Page 78 of Sweet Animosity

She shuffled backward as the sheet twisted and gathered around her ankles, hindering her movement.

I followed her. “From this point forward, I expect you to behave. No more bullshit lies. No more disobeying me. No more questioning my motives.”

Her eyes widened as she straightened her spine. The knuckles on her right hand turned white as she gripped the sheet around her tighter. “Wow. You really are a piece of work. Just tell me where my paintings are, and I’m out of here.” She leaned forward and pointed. “And I don’t give a fuck if I have to wear this stupid, goddamn sheet down Michigan Avenue when I leave, so it’s pointless threatening to keep my clothes.”

A downside of being attracted to a filthy mouthed, disobedient, incredibly stubborn and equally intelligent and beautiful brat was that she used those same traits to challenge me.

I pushed her back against the wall. “Listen closely, baby girl. I will not be disobeyed in this. Your paintings are gone. I destroyed them.”

Her lower lip trembled. “You destroyed my work?”

“It would have been dangerous and destabilizing to allow them to hit the black market.”

She ducked under my arm and shuffled away, tripping over the long sheet again. “How dare you ruin my work!”

I placed my hands on my hips as I turned to face off with her. “I’m warning you, Vivian. You are messing with shit that is none of your business. Let it go.”

Her body became still as she slowly inhaled and exhaled several times.

A frisson of awareness ran up my spine.

The tension in the room thickened, like the calm before a battle.

My gaze took stock of her immediate vicinity for any priceless projectiles that were within arm’s reach.

A ghost of a smile lifted the corner of her full mouth.

I’m not afraid to admit… it was terrifying.

Damn, this woman kept me on my fucking toes.

She threw her arm wide, while still keeping hold of the sheet. “Thank you for making this so much easier.”

There was definitely a catch. I waited.

She inhaled again as she glared at me. “It’s been maddening these last few days, both hating you and being attracted to you. I’ve been tearing myself up with guilt each time I succumbed, knowing you were nothing but toxic for me.”

Fuck.

Her arm reached down to gather the folds of the sheet. “But now I’m officially done. Done with pretending to be your assistant. Done with caring what that other Russian dude is going to threaten when I tell him I can’t get the paintings. And definitely done with you.”

After her dramatic announcement, she turned and tried to leave the bedroom in a flourish of silk sheets and righteous anger.

The moment she opened the door, I reached over her head and slammed it shut. Grasping her shoulders, I whipped her around to face me. With a scowl, I demanded, “Did you say that other Russian dude? Explain. Now.”

Her lips twisted in a smirk. “I would, but since the tragic fate of my paintings was apparently none of my business, then I can’t see how my dealings with another man is any of yours,” she fired back before turning and reaching for the doorknob again.

I barely heard her over the primal scream shrieking in my head.

That she would keep from me that another man, let alone another Russian, had threatened her sent me over the edge.

It was past time she learned who was in charge.

After wrapping my hand around the back of her neck, I pulled her away from the door and over to the bed.

“Let go of me!” she cried out as her arms swung out.

I complied, but only because I needed to reach for the buckle to my belt. “You’re not leaving this room until we come to an understanding.”

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