding my breath, I walked out of the dressing room to join Maxim. "Te gusta? You like?"
"Me gusta," he murmured, immediately frowning. "I'm usually smoother than this, but you have a habit of making my mind go blank." He crossed to me, wrapping an arm around my waist. "I could not be prouder to show you off."
I petted the lapel of his black suit. The lines were so classic and crisp, he looked like he'd stepped out of a magazine ad. "When you burn through all of your money, you can be a model."
With a grin, he said, "It's good to have a backup plan."
"How much did your suit cost?"
"The price of this one gave even me pause." And he would wear it once. Sometimes his wealth blew my mind.
He grazed his forefinger against one of my earrings. "The lock-and-key ones. Do they make you think of me?"
"Only every time they kiss my neck." Oh, I could tell he liked that.
He offered his arm. "Come, let's go. Before I say to hell with this and take you to bed."
His smoldering look made me very aware that I wore garters and stockings for him later.
I took his arm, and we headed downstairs toward the Grand Hall. As I'd dried my hair, I'd studied the fire escape plan to note exits, a habit born of self-preservation. I now knew the layout of the lodge.
In the reception area outside the hall, dressed-up people mingled. At the outskirts of the room, men in understated suits stood alone, near all the exits. I recognized two of them from Miami. I just stopped myself from waving.
"I see your security, Maxim. Is Nebraska a hotbed of mob hits?"
"Better safe than sorry." He covered my hand on his arm. "The Sevastyans have much here that is precious to them."
"Where's Vasili?"
"Overseeing everything. He excels at this."
We'd barely gotten downstairs before a redhead intercepted us, almost as if she'd been lying in wait. "So you're Maksim's mysterious date! I'm Natalie."
She was my height, with flawless pale skin, flame-red hair, and a sexpot figure. The green-eyed billionairess PhD student was a knockout. Because that wasn't intimidating or anything. Her engagement ring had a diamond the size of a meteorite.
Aleks joined her. "This is Cat Marin. She's actually with Maksim."
I stepped forward, offering my hand: "Hi."
Natalie hugged me. "Oh, you're freaking gorgeous!" She was sweet on top of everything?
When my cheeks heated, Maxim appeared charmed. In social situations like this, I tended to be more demure at first--a far cry from how I behaved with him. "Thank you," I told Natalie. "I can't wait to see your dress. You're going to be the most beautiful bride." Having met her--and knowing her past--I hoped she had the WOTC, wedding of the century.
Another girl our age slinked ov
er. Must be Jessica. She looked like a runway princess with her svelte frame and cropped black hair. She wore a clearly expensive outfit: a red miniskirt, thigh-high boots, and a silvery halter. No bra. The girl raked her blue eyes over me. "OH-la, fineness. I'm Jess. Why are you sober, hot mami?" She shoved one of her two drinks into my hand. "This ought to take care of the issue. Don't say I never gave you anything."
I couldn't help but laugh. "I'm Cat Marin. Nice to meet you."
"What kind of name is that?" she demanded. "You and Pussy Galore hang out? You sound like a cat burglar."
"Thief of hearts, yo."
Natalie cracked up. Aleks half-smiled. Maxim chuckled, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.
Jessica's red lips curled, and she lifted her cup to me. "You and I are going to have rocking chairs next to each other. It's a done thing."
Maxim said, "Jessica, it's a pleasure to see you again."
She gave him a chin jerk in greeting. "Are you really keeping this one prisoner in a Miami penthouse?"
Everyone grew quiet.
"He did keep me against my will," I said airily. "Then he stopped being un cabron hijo de puta, and I decided I'd let him hang out with me."
"No wonder you like her," Natalie said to Maxim. "She doesn't put up with your bullshit!"
His eyes were lively. "She lets me get away with very little."
Aleks said something in Russian that made Maxim tighten his arm around me. Natalie murmured something to Aleks that made him incline his head. Ah, the interplays. What I wouldn't give to speak Russian!
Jess asked me, "Hey, mami, with an accent like yours, you speak Spanish?" I nodded. "I guess I'm the sole monolinguist. Which either means I know a single language, or I'm committed to eating one box. In any case, it's rude to speak another language in front of me."
I belly-laughed at that. Had I actually thought these people would be stiff?
An older couple walked up then. The woman had shining brown hair and glasses. The man had similar glasses. Definitely a married pair.
The lady said, "Dinner's about to start." Then she turned to me. "Maksim truly did bring a plus one? I'm Natalie's mother, Rebecca. And this is my husband, Tom, Natalie's stepfather." They both struck me as good-natured. "We're RVers."
I checked my mental acronym databank for RVer, came up empty. Good money said they must do RVing. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Cat Marin. And RVing sounds exciting."
Whatever I'd said was the exact right thing. "Oh, it is! I can't interest Natalie. But I have oodles of pictures."