Dean caught the attention of another man walking by, a tall brunette in a crisp tux and black satin mask. He was gangly but cute in a boyish kind of way, and as soon as his eyes clapped on Jo he stopped in his tracks and went over. Dean introduced them, and from that moment on Dean ceased to exist.
If Jo was happy before, she was beaming now. I leaned against the doorway and smiled. I was glad she dragged me out.
“I can’t tell whether you’re batty or a stalker,” a smooth male voice said from beside me in a posh, crisp accent.
I straightened in alarm, nearly spilling champagne. The stranger smiled down at me, endeared by my alarm more than apologetic.
“Neither,” I corrected.
“A woman with two drinks, staring blissfully into a room full of people but talking to nobody…” he mused. “People will wonder.”
I met his gaze. His eyes were a deep forest green and sent a shiver of delight through me. Even though he wore a black and silver mask, more concealing than most of the others in the room, I could tell he was incredibly handsome. That he was at least 6’3” and broad as a brick wall helped. He looked familiar somehow, but I couldn’t place him.
“People should mind their own goddamn business,” I said.
“An American,” he drawled. “Delightful. How are things in the former colonies?”
“Wouldn’t know.”
I plastered an expression of disinterest on my features and swung my gaze back to my sister, who was still having a wonderful time. My heart was racing, cheeks blazing with heat, though I hoped he thought it was a symptom of the room and not my fiery core.
Struggling to fill the charged silence that grew between us, I nodded toward where Jo stood, face like sunbeams. “I’m watching my sister. I don’t want to interrupt since she’s having a good time.”
“You’re a good sister.”
“I try.” I handed him the glass of champagne that was meant for her.
“Cheers,” he said, taking it. “Normally I don’t take drinks from strange women at parties, but there’s something about you that doesn’t scream assassin.”
“Perhaps I don’t need to be so strange then.”
I turned to him, mustering up courage. I was a beautiful, successful actress. What did I have to be self-conscious about?
“What’s your name?” I asked.
The man’s eyes narrowed a little and he took a sip of champagne. “Therein lies the problem,” he said. “I’m not supposed to be here.”
“A party crasher?” I chuckled. “You don’t seem like the type.”
“All the same.” A sly smile crept onto his lips. “How about a little game?”
The way he said it held the promise of something dark and seductive, and I licked my dry lips.
“What kind of game?”
“We each give each other a name and ridiculous backstory, become new people for the night.”
Okay, I was intrigued. Adding a fake name on top of a mask was layering anonymity on anonymity and I was all about that. Plus, this guy was smokin’ hot. He could’ve suggested a spirited round of whist and I’d be in there like swimwear.
“Let’s do it,” I said. “You go first.”
“Very well.” The man swiped his tongue across his lip in contemplation, jade eyes studying me.
“You go by the pseudonym Katherine Bond, a budding model, but really you’re Katarina Blotnikov,” he said. “Assassin extraordinaire.”
“I thought you said I didn’t seem like the type.”
He smirked. “And that’s why you’re so good at it. You’ve cleverly assimilated into posh society in order to get close to your next mark.”
“Who would that be?” I asked.
“How am I to know?” He shrugged and took a sip of champagne. “You never tell me anything. You’re like a safe.”
“You have quite the imagination,” I said flatly, though all things considered I was quite flattered. A model and an assassin? It sounded bad ass.
“Darling, you have no idea.” He winked and my insides burned.
I cleared my throat. “Okay. So I’m Katarina Blotnikov, assassin extraordinaire, and you’re...” I paused, thinking. “Dennis Kickaroff. Eldest son of the Kickaroff crime family. You have a rubber duck collection but nobody who has seen it has lived to tell about it.”
He cocked a brow. “Both criminals? I like it.”
“One thing left to figure out, Dennis.” I gestured between us. “How do we know each other?”
He flashed a panty-melting smile and lifted his free hand, fiddling around with the one clutching the champagne flute.
“That’s easy,” he said. I realized then that he was pulling a golden band off his pinkie. He took my left hand in his and slid the ring on my finger. “You’re my wife.”
