Page 60 of For a Price

I gasp at the view despite being warned how amazing it was.

We step out onto the rooftop where a large rectangular pool sits in the center and cross the space to the railing. Roman gestures to the city surrounding us. Dozens of buildings lit up with tiny lights as far as the eye can see.

“Do you like?” he asks.

“Like? Love! This is the best view I’ve ever seen. So this is what the finer things in life are like.” I lean against the railing and look seventy stories below at the cars moving up and down the streets.

Everything’s so miniature from this high up.

Roman rests his hand at the small of my back. “I come up here at night sometimes when I can’t sleep. The fresh air and the view help.”

“I could see that. Am I allowed up here?”

He regards me for a second. “Maybe. If you promise to behave.”

A server arrives on the rooftop to serve us dessert. Champagne and a sweet berry tart that I can’t help having seconds of. Even if I’m still a little full from earlier.

We sit down at the table and chairs on the rooftop and sip our champagne as we bask in the cool air and night sky.

“I didn’t get a chance to tell you earlier…” I pause long enough to stare at the bubbles in the flute of my champagne and gather my words. “But… but thank you. For what you did earlier. My foster parents.”

“I do not tolerate mistreatment, kitty cat,” he says firmly. “Not of my pet. Not of what’s mine. And yes, that’s what you are. Mine.”

I’m not sure what comes over me, but I find a level of comfort in his words. Where I would’ve been insulted and even angry mere days ago, now I’m soothed by them.

Probably because he’s proven he means it.

“I never thought anyone would care,” I sigh. “About what they did to me.”

“Wrongs against you are wrongs against me. Give me a list of your enemies and I will slaughter each one, kitty cat.”

The scary thing is… I believe him now.

We’re interrupted by one of the men in his crew. He appears on the rooftop to mutter something in Roman’s ear. Roman gives a nod and then rises out of his chair.

“I will be back in a few minutes,” he says. “Business has come up. Stay here. Behave yourself.”

He and the henchman walk off without another word. The door leading back inside snaps shut and I realize I’m truly alone for the first time since…

…he took me captive. Wow, this feels weird.

I glance around the rooftop and reach for my champagne to take another sip.

It’s then that I notice what’s lying untouched on the table. My eyes flick back up toward the door as temptation emerges.

Though I’m no expert by any means, Finch and the others have taught me some basics. That includes hacking phones.

I check one last time that I’m alone, and then I do it. I reach for Roman’s phone…

* Mne prikhoditsya vesti sebya prilichno, no s toboy tyazhelo -I have to behave decently, but it’s hard with you.

* Net nichego vkusneye tebya -there is nothing tastier than you.

CHAPTER 19

Katerina

The most nerve-rackingseconds of my life pass as I hold Roman’s phone in the palm of my hand and use a cheat code to unlock his phone.

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