Page 13 of Stolen Seconds

A flock of birds chirped above, and it was only when I looked up that I caught a glimpse of pale blonde hair.

My heart thumped against my rib cage harder than before. I inched forward, clutching the wooden railing as I watchedher.

Women either feared me or kneeled before me but this little rebel had done neither.

And what a mistake she’d made a year ago by doing that and catching my attention. It was a fucking understatement.

I ran my tongue along my teeth. “You have a guest over.”

“Irina arrived yesterday,” Roman confirmed. “She’ll be staying with us for Christmas.”

A fiery sensation ignited inside the pit of my stomach, traveling through the rest of my body. I wanted to know what else that troublesome tongue of hers was capable of.

My lips quirked up when I remembered the way she called me an asshole in Russian, thinking I wouldn’t understand.

My father raised me to learn many languages. He’d said it would be beneficial to know what outsiders said when they spoke in their native tongue. It had been a useful skill during operations.

“I want you to leave her alone, Luca,” Roman said, interrupting my thoughts.

“Did I say something to elicit that command?”

Aurora joined her Russian friend, carrying two mugs before she sat down inside the gazebo.

“Youarea dog,” he muttered. “Perhaps if you stopped staring at her like she was your next meal, I wouldn’t have to warn you away.”

A dog?The fuck did that even mean?

“She’s Aurora’s best friend and not one of your escapades. Irina isofflimits.”

He slid the door open and left me alone with his unwarranted order.

I wish I could head his warning, but I’d never been good at fearing them. Roman could control as many people as he wanted to, but we both knew I wasn’t on that list. And what he didn’t know, wouldn’t hurthim.

Seeing my little rebel again hadn’t been in the cards, but now that she was, I had to play the game.

Roman walked down the stone path to where his wife sat. He leaned down to kiss her and Irina averted her eyes, her head turning toward the house.

Her gaze fell on me, the sun reflecting against her blue eyes. She stilled, her full red lips parting slightly in what seemed to be shock.

I tilted my head at her unblinking stare. I’d caught her by surprise with my presence. Good.

In a split second, her face morphed into a scowl. However, the interesting part was that she didn’t avert her eyes.

It seemed that I wasn’t the only one who wanted to play this game. My little rebel was intrigued and who was I if not to satisfy her interest.

I winked at her, knowing the reaction I’d receive would satiate my unauthorized desire.

And as her middle finger shot up at me, I knew this woman would be one hell of a damn chase.

“Luca!” Aurora called out, pulling my attention. She beamed at me with a wide smile. “Come down!”

I nodded at her, my eyes flitting to Roman’s narrowedones. If I was being honest, once Irina was in my peripheral, she had become my sole focus. So, if he’d seen my interaction with her, I knew he’d give me shit for it.

I walked downstairs from the balcony and through the double doors in the back.

The trail to the gazebo would’ve been surrounded by flourishing flowers if it weren’t for the winter. The gazebo itself was a large hardtop patio with curtains—that were tied back—and a round marble table at the center surrounded by cushioned wicker chairs.

Irina tore her gaze away from me, her long hair swaying from the wind. She wore tight leather pants with a large black coat that covered the rest of her body.

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