Page 8 of The Boss's Revenge

“It was desperation. A call for help, before drowning.”

“Kira, I can’t help you, or even understand you, unless you tell me the truth.”

“I have a doctor’s appointment,” she suddenly blurted.

“You do?” Christ, was she really pregnant? I couldn’t ignore the feeling that curdled in my belly at the thought.Jealousy.

She nodded, looking pale, but still brought her chin up and stared me down. She was a fighter, this stunning woman, and I couldn’t say it wasn’t a turn-on.

“Get dressed then. I’ll come with you,” I said.

She only paled further, but nodded, heading down the hall to the spare room she’d slept a few hours in.

“I’ll shower, and then we’ll go.” In the shower, my mind ran through the possible outcomes of going to the doctor together. I could demand to know for certain if she was pregnant, surely, and she’d have no choice but to let me know the truth. Drying and dressing quickly, I headed back to the kitchen. I was perplexed to find it empty.

“Kira?” I called, spying the window open behind the sink. Striding to the door, I wrenched it open. Alberto hurried toward me.

“Where is she?” I asked him roughly, staring down the street.

Alberto looked lost. “I don’t know! I didn’t see anything.”

Frustration licked at my veins. The little minx had run away, presumably to put off the test. Once again, I’d underestimated her.

CHAPTER 6

Kira

Omer was staying at an expensive hotel downtown. I had no idea whose arm he had twisted to swing it, but I was grateful there was a separate room where I could get away from my hateful father. It had been a mistake to go with Rocco. There was no way he would leave me alone until he tested me, and that was a test I’d immediately fail. I’d had to get away. I’d told my father that Rocco was angry and scared me. He hadn’t much believed it but let me stay with him anyway. I wondered if he knew as well as I did that a test would be negative, or if he really thought I was carrying Rocco’s child. Regardless, he was letting me stay with him, and postpone the inevitable.

As soon as I was alone, inside my room, I checked the other doors in the room, finding a bathroom, and a walk-in wardrobe, and one of the windows opened onto a fancy looking fire escape. I sank down on the bed and stared at the ceiling. I’d done it. I’d finally made my move. Of course, I knew that this was only a mild reprieve. Rocco Luciano wouldn’t end up walking down the aisle next to me, but the whole thing had bought me some time. I took the pregnancy test out of my bag and laid it on the dressing table, staring at the little pink lines. Hana, my previous fake fiancé’s new wife, was pregnant. Swiping a test from herhadn’t been difficult. It probably wasn’t even reliable now, being several days old, but none of the men involved in the showdown last night had seemed to know that.

When my lies all came crashing down, I wondered if Rocco would be even a little amused that I’d lied so audaciously, considering not only wasn’t I sleeping with anyone else, but I was still a virgin. It only made my lies more outrageous, but I really hadn’t seen any other way. Omer would have dragged me immediately back to Russia and I’d have been married, and buried under Igor Vasily’s vast weight within a week. This way, after pointing the finger at Rocco, I’d bought myself some time. I wasn’t completely shameless. I planned on leaving a letter confessing to all my lies and clearing Rocco’s name before I made my getaway. Konstantin, my best friend, was securing my money, and a new identity. I just needed another week, and I’d be gone. Maybe I could have told Rocco the truth. Would he have helped me if he knew my plan? No, I’d embarrassed him, and hurt his reputation. He might be kind, but he was still a Luciano. They weren’t known for their mercy.

A rough knock sounded at the door. “Sleep, Kira, take care of your body, and the baby. If I find out you’ve lied to me… you won’t like the consequences,” Omer said through the door. I curled into a ball on the soft mattress, suddenly too tired to keep my eyes open.

Fear wormed through me, and I shivered. I closed my eyes and let myself drift away.

The soundof the window softly closing woke me. It wasn’t expected, and I’d spent years of my life on high alert for creeping, stealthy noises. I sat up, my hand already reaching forthe small knife I’d slipped under the pillow, as a heavy weight bore me backward.

Rocco loomed over me, his hands fastened against my wrists like manacles, pinning me to the bed. His body pressed me into the mattress. I couldn’t move. I was trapped.

“Scream and your father dies,” he said quietly.

I stared at him, my hand frozen in place, the small knife I’d first sliced his face with still gripped in my rigid fingers. “Your brother gave his word,” I reminded him quickly.

“I’m not my brother.” His eyes worked over me, trying to puzzle me out, and moved to my hand. He hauled my wrists up above my head, and pinned them with one huge, strong palm, as he wrestled my blade from me with the other.

He slid it between his fingers, agile and easy with the weapon. A deep shudder ran through me at the sight. “Now, now, I thought we were lovers? Is this how you treat all your lovers?”

“What are you doing here?”

“We weren’t finished talking, and besides, you had a test to take, remember?”

“Taking the test right now wasn’t in the agreement,” I pointed out, mulishly.

Rocco’s eyebrows climbed his high forehead. “You really are shameless, aren’t you, Kira?” His eyes traveled over my face. “Maybe I should be shameless too, for once?” he said, tossing the knife away so it clattered onto the carpet.

“Shameless how?” I wondered, getting nervous as his eyes fell on my lips.

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