Page 36 of The Pakhan

“Yeah, I know what you want, Italian prick. But it’s going to cost you.”

“The second guy laughed and it was so evil, as if he was having a good ole time. Then he asked, ‘How much?’”

“Two million. I am betraying someone.”

“You are a bastard, but I’ll agree. However, the job better be done, or I’ll come after you and your family.”

I sucked in my breath, trying to remember what else. Maybe I had been more terrified than I’d originally believed.

“No names?” he asked, his eyes darting back and forth.

“No. But I knew one was Stefano because of the information Joshua had sent me before. He wanted me to easily recognize the brutal leader.”

“Have you heard the voice since?”

A rumble of thunder.

The sky lighting up in shades of neon blue.

My blood alternating between being chilled and heated to the point of perspiring.

I shook my head. “No, but I might be able to recognize it. Maybe.”

“Damn it, woman. You are a menace to yourself. You risked your life and even mine because of what, money? Clout? I’m going to keep you locked down until we can figure this all out. Get used to your fancy prison.”

His voice dripped of danger, his Russian accent more pronounced than usual. And the fire in his eyes was unlike anything I’d seen before.

The man was pissed.

Well, guess what? So was I.

Something crazy popped inside of my mind. Maybe it was the fear and danger. Maybe it was the fact I was far too attracted to a man who should remain forbidden.

Whatever the case, I overreacted in trying to prove my point, if there really was one in the first place.

I attempted to slap him across the face.

In turn, what did he do?

He shoved me against the closest wall and I was certain he was going to spank me. But his eyes were suddenly imploring, his chest rising and falling like mine was.

And in a surreal moment that I hoped to remember for the rest of my life, the man I’d fantasized about, the one I shouldn’t have thought about as anything more than he was ignited a fire deep within me. Then he did something crazy and unexpected.

He crushed his mouth over mine.

CHAPTER 10

Caroline

I’d had my share of kisses, but all from young guys.

They were like bumbling idiots locked up in the dark. They’d all believed that tongue action was the only way to go and man, was it sloppy. And loud. Of course as they’d gotten older, they understood a teensy bit more that it was about taking time, allowing our mouths and tongues to explore, enjoying the heat exploding between two passionate people.

But in all my years and the men I’d kissed, no man had ever known what I needed or had taken the time to be rough yet seductive, controlling yet yielding just enough I felt as if I was a participant.

That took significant skill.

Practice.

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