Page 61 of Diamond Don

“No,” I protest heartily. “I can’t. I’ll just go back to my nightmare.”

“No, you won’t. I’ve got you. You’re safe. Sleep now.”

I resist it, dreading the bad dream. Nik continues to hold me, tenderly rubbing circles between my shoulder blades. To my surprise, it doesn’t take long for my eyelids to grow heavy. My exhaustion wins, and unconsciousness overtakes me again as I fervently hope for some dreamless sleep.

The next thing I know, I am burning hot. Awareness gradually creeps in, but I fight to continue sleeping. It is pointless. As sleep evades me, I grow increasingly uncomfortable and even start to sweat. With a sigh, I blink my eyes open and realize it’s daytime. The sun glows through the massive windows in the bed chamber, waking me up with its brightness and heat.

After sitting up, I glance to my left, noticing a chair a couple of feet away next to the bed. It wasn’t there when I went to sleep the day before.

Gradually, memories of the past night come to me. I recall the man who comforted me, drying my tears. I remember his gentleness and care.

In the broad daylight, it barely feels real. I’m half sure I’ve dreamed it all up. After the horrible nightmare, maybe my brain felt the need to compensate for that abject horror with a dream of blissful tenderness.

It is probably best to convince myself it was a dream. So, I roll to my side to get up from the bed. I desperately need a shower this morning.

With a frown, I spot something on the pillow next to mine. I reach for it and pick up a brightly colored plastic bag. It’s a pack of hard candy. Before I can stop myself, I laugh in disbelief.

Life Savers.

To keep me from drowning.

23

KAT

Nothing tastes as sweet as victory, but these gourmet chocolate truffles come pretty damn close.

There are a ton of things I could complain about the labor conditions at my current job. The impossibility of quitting it, for starters.

Luckily, the state of the pantry is not one of them. For all his many, many flaws, Nik has impeccable taste. I guess that explains what I confirmed last night.

The man’s got it bad for me.

Why else would he tenderly tuck me in and kiss me goodnight before comforting me through that horrid nightmare? It’s not like his reputation is that of a kind man.

No, there’s no doubt about it. Nik can’t get me out of his head.

Of course, I’m hardly one to talk, considering I wholeheartedly share his feelings.

Still, I can’t deny it’s really convenient for my plans that he can’t keep his distance from me. Now, I know how to get this situation under control—I must seduce Nik.

A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do, but I won’t pretend it will be any hardship to try to have my way with him, especially after last night.

As if it wasn’t enough that Nik is the most maddeningly sexy man I’ve ever met, the sweetness and tenderness he showed last night make me crave him even more.

After finding the bag of Life Savers this morning, I took extra care with my appearance. I wanted to look extra irresistible to my elusive bed partner. It was a waste of time—Nik is nowhere to be found. All day, I’ve waited for him to come and find me. But the man is MIA.

Once I grow bored, I even consider calling or texting Nik—maybe even sexting him—but then I realize I don’t even have his number. It’s a hilarious realization but also a sobering one. There’s so much I don’t know about my beau, even though he holds my life in his hands—my best friend’s, too.

Maybe I should take Nik’s unexplained absence as an opportunity to gather intel on him.

Besides, it’s not like it’s in my nature to sit around and look pretty. I’m not embarrassed to admit I can sometimes be a little fidgety and restless if left to my own devices.

With that in mind, I retrace my steps from the day before and make my way to his office. I half expect to run into him, Dmitri, or one of his other henchmen on my way there, but there is no one to be found. The penthouse seems deserted, which works just fine for me.

I lightly knock on the closed door. After hearing no response, I enter Nik’s private study.

Once again, it surprises me how personal the whole space is. Everything in the room screams Nik, from his faint scent to the many photographs scattered throughout the area.

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