Page 28 of Wicked Vow

I know I’m risking my life by being here. Viktor is in the building–Ruby is auditioning for him tonight. But I needed to see Natalia. Ihadto.

Overhearing her conversation with Caterina, when I’d followed her after her doctor’s appointment, made that all the more clear to me.

The thought that she might not want our child, that she might put an end to that possibility, drives me insane. It makes me want to lock her up far away from anyone who might be able to get to her, keep her there until she comes to her senses, until she sees the future that we could have. But I know I have to be careful.

One wrong move and I’m as good as dead. If Natalia knows I’m following her, knows I haven’t given up, and tells Viktor–Iwillbe dead.

I stay there, motionless, as the music starts and Ruby comes out onto the stage, outlined in the glowing lights. I can see Viktor at the very front, watching her, dressed in his usual business casual, all of his attention focused on his potential new employee. But all ofmyattention is on Natalia–and she has no idea I’m there.

She looks more beautiful than ever to me, sitting there prim and elegant, focused on the stage and her friend as well. It reminds me of the early days, before she knew I was even really watching her, when I wasn’t even entirely sure she was the woman I was looking for.

I’d wanted her so badly, even then.

Ruby is halfway through her routine on the stage, but I barely even notice. There could be a dozen women stripping on stage, and Natalia would still be the only one I’d see.

The only one I’d want.

There’s not a shadow of a doubt left in my mind that there will never be any other woman I desire, or need–or love.

I have to find a way to get her back.

I watch her until Ruby is finished with her routine and walks down the steps on one side of the stage, throwing a robe on as she approaches Viktor, who is already standing to meet her. Natalia is getting up, too, walking towards them. As the three of them walk in the direction of Viktor’s office, I finally slip out of the shadows.

I can’t speak to Natalia. Not yet. But I can leave something to remind her of me, to let her know that I still want her.

Something to let her know that I’m still here. That I haven’t left her.

When I’m confident I won’t be spotted, I go up to the table where she was sitting before and leave what I’d brought for her. A single red rose, full and lush, in the center of the table. And then I slip back into the shadows near the back, waiting for her to sit down again. I know I should leave, that that’s the wisest course of action–but just like when I’d been in her room, I can’t bring myself to leave just yet. I need to see her, to know she got the rose, to see the look on her face when she realizes that I haven’t forgotten. That I still want her, no matter the danger or the cost.

When she comes back out, she’s alone. I watch her with my breath caught in my throat, eyes raking hungrily over her slender, perfect body, all the way until she reaches the table–and freezes in place.

For a moment, she doesn’t move, staring at the rose. Even from this distance, I can see her swallow hard until she finally reaches out with trembling fingers, picking it up gingerly by the stem.

I wait for her to bring it to her nose, breathe in the scent, to see the smile spread across her face. I wait for her to look for me–and she does. But when her head tilts up, her eyes flicking across the room, it’s not the expression I’d expected.

She doesn’t look happy or relieved. She doesn’t look as if she wants to see me.

She looks startled. Afraid. Worse than that.

She looks fuckingterrified.

I grit my teeth, a wave of frustration washing over me. I watch her drop the rose, wiping her hand off nervously on her shorts, looking around the room again with another quick, frightened glance before she pivots on her heel and hurries back towards the office.

My gut clenches.I have to fucking go.If she tells Viktor about the rose, he’ll come looking to see who’s in his club without authorization, and I’ll be fucked.

I’ll bedead.

Quickly, glancing for bouncers or other staff, I move towards the back entrance where I came in with my heart in my throat. I have my gun on me, but I know I’m not going to win in a shootout with Viktor’s men. It is, at best, a means of taking a couple of them with me before I go.

It’s not until I’m back out into the warm darkness of the night that I feel a little of the tension drain out of my muscles. I keep going down the block, head lowered, continuing on without looking around and trying not to listen for the sound of footsteps behind me, until I feel safe enough to stop and call a cab back to my hotel.

Once there, I lock myself in my room, running my fingers anxiously through my hair as I pace back and forth.

“What the fuck do I do?” I mutter aloud to the empty room, feeling the frustration build inside of me until I’m ready to scream from it. I’d thought she would be glad to know that I hadn’t abandoned her, that I still cared, but she’d been horrified.

Unless she didn’t realize it was me.But who else would it have been? The man who was leaving her threats and gifts before is dead–as fucking dead as it gets, once I was finished with him. We’re in New York, far from anyone else who might want to harm her for who she is. There’s only me left, so how could she not have known?

I want her. Ineedher, and I feel as if I’m coming out of my skin with the ferocity of it. I pace and pace, forgetting to even order dinner, running over the events of the night again and again until I finally glance at the laptop where I get the feeds from the planted audio bugs–and look at the clock.

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