Scandalous Deception (Russian Connection 1)

PRESSED IN A CORNER OF THE elegant carriage with her arms wrapped about her shivering body, Brianna struggled against the panic that threatened to consume her. Giving in to terror would achieve nothing, she told herself over and over. Not so long as Viktor Kazakov was seated across from her with a pistol in his hand and an eagerness for violence shimmering in his dark eyes.

No, becoming hysterical would solve nothing. Instead, she bit her inner lip until she drew blood and forced herself to consider the situation with as much logic as she could summon.

She did not believe for a moment that it was sheer chance that this gentleman had entered Vanya’s house on this eve. Or that she was chosen to be abducted out of the numerous guests. He had to know that Edmond had followed him to St. Petersburg and that she was his current mistress.

Which could only mean he had taken her captive in an attempt to coerce Edmond. Or worse, lead him into a trap. Neither of which she would allow to happen.

Brianna remained silent as they thundered out of St. Petersburg and headed south. She knew it would be futile to try and escape. Not only could Viktor Kazakov easily overpower her, but there was no mistaking the echo of hoofbeats behind them. There were at least two, perhaps more, outriders following in their wake.

And she would not dare risk throwing herself from a moving carriage into the frigid snow. Not when there was even the least chance that she might actually be carrying Edmond’s child. There were some sacrifices she was not willing to make.

Her only option appeared to be in convincing her captor that her presence was not nearly so valuable to Edmond as he presumed.

“You are astonishingly calm for a woman who has just been taken hostage,” Viktor at last broke the frigid silence, his dark gaze narrowed as he studied her unreadable face.

Maintaining her seeming calm, Brianna gave a faint shrug. Although the man was sprawled negligently against the leather seat, she did not miss the ease with which he kept the pistol pointed at her heart or the tension in the line of his jaw. Viktor Kazakov would pull that trigger without hesitation.

“Would you prefer that I wail or gnash my teeth or swoon in terror?” she demanded, pleased that her voice revealed none of the panic she was barely keeping at bay.

“It would be a far more predictable reaction for a gently bred maiden who discovers herself in such a predicament.”

His mockery helped to stiffen her spine. “I may be gently bred, sir, but I can assure you that the past year has stolen any ability to swoon.” Her lips twisted, allowing her thoughts to flit from Thomas Wade to Lord Edmond Summerville to Viktor Kazakov. All three gentlemen had desired her for one purpose or another, none of which had anything to do with pleasing her. “I am quite accustomed to gentlemen storming into my life and using me for their own purpose. If I feel anything, it is resignation.”

“Indeed?”

“And perhaps a bit of annoyance that you chose such a miserable night for this abduction,” Brianna continued with a dramatic shiver. She had been forced from Vanya’s home wearing nothing more than her robe and delicate embroidered slippers.

With a low rasp of laughter, Viktor Kazakov reached for a blanket that was folded on the bench beside him, tossing it toward her with a casual flick of his wrist.

“You are not at all what I was expecting,” he said, watching beneath hooded lids as she wrapped the blanket about her shuddering form. “It is little wonder that you have managed to capture Edmond’s fancy.”

Brianna tugged the blanket up to her chin, as much to hide her body from Viktor Kazakov’s heated gaze as to ward off the savage cold.

“Hardly a stunning accomplishment,” she muttered. “Anything in skirts would capture his fancy.”

“No. As much as I dislike the man, not even I can deny he has always possessed a fastidious refusal to take any mistress who is not utterly exquisite. His taste is—” he deliberately allowed his gaze to roam over her thick curls tumbling about her shoulders “—faultless.”

Brianna’s fingers tightened on the blanket at his intimate gaze, but she was more determined to convince the man that she held no importance to Edmond than to chastise him for treating her as a common tart.

“I shall have to take your word for it. In truth, I know very little about Edmond.” She lowered her gaze, as if in embarrassment. “Well, very little beyond the obvious. It is not as if we spend our time together actually conversing.”

Brianna heard a faint rustle, then a slender finger was slipping beneath her chin and tilting her face up to meet Viktor’s dark, penetrating gaze.

“I am quite certain that you possess many skills, Miss Quinn, but deceitfulness is not one of them.”

She resisted the urge to jerk from his touch, sensing he would be pleased to know he disturbed her.

“I beg your pardon?”

His thumb brushed her lower lip. “You are a terrible liar.”

Her heart jolted with fear. His touch was soft, but she did not doubt for a minute those slender fingers could wrap around her neck and squeeze the life from her.

“I haven’t the least notion what you mean.”

“You are far more than just another mistress.” His thumb pressed against her lips as they parted. “And before you attempt to convince me of your utter lack of importance to Edmond, allow me to inform you that I have devoted months to studying the damnable man until I know his habits better than my own.”

“A rather tedious means to spend your time.”