Page 24 of Shielded Secrets

“If he hadn’t been worried about getting back to her, he would’ve been able to see who was at that meeting and who’d killed Marcus,” Lev argued.

Eva glared at him. “She had no control over that. Neither did he.” She pointed at Rurik. “He acted on what he was aware of.”

Rurik nodded. “If I had the slightest guess that this meeting would’ve happened, then I would’ve stayed.”

“But then I’d be dead.” I shrugged. “Look, I’m sorry to stir up all this trouble. I don’t want to complicate anything or get in the middle of all… this.” Holding up my hands in surrender, I spun and backed up toward the door. “Eva, it was nice to see you, and Irina, I’m glad you’re doing well. But um, I don’t belong here and…”

Lev huffed a weak laugh. “Like we’re going to let you walk away with all this information,” he muttered.

My jaw dropped. “But I didn’t ask to be here. I didn’t want to be here. Rurik said—Eva wanted to see… And I—” Strong arms wrapped around me as I bumped into someone. Knowing somehow that they were Rurik’s, I relaxed a bit. I’d dreamed too often of being in his arms, with his strong chest bracing my back,that I didn’t have the instinct to fight and get free, no matter how scary Lev’s words sounded. As though the fear of being forced into staying here couldn’t be so bad if Rurik was with me.

“Settle down,” the older man in the chair said. He stood, setting his cigar on a side table. “Kelly, isn’t it?”

I furrowed my brow. “Who are you?”

“Oleg Baranov.” He tipped his chin up as he looked down at me. “Welcome to my home.” He dragged his attention from me to Rurik, nodding at him once. “See that our guest is comfortable. We’ll discuss the matter of this politician’s death tomorrow morning.”

That still sounded like a coerced expectation to stay here. Rurik obeyed, though, shifting me so I would walk forward with him.

“Eva?” I sought her out as I walked with Rurik. It was a twisted tug-of-war playing out in my mind. I’d missed him so much even though we’d hardly gotten to know each other before. I longed for the security he seemed to give me so freely. But I hated to be stuck here and told what to do or where to go. Panic rose again. “Eva, I?—”

“It’ll be fine, Kelly,” she insisted, walking with me as Rurik led me toward the stairs of this mega-mansion. “We’ll talk in the morning.”

“No. You can’t just kidnap me and keep me here against my will.”

Rurik took his arm off me, seeming sullen as we walked further.

“I mean…” I hated that he’d think I wouldn’t want to be here withhim. That was what I’d dreamed of, being with him in any possible way. I just couldn’t tolerate the idea that I was forced tobe here and associated with their organization. “I have a life. I have my jobs. And classes and…”

“But isn’t tomorrow the start of spring break?” Irina asked as she headed up the wide stairs with us. She branched off to go the same way down the hallway that Eva was going, while Rurik was taking me the opposite way.

“Yes, it is, but?—”

“Then sleep. Rest up after the scares you’ve had.” Eva came back, frowning as she studied my face. “Well, let me get some ice first, and then?—”

“I’ll take care of her,” Rurik cut in. He stated it. It wasn’t an offer, and dammit, did my stupid heart race faster. The mere thought of it—a man taking care of me. It sounded like a dream I couldn’t trust.

Eva nodded, telling me that she’d see me in the morning before walking away.

Once it was just me and Rurik walking down the hall, I resumed my frantic ramble. “Rurik, I don’t want to be a hostage held here for answers. I’m a nobody. I’m not important in whatever the hell is going on with these drugs and rival families and please, I don’t want to be forced to stay here and?—”

He stopped at a door and put his hand up high on it. Staring at me deeply, he tilted his head to the side and sighed. “I’m not forcing you to stay?—”

I rolled my eyes. “But obviously, when the Boss says to jump, you jump.”

“But I won’t hesitate to ask you to.”

My mouth remained open, parted as I couldn’t reply.

“Will you stay, Kelly? Tonight?” He searched my face, reaching up to cup my face and stroke his thumb over my cheek. The skin still stung there, and I winced. “Stay so I don’t have to worry about you being safe?”

“I’m not yours to worry about. My safety isn’t your concern.”

He growled, leaning in closer as he slid his hand to the back of my neck. “The hell it isn’t.”

Holy fuck.

Rurik was already too hot to handle, but like this? Dominant and greedy for me, he was so sinfully sexy that I struggled to resist him. “I want to leave,” I said as firmly as I could.

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