Page 103 of Claim

“We’re here to try and draw someone out, but no one has made a move yet. It’s starting to make me nervous.” His thumb rubs a small circle in the small of my back.

I tilt my head and stare up at him. “Wait, you’re all twitchy because nothing’s happening? The people playing those instruments up on stage will be very disappointed to hear that.” I gesture at the cello nearest us. “Maybe we really should go fora walk?” I rise onto my tiptoes so I’m closer. “I think maybe you still have something left in the tank making you antsy.”

When his eyes finally land on me, I know I’m getting through to him.

He snugs me tighter so I can feel the bulge in his pants. “You’re right, let’s go take a look around.”

“Enzo, I’m taking Ana to the library.” Mikhail announces as we walk past.

Enzo looks up from his laptop that’s hiding behind the bar. “Sounds good, just stay away from my office. It’s armed to catch anyone if they’re feeling particularly nosey.” He gives Mikhail a wink before dropping his gaze back down to his screen.

“Mikhail?” I whisper as we push through the crowd.

“Yes, my love?” His chest vibrates.

“What did Enzo mean by that?” We finally get away from the crowd and step into the cool hall.

He points to a door on the left a good distance from the library.

It has a sign that saysEmployees Onlyin big red letters.

His voice drops. “It’s a dummy office. This whole event is designed to try and pull Tatiana and Ivan out. If anyone is stupid enough to want to go in there, all hell will break loose.”

My mouth drops into an “O”.

His thumb grips my chin. “You make it too easy to want to shove my cock in there when you make that face.”

“How about we find a couple of nice…thick—” I let my fingers trace down his muscular stomach to his belt. “—books to use for me to kneel on?”

He practically carries me through the ornate double doors, whisking me through the aisles of the dusty tomes until we reach a wall of stout encyclopedias along the back wall.

Pulling one of the heavy leather-bound editions down, he lets it drop with a thud.

“Is that tall enough?” He asks, unzipping his pants and freeing his cock for measurement.

“Maybe one more.” I want to get a good angle, like when I’m kneeling on the bed.

He grabs another, lining it up to fall on the first.

But when it lands, the boom seems to echo through the entire library, and the ground waves beneath our feet.

“Mikhail!” I scream, falling against him.

Billows of smoke and dust roll between the stacks to choke us. He might have a mask, but the air makes my nose burn.

Burying my face against his jacket, he pushes his silk handkerchief against my cheek.

“Hold this, stay low.” He grabs my wrist and weaves past the rows of books, hugging the wall when we start to hear voices yelling in the hall.

“Mikhail? Anastasia? Are you okay?” Enzo yells through the haze.

“Yes! What happened?” Mikhail calls out. He pulls me with him to the exit.

Rubble litters the corridor, chunks of wood and concrete scatter over the fine marble.

When Enzo appears out of the cloud, a broad grin covers his face. “I caught one of the fuckers.”

CHAPTER 45

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