Page 40 of Lethal Legacy

But it doesn’t have to be that way for Lucia.

I want to shelter her from whatever storm she’s fleeing. To stand in between her and whoever put that fear into her eyes. Preferably with a gun in my hand. In fact, the idea of coming face-to-face with whatever caused the fear I saw in Lucia’s eyes gives me the kind of killing lust I haven’t felt in a very long time.

Mind made up, I dial Pavel back. “I want the beach villa set up for accommodating a wheelchair,” I snap. “Hire whatever medical help and equipment is needed to take care of that old man. And I need a bank account set up, along with a line of credit.” I give the long list of orders swiftly, then ask him to read them back in case I’ve missed anything. “And Pavel?” I say at the end.

“Yes, boss?”

“This stays between us. Entirely between us. Nobody knows about that girl’s presence in this house, nor one single detail of what you’ve learned, either about her or the old man in her company. If I ever hear the name Lucia Lopez leave your lips, or see it on a computer screen, my gun will be the last thing you ever see. Do I make myself clear?”

“Crystal, sir.”

“Good.”

I end the call, then place another one, this time to London. It takes less than five minutes and the offer of carte blanche with my black credit card to convince Vera to delay the children’s return by one day.

That dinner left me with an appetite that nothing but Lucia’s naked body is going to satiate. And selfishly, I want one night alone with her before there are any other demands on her time. One night to make her scream aloud, over and over. One night to tongue-fuck every bit of lipstick off her luscious mouth. One night when she is thinking about nothing more than my hands on her body and my mouth devouring her flesh, inch by inch.

One more day until she’s mine.

I shift restlessly. It’s almost unsettling, how much I want her. Setting up an anonymous account with a great deal of money in it for Lucia’s exclusive access is just good business, I tell myself. As is placing the old man she cares for into luxury medical care. It frees Lucia up to focus exclusively on my needs. All of this is simply the most efficient way to ensure that those needs are met.

And besides, five months is long enough to tire of any woman.

Hell, I’ll probably be paying her off within the week.

Except that I can’t help imagining the relief she will feel when she knows she is finally safe. And knowing it is me who has provided her with that safety gives me a deep-seated, primal sense of satisfaction. Which is nothing compared to what I’m going to feel tomorrow night, when I finally have Lucia Lopez naked and moaning under my hands.

I strip off my clothes and head for a very cold shower. It’s going to be a long damn night.

13

ROMAN

“Ithought the kids were coming in this morning?” Dimitry casts me a curious glance the following day in my office.

“Change of plans,” I say curtly. “And I need you to head to the address I’m texting you. Pick Miss Lopez up and bring her here. She’ll be expecting you.”

“Will she, now.” Dimitry lounges by my desk, smirking.

“After you’ve brought her here, I want you to go back to her motel room. Discreetly, Dimitry.” I glare at him. “Very discreetly. That means not a single motherfucker knows you’re there, including the old man in the room next door to her.”

“What am I looking for?” He lifts a quizzical eyebrow. “I thought the geek squad was doing the background.”

“Lucia is using a fake name.”

Dimitry’s smirk fades.

“And she’s running from something.”

He starts to frown.

“I don’t know from who or what. But we have to assume they’re searching for her. That means we do nothing that might alert whoever it is to her whereabouts.”

I might use Pavel to do a digital search, but when it comes to keeping a confidence, Dimitry is the only person I truly trust. Briefly I give him a rundown on what little we know. “I want to know who Lucia is, and for that I need DNA. She’s been in that motel room for two nights, and she definitely uses a hairbrush. Get in and get out without being seen.”

“Got it, boss.”

There’s no trace of a smirk now. Dimitry knows when I mean business, just like I know nothing will stop him carrying out my orders.

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