Page 69 of Devious Secrets

“And you? Were you raised here?” she questions.

“Mostly. My father brought us here when I was a baby, but each summer he’d send my brothers and me back home to Russia to stay with our grandparents. I still return there during the summer to visit our family home.”

“That’s probably why your accent isn’t as thick as Gregor’s. It was hard to understand him sometimes, but I don’t even hear it with you most of the time.” Megan reminding me of her little adventure with my sister tenses my muscles. If DeAngelo had happened to see her while they were out, she could have been taken. Elana could have been hurt.

“Gregor only came to this country last year,” I say.

“Maybe I could work for you. Well, not for you, but the club? You know, until Mira pops back up.” She spins around so fast she knocks right into my chest. I grab hold of her arms and steady her so she doesn’t bounce onto the floor.

“Work for the club?” It’s not going to happen, but I have a few minutes before my meeting, and this might be amusing.

“Yeah. I can waitress, or I can work on the housekeeping staff, or I can—” She stops talking when I start shaking my head.

“No. To all of that.”

“Well, what about downstairs? You must have different staff down there, and I bet I could make more money down there than up here anyway.”

Red blurs the edges of my vision at the idea of her being down there with all the men who enjoy their time there.

“No.” I drop the word hard so there’s no mistaking my meaning.

“Then I can get a loan. My credit score is better than it was before; I’m sure I can get a personal loan. Then I— Stop shaking your head at me. I’m trying to find a solution!”

“I’ve already told you the solution.” I move to my desk.

“Yes, but your solution is insane.”

Pulling open the bottom drawer, I glance up at her. “My solution keeps you alive.”

“There’s no reason for him to hurt me if I pay him back. You’re just trying to scare me into doing what you want. And why the hell would you want to marry me anyway?” She crosses her arms over her chest and sticks out a hip.

“You have a point. You’re stubborn beyond reason, disobedient, and reckless with your safety.” I tick off each item with a finger as her cheeks redden.

“You see, you don’t want to marry me,” she insists, her hands fisted at her sides. “Then why not just let me go!”

I go back to looking through my drawer until I find what I need and pull it out, shoving the drawer closed.

“Because.”

Her eyes widen with my answer, and it’s almost too fucking sexy to ignore. She might actually explode one of these times.

“Because?” Her left eye twitches a little at the corner.

“Yes.” I give a hard nod and bring the coil of rope into her line of sight. “Now. Are you going to promise me that you’ll stay here in my office while I’m gone?”

Her eyes narrow on the rope.

“Are you threatening to tie me up?” She points at the hemp rope coiled in my hands. Her anger bubbles up again. “Who keeps rope in their desk drawer!?”

“Considering the afternoon you had, do you blame me?” I put the rope on the table beside an armchair. “Promise you’ll stay in here, and I won’t have to use it.”

“You’d believe me if I promised?” She’s right. So far, she hasn’t given me any reason to trust her.

“I could just tie you up, but I’m giving you a chance here.” If she only understood what a rare thing this is. Then maybe she’d stop looking as though I’ve grown a second head.

The door to my office swings open and Ivan waltzes in, pausing when he sees the scene before him.

“I’m interrupting.” He doesn’t leave. Of course he doesn’t. He probably finds this entire thing fucking hilarious.

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