Page 48 of Capturing Victory

The love he felt for her burned and churned in his gut, made him wish he could hate her. But then, hatred was a feeling too. And Jaya was the only person capable of pulling any kind of emotion from him.

“What’re we gonna do?” Keane grunted from beside him. “Canary going back in her cage so she don’t get caught in the crossfire?”

Ivan wanted to nod his head, wanted to agree with the man. But he was smarter than that. If he wanted to finish with this threat on his life, the same threat that was also putting Jaya at risk then he needed her involvement. Though her move to connect with Father angered him, he knew it was a good move, he could use it to their advantage. Flush the enemy out, invite him to Ivan’s doorstep and then take him apart piece by piece.

“No,” he said coolly. “We’ll use her to bring Father in. Make sure she’s visible, then get her to safety. It’s your job to make sure nothing happens to her.”

Keane snorted. “I think I’ll request compassion leave. My auntie is sick and I need to some time off. Think my survival is higher that way.”

Ivan ignored him, turned and left the room.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

“Anything you want to tell me?”

Jaya glanced up at Ivan, positive that guilt was written all over her face. They were walking side-by-side down the wide hall toward their bedroom. They’d just shared their supper meal and Ivan had decided to spend the rest of the evening with her rather than go back to work. Her heart had leapt at the suggestion since she might be leaving the next day. Who knows if he would want her back once she left? If he would understand her reasons. She was going to soak up as much of his attention while she could.

She shook her head, dark hair swirling around her shoulders as she tilted her head to look up at him innocently. She could tell from the gathering storm in his grey eyes that she was failing. He knew something was up, had probably followed her earlier chat and wasn’t happy about it. She bit her lip and walked into their bedroom when he opened the door and held it for her. The moment she cleared the threshold he slammed it shut and locked it, clearly taking out some of his anger on the heavy door. She flinched and stepped back.

He turned to look at her, his eyes sweeping over her from head to toe, warming slightly but not losing the boiling anger that had seethed just below the surface from the moment he’d picked her up for their evening meal. She’d chosen something completely different to wear, wanting to make an impression on what was possibly her last night with the handsome arms dealer. With the arrival of her new wardrobe, thanks to a spendy princess, she had plenty of choices. She was now wearing a Stella McCartney mid-thigh length black lace dress that covered her from wrists to neck. But the sheer fabric hinted at lush curves and complimented her dark skin. Ndari had insisted she wear the dress with a pair of ‘killer’ black heels, which Jaya began to take literally after a few hours of practicing in them. But the overall effect of the outfit was worth it. Even angry, Ivan couldn’t take his eyes off her.

“Tell me who Daddy is?” he demanded, his voice hard, though his gaze still lingered on her breasts and hips.

She shook her head a little. “He’s no one important.”

“He’s obviously important enough that you’re planning on doing a job for him without permission,” Ivan shot back. “Now start talking unless you want to discuss who exactly you’ll be calling daddy in the future. And trust me, if we have that conversation, you’ll be doing it on your knees.”

Jaya couldn’t help it, despite the stress she was under, she giggled at the thought of Ivan forcing her to call him daddy. She covered her mouth quickly, but not before he caught her amusement. He, of course, was less than amused. His eyebrows came down in a glower and he took the steps separating them. She jumped back quickly, hitting the edge of the bed, and nearly fell backwards. He caught her arm and jerked her upright.

“You think this is funny?” he growled.

“No,” she whispered, and then the image of him telling her to call him daddy while she went down on him smashed through her brain again. She laughed out loud. “I-I’m sorry! I can’t help it.”

His lip twitched and he dropped his forehead against hers. He gripped a handful of her hair and wrapped it around his fingers, allowing some of the smooth strands to escape, while others stayed caged in his grip. He used his other arm to pull her in close against his hard chest. She snuggled against him, his willing captive. He forced her head back a little and dropped a gentle kiss against her lips. “I love you so fucking much, even when you’re actively ripping my heart out,” he murmured against her.

She shook her head, wrapped her arms around his waist and stared up at him. “If I rip your heart out then I’ll keep it safe, I promise.” It was the best she could give him. She wasn’t going to promise not to betray him, not to rip out his heart, because she was going to do both. But she was going to do her best not to hurt him too badly.

He stared down at her, his eyes steely. Finally he dipped his head in a single nod, picked up her hand and pressed a kiss into the palm. “All I ask is that you be safe, Jaya, my love. If anything happens to you…”

She felt a lump in her throat at his words and had to blink rapidly. She almost couldn’t believe that she’d found this kind of love. A man that she could fall in love with, a man that had fallen in love with her, flaws and all. A woman both with and without a history. And she was going to walk away from him, the man promising her love and family; the things she’d never had and always yearned for. A sob of despair escaped her throat and a tear dripped straight down from her eye to her cheek.

Ivan swiped his thumb over the apple of her cheek. “Tell me,” he said huskily. She sensed that he wanted her to speak, but he wasn’t curious. It was like he already knew.

She opened her mouth to confess, to tell him that Father was coming to take her away, that she didn’t want to go. That she wanted to make her life here, with Ivan, on top of the world in Jakarta, where they were safe. Only it was false. They weren’t safe and never would be. Though difficult, they could both eventually be tracked. Especially by a man with the resources and determination Father had. It had taken many years, but Father had eventually found Ivan through his cat burglar, Katie Pullman, and then used her to get to Ivan by putting Katie and XSource in touch with each other. Now it was up to Jaya to go to Father and talk to him, find out if she could convince him to give up his life-consuming vendetta against a man who didn’t even know who he was. For that matter, Jaya didn’t even really know who Father was. He’d always been just a shadowy man that’d asked favours of his foundlings, utilized their talents in return for a roof over their heads and food in their bellies.

But it was more than that,her brain whispered.

Father had used his own hatred to somehow twist the children he rescued. He’d done it subtly, using words and images until Jaya could barely remember a time when she hadn’t hated and feared Ivan Vogel. Only when he was sure that Jaya was a good, obedient little minion had Father let her loose in the world to run amok. To build her own empire using her hacking skills. All he asked of her was that she occasionally fuck with Ivan’s arms deals and insinuate herself in the life of his protégé, Katie Pullman.

She realized that Ivan was waiting for an answer. Her lips quivered as she whispered the words that came out before she even knew what she was saying, “Ivan, I think I love you.”

His hands tightened on her and his eyes grew fierce. He nodded, his own lips thinning right before he spoke. His voice was hard. “I won’t forbid you from doing this job tomorrow, Jaya, but you promise me you’ll be safe.”

“I… I’ll try,” she said, her words stumbling as she choked on a sob.

He shook her. “No, you will do it,” he said roughly. “You will not put yourself in any kind of danger or I will put you in a cage for the rest of your natural life, sweetheart. I’ll make your cage on the island look like luxury in comparison. You understand?”

“Oh god,” she sobbed, clinging to him. Neither of them acknowledged what they weren’t saying out loud. That she was going to betray him and try to find a way to leave with Father and that he knew. That he knew and forgave her. “Ivan!”

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