Page 25 of Captivated By Him

“Go on. I have to make a few calls, then I’ll bring your bags up.” I cup the back of her neck, pulling her slightly in my direction. “Go on, we’ll talk more when you’re done.”

A shaky smile dances on her lips. “I don’t think you mean talk though, do you?”

I grin. “We’ll talk first,” I promise. She’s stressed and tired. As much as she deserves to have her ass tanned for what she did at the apartment, relieving her stress is more important. I need her calm and clearheaded for whatever is coming our way next.

Chapter 8

Jakub’s shower is as close to heaven I’ve been in ages.

His entire place is amazing. It has a rough exterior to it with the brick walls and dark wood, but after a few minutes the warmth and coziness of the place sinks in.

But his shower, so far, is my favorite place. It’s a walk-in shower that can easily fit two, maybe three people, with a double showerhead. There’s even a built-in seat. Best of all, the water stays hot the entire time I’m in there. A luxury I have gone without since moving back to Chicago.

By the time I’m out and dried off, Jakub has brought my suitcase up. He’s laid out a pair of pajama shorts and t-shirt for me on the bed and tucked the suitcase into the corner of the room. Apparently, that’s what he wants me to wear.

His voice carries from downstairs. He’s on the phone again. Probably trying to find a place to stash me so I can be safe, but where he doesn’t have to get his hands dirty with the Kaczmareks.

I don’t know much about Piotr, but I’ve met his cousin, Christian, in New York. He runs the family out there and my dad answered directly to him on several occasions. If Piotr is half as arrogant and unreasonable as his cousin, I’m fucked.

I unwrap my hair from the towel and pick up the pajamas. No panties. Of course. After I’m fully dried off, I slip into the plaid shorts and light gray shirt.

The sun is already sinking in the sky, casting the room with an orange-ish hue. Even the room screams of masculinity. The bed has four large wood square posts, and the headboard is made of black iron. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were hooks on the posts.

Remembering a particular night where he bound my hands behind my back, my face heats and I shove the memory away. This isn’t then. I have to remember that.

I also need to move my stuff to the spare bedroom.

After shoving my dirty clothes into the front section of my suitcase, I roll it to the door. The room next door is empty and has a bed. I’ll just stay there. Jakub can’t expect I’d sleep in his bed with him, and I don’t want to put him out of his own room.

Before I can reach the door, it swings open and Jakub’s there, filling the space. He quickly glances down to what I’m doing and frowns.

“No.” He reaches for the bag, but I pull back from him before he can get a hold of it.

“Jakub. I’m just going to stay in the next room. I can’t take your room from you.”

“You aren’t.” He grabs hold of the strap and tugs it from my grasp.

“I’m not spending the night in your bed.” I fold my arms over my chest.

He rolls the suitcase back to where it was before giving me his attention.

“We still need to talk about your behavior at the apartment.” He dips his chin. He’s serious.

“Jakub, it was my apartment. You can’t be mad at me for going into my own apartment.”

“I was very specific, wasn’t I, about where you should wait?”

I scoff. “That has nothing to do with anything.”

His frown cracks at the edges. “Nothing to do with anything. That doesn’t even make any sense.”

I blink a few times. “You killed someone, Jakub, and you want to lecture me on if I was in the hallway or in the living room at the time?” I march over to the bed and plant myself on the edge of it. “Fine. Go ahead and lecture.”

But when his gaze follows me, when those blue eyes of his wanders over me, it’s not lecturing that’s on his mind.

“Come here, Nicole.” He crooks his finger at me and points to the spot on the hard wood flooring just in front of his feet. I stare at him, resolved to let him wait all night. Caving to Jakub will only let him think he has a chance of making me bend to him. And I can’t do that. I won’t do it.

I don’t have the luxury of doing that.

---