Page 69 of Blood Mosaic

“I wanted Dmytro,” Elene said. “And I like my children well enough. As their godfather, I would hope you like them too.”

Oleg smiled, and eventually Elene smiled back.

“My friend,” he said softly. “I would feel much better if you stayed at my house. Just until I have taken care of this problem. Think of your family.”

“I have work and you have people,” Elene said. “Mika’s guards are ruthless and very discreet. Worry about the new girl. She’s…” Elene shook her head.

“Still panicking?”

“You turned her head and then turned her world upside down,” Elene said. “What did you expect?”

“I expected to seduce herbeforeI told her about my fangs.” He lowered his voice. “There was some unfortunate violence after our last dinner.”

“Ah yes, yourbusinessdinner. Mika told me about that.”

“There was an interruption. I will still seduce her.”

“She reminds me of myself when I was younger, so you might have a chance, but she’s even more cynical than I was.”

“A delicious challenge then.”

“Are you going to tell her Zara is missing?”

“Yes. There is no point in lying to her now. She realized Zara is a vampire as soon as she realized what I was. And she knows we’re using her as bait.”

Elene’s eyes flew open. “You told her?”

“I have no interest in lying to my future lover. It would insult us both.”

“You’ve never lacked confidence, but this is extreme. Even for you. Why her?”

“She’s beautiful.”

“Ordinary beauty bores you.”

That was true. His most interesting lovers had rarely been conventionally beautiful, and while Tatyana was very beautiful by human standards, it wasn’t her looks that he found intriguing.

“I appreciate her loyalty to her family,” he said. “She’s clever and bold even when she lacks confidence.”

Elene leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest. “You like bold.”

“I do.” Oleg glanced toward her office wall. “If she was listening in, I wouldn’t be surprised or offended.”

“She might be too smart for you.”

“Immortal minds process faster than human minds. It is highly unlikely that she is smarter than me.”

“I didn’t say smarter than you, I said too smart for you. As in she will be too smart to get involved with an old man like you.”

Oleg leaned forward and leaned his elbows on Elene’s desk. “If I recall correctly, I had enough youthful vigor to keep you satisfied when you were younger than her, kitten.”

“Stop.” Elene shook her head. “Digging up ancient history to prove a point.” She waved him away. “Go and seduce the girl, Oleg. Just remember that you have to keep her alive until she finds all this money.”

Oleg rose. “It’s fifty million. It won’t break us.”

“Spoken like someone who is not the chief financial officer of your company. Go.”

He tappedon Tatyana’s door and waited to hear her footsteps on the other side.

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