Bound by Love (Russian Connection 2)

Unable to battle against Josef’s determined grip, Leonida glanced desperately over her shoulder. Dimitri stood in the middle of the expensive carpet, his arms folded over his chest.

“The favor?” she demanded.

A wicked smile curved his lips. “I will send word if the day arrives when I need your assistance.”

“That is not particularly reassuring.”

His dark chuckle followed her as Josef tugged her out the door and down the steps.

“Au revoir, ma belle.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

THE FIGHT BEGAN THE MOMENT that Stefan appeared on Herrick Gerhardt’s doorstep and continued even after the older man had gathered his horse, along with several grim-faced soldiers, to lead them from the city to the northern island.

It was only to be expected, of course.

Both men were born leaders and harbored a fierce male sense of possession toward Leonida. With their tempers rubbed raw with fear at her disappearance, the sparks were bound to fly. Only their overwhelming need to find Leonida kept them from coming to blows.

They rode ahead of Boris and the other guards who had wisely fallen back to avoid the crossfire, both keeping a close watch on the crumbling warehouses that dotted the rough landscape.

“I have warned you, your Grace, that I will not allow you to meddle in Russian affairs,” Herrick gritted out, angling his horse toward the path leading directly toward the quay.

Stefan’s fingers clutched the loaded pistol in his hand. “And I have warned you that I will not allow Leonida to be used as a pawn in your murky games. You should have told me of Dimitri Tipova’s involvement.”

The dark eyes snapped in his direction. “Just as you should have told me of Nikolas Babevich’s murder,” he countered. Stefan had only grudgingly admitted he had stumbled across the dead body when it was obvious Herrick was considering wasting their time by searching for Sir Charles and Leonida at Babevich’s house. Of course, when he described the gruesome method of the man’s death, it had in turn forced the older man to confess Tipova’s interest in Sir Charles, and the possibility that the Beggar Czar might at least have some knowledge of Leonida’s disappearance. “Besides, why should I speak to you of Leonida at all? Are you not preparing to leave St. Petersburg? Leonida is no longer your concern.”

A blaze of emotion seared through his body at the older man’s taunt. For once he made no effort to ignore or dismiss the unnerving sensations. He was done pretending.

To himself and to others.

“Leonida will be my concern until the day I die.” His low, husky voice throbbed with sincerity. “No doubt she will continue to plague me even after I am in my grave.”

Herrick’s gaunt face remained set in bleak lines, but the dark eyes flickered with a ready comprehension of Stefan’s vow. Whether he approved or not was impossible to know.

“And your return to England?”

Stefan shrugged. “It will be delayed until I have wed my future Duchess.”

“If she will have you.”

A dark, ruthless pain slashed

through Stefan’s heart, but he refused to give in to despair. He would not believe that he had ruined all hope. It was…unbearable.

“Until I met Leonida I considered myself excessively clever, now all I can claim is an ability to learn from my mistakes,” he said. “She will have me, even if I must devote the rest of my days to earning her heart.”

Herrick’s brows lifted. “Heart?”

“Yes.”

“Perhaps you are not quite so dim-witted as I first supposed,” the older man muttered.

Stefan ignored the insult, his gaze narrowing as he realized they had passed by most of the buildings until there was only one unkempt structure huddled near the quay.

“Is that the warehouse?”

“It is.”