Page 25 of Marko

Maybe I should just grab the first flight out of here and never look back. But as soon as the thought crossed my mind, I knew it was unrealistic. No, I had to stay and face this head-on.

Mathieson had warned me that the MP would come after me—even before I knew anything concrete about him—and he had been right. Considering the events of the past twenty-four hours, it was clear the MP viewed me as a threat, a loose end that needed to be tied up. There was no escaping this mess.

More importantly, I was determined to bring that bastard down. He was a malevolent force who had torched my home and destroyed an irreplaceable part of my past. He needed to pay for what he’d done, and Marko was essential to achieving that. I resolved to work with him and keep things strictly business. It would only be a few weeks, maybe months at most. Surely, it wouldn’t be too hard to keep my emotions in check and maintain my distance?

“Agreed!” I finally said, nodding.

“But first, I need to sort out some clothes and other necessities and then a place to stay,” I told him.

Marko noticeably balked at the idea, and his smirk slipped. His eyes narrowed as he gazed at me.

“Melissa, you can use the spare room here if it makes you more comfortable but getting a hotel room is not only dangerous, as we don’t know what the MP will do next, but also impractical. We will need to work together closely to obtain the evidence we require. It will be easier to do that if we are here together where I can protect you,” he said, rising to loom over me.

“But…”

“You will stay here!” His voice was commanding, leaving no room for argument.

I shot him a glare, ready to protest, but then thought better of it and clamped my mouth shut. Biting back the retort I wanted to hurl at him, I took a deep, calming breath. His intense gaze locked onto me, waiting for a response.

Damn, the man was annoying. But I had to admit he was right, though. Staying here would make our collaboration smoother and keep me safer. And if I was honest, the idea of being alone in a hotel right now was frightening. Yet, it wouldn’t help me maintain the distance I needed from him, and I could already feel my resolve starting to waver.

“Fine, but I still need clothes,” I huffed, frustration evident in my tone.

Marko’s smirk only fuelled my irritation. That smug look of his made me want to slap him. I realised I had capitulated far too easily. I should have fought harder, made him work for my agreement. Yet, despite my irritation, I couldn’t tear my gaze away from those irresistibly curved lips of his.

Even though my mind protested, a thrilling rush surged through me at the thought of staying here with him. Marko’s gorgeous smile, those well-defined abs, and the nerdy charm he exuded when wearing his glasses—who knew that was my type? I momentarily lost myself in admiration, only snapping back to reality when he pulled me into his embrace.

“Better stop looking at me like that if you want to hit the shops for some clothes before they close,” he teased, planting a quick kiss on my lips.

My body betrayed me, swaying towards Marko on its own accord, seeking more, but he stepped back, turned me around, and gave me a playful swat on the bum, directing me toward the bedroom.

“Go get ready,” he ordered with a chuckle that made my core ache with need.

So much for keeping things strictly professional, my resolve had lasted less than five minutes and the way my body responded to Marko showed me just how ridiculous that thought had been.

As I headed to the bedroom, with a wry smile, I admitted that it was useless to even try. Getting further involved with Marko might definitely be dangerous for my newly gained quiet life, but there wasn’t any way to avoid it. I was already in way too deep. Resistance was futile.

Besides, we were about to embark on a perilous mission to bring a psychotic MP down. Who knew what would happen? We could end up dead. I shivered at the thought, but it was true. So why not just go with the flow and enjoy what moments I could? Just because we worked together and had a fling didn’t mean I couldn’t go back to my quiet life in the future.

By the time I grabbed my shoes and bag and returned to the livingroom, I had decided that was exactly what I would do. And, in the process, I intended on making some really great memories.

CHAPTER 14

MARKO

SATURDAY EVENING – ANOTHER ATTACK ON MELISSA’S LIFE

While Melissa got ready to go out, I called Miki and gave him a quick update on everything I had found out.

He agreed that the MP sounded like a crazy guy and was definitely the most likely person behind the attack on our poker game. He was also happy that we may have the means of putting an end to him.

“Bring her in,” he said.

“No, not yet. She’s staying here with me. I’ll bring her over to see you tomorrow,” I replied, my voice firm.

Miki was quiet for a minute. I wasn’t sure what he was thinking. As pakhan, he was rarely disobeyed, and I had never disobeyed him before, but I wasn’t prepared to share Melissa yet. I wanted her to myself. That might have been selfish, but I didn’t care. Whatever was between us was strong, and I wanted a chance to spend more time with her on my own.

I could hear Miki take a deep breath, and I braced myself for his annoyance. But to my surprise, he laughed instead.

---