Page 6 of Dancing With Desire

“When I get back, we head to my safe place.”

I nod. “Fine, but you’d better bring a lot of ice cream.”

“Great. I’ll let you pack.”

Phoebe shows him out, and I don’t miss the way she touches his arm and the way her tongue darts out, licking her lips.

DMITRY

There’sa knock on my office door as I stare aimlessly at my laptop, debating my next move. If there is one thing I know for sure, it’s that I can’t let these idiots get away with what they’ve done to mykrasota.

“Enter,” I shout. It’s short and sharp, but as the rage courses through my veins, I have no time for fucking pleasantries.

Leo proceeds to enter with a wary expression, as if he can already read the room. The uncertainty and mistrust I have towards my men only fuels the burning rage. “You asked for me, boss?”

“Sit,” I snap, and he does so immediately.

“Is everything okay?”

I lean forward, closing my laptop. “I need you to gather all my men for a meeting here at the manor. We have a serious fucking issue that needs rectifying and quickly,” I order as I crack my knuckles. I stare down at the grazes on them, my skinbroken and sore, and it makes me smile remembering how good it felt to watch Nik’s nose explode.

“Of course. What’s the issue?” It’s his job to know, but until I’ve made my point, I can’t let him in on this. “You’ve been distant lately, boss. I don’t want to step out of line, but as your advisor, I’ve been pretty much out of the loop.”

I run my hands through my hair, agitated that I’ve been so preoccupied with everything else. Maybe this is why my men are starting to turn on me.

Leo has been part of my world since we were kids, and I should be able to trust him. He hasn’t once failed me, but neither had Nik, and yet all along he was working for my father.

I stand and make my way to the window, staring out over the courtyard. Memories of Victoria assault my brain as I recall her escaping from the boot of my car and trashing everything in sight.Oh, that punishment was bittersweet. My lips curl into a smile as I remember the way her body craved me. One day soon, she will be home where she belongs and anyone who stands in my way will meet an untimely end.

“Nik’s dead,” I announce casually, like it’s no big deal.

“Boss?”

I turn to face him. “The fucker was working for my father all along. Not only that, but they took Victoria. They were planning to kill her.”

His frown deepens, and I see this is news to him too. “Since when?”

“Since the day we brought him in. He said as much before I slit his throat. He’s been feeding everything back to my father. Every move I made was reported back. All those times we wondered why my father was showing up at the most inconvenient times, now it all makes sense,” I say as I walk over to the bar to pour us each a whiskey. I hand one to him before knocking my own back. “I want to make sure all my men knowwhat will happen if they screw me over. And from now on, we keep everything close. I don’t want anything getting back to my father.”

“I hear you. I’ll get right on it.” He knocks back his own whiskey, placing the glass on the desk before heading for the door.

“Leo,” I say, and his hand pauses on the doorknob. He turns to look at me. “If this reaches anyone, I’ll know you’re one of my father’s men. Don’t cross me.”

“Never, Dmitry. We are like brothers, and I’ll be by your side when you bring that bastard down.” We stare at one another for a few seconds before I nod stiffly, and he leaves.

The silence in this office is deadly, giving me time to think about every fuck-up I’ve made over the last few months.How could I be so fucking stupid?I growl, picking up the empty glass and launching it across the room. I watch it splinter into a hundred tiny pieces.She needed me to protect her, and I was too busy letting everyone else dictate our path.I won’t make that same mistake again.

I run my hands over my five o’clock shadow, taking deep breaths to calm my anger. My mobile rings out and I glance at the screen, seeing Marshall’s name. I snatch it up and ask, “How is she?”

“She’s agreed to go to the safe house, boss, but she isn’t in a good way. It’s going to take time.”

“It’s such a mess,” I mutter, “and I can’t stop going over all the fuck-ups I made.”

“She’ll be okay. She’s a fighter. That’s why you fell for her, remember?”

I hear traffic background noise. “Where are you? You’re meant to be with her.”

“I’m getting ice cream,” he mutters dryly.

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