Chapter 3
Alexander
Katarina’s surprise was quickly overtaken by a red blush running up from her neck. She was good at hiding her reactions, so this morsel of unfiltered abashment tasted sweet.
“Right,” she said, glancing down at the ring that fit perfectly on her finger. She recovered almost instantly. “In that case, one person has seen your rubber ducky collection and survived.”
“And what did you think of it?”
She let her hand fall to her side and her mouth pinched. “Honestly, I was expecting it to be a little bigger.”
Oh, this girl had some cheek in her. Perfect.
Something caught Katarina’s attention before I could retort, and we both looked over to see her sister waving at us. Once she caught our attention, she gestured to the next room and made a dancing motion. Katarina waved back and nodded, and her sister disappeared.
“It’s a good thing I came with my husband,” she mused. “Otherwise I’d have just been ditched.”
I offered her my arm. “Come along, darling. If we want your mission to be a success, we’re going to have to do more than stand around and talk about ducks.”
“Should you be talking like that?” She took my arm. The light touch sent electricity to the tips of my fingers. “You don’t sound like the racketeering type.”
“We’re an upscale organization.”
“Of course, how could I forget?”
I chuckled and led her toward the bar, as both of our glasses were empty. We ordered more champagne and took a turn around the room.
“I thought I recognized someone here!” a shrill female voice came from behind us. A finger poked into my back.
I stiffened. I thought getting a mask that covered most of my face would be enough to keep me from being recognized. Wishful thinking, I supposed.
Gritting my teeth, I turned. And frowned.
The middle-aged woman in front of us was dressed like a 1920s flapper, dark hair trussed up with ribbons and a purple, feathery mask resting above pink-stained cheeks. I had no idea who she was.
“You’re Davie’s boy, aren’t you? I heard you were going to be here but I didn’t dare hope.” She looked at Katarina, winking. “These Harvard boys. Play as hard as they work, I suppose.” She turned back to me. “How is your dear father?”
Relief flooded my bones. The irony of being mistaken for someone else while pretending to be someone else was not lost on me, but I had no desire to be Davie’s boy, whoever he was. Davie’s boy wasn’t Katarina’s husband.
“I’m afraid you’ve made a mistak,” I said, lowering my voice an octave just in case. “My name’s Dennis. Dennis Kickaroff.” I motioned toward the black-haired beauty on my arm. “This is my wife, Katarina.”
“You must forgive me!” she tittered. “It’s so difficult to determine who’s who in here. I’ve never been brilliant with faces. Katarina and Dennis, it is lovely to meet you. I’m Janet Shaw.”
“Wonderful to meet you as well,” said Kat. Her American accent was gone. If I didn’t know already where she came from, I would have thought her a local. “My husband was just lamenting our lack of acquaintance here. How pleasant to find a friend
ly face.”
Janet puffed up, obviously pleased to receive such positive attention. I could tell that the near-empty glass of wine clutched in a claw-like grip was not the first of the evening. She swayed on the spot as she spoke, which wouldn’t have been noticeable except for the layers of fringe encasing her.
“What is it that you do?” she said. “If you don’t mind me asking. Everyone here seems to be someone important. As a personal chef, I feel quite common.”
Katarina looked up at me, grinning. Your turn, her expression said. Good luck.
“I work for my family’s business,” I answered, uncomfortable with how close to the truth it was. “We have several high-profile assets and investments, but most of my job revolves around eliminating the competition.”
“And I’m a model,” Kat said proudly. “I have a feature in next month’s Vogue.”
Janet’s eyes widened. “I’ll have to look out for you!”
“Oh, do,” said Kat.
Janet downed the rest of her glass and looked at it mournfully. “I’m afraid I must fly, my dears. I’ve friends in here somewhere. Probably by the bar.”
“It was a pleasure,” I said.
Janet smiled and walked past us. Once she was out of view, Kat descended into a fit of giggles.
“I’ve always thought that if something was this fun it was probably a bad idea,” she said.
“All the best things are.” I jabbed my chin in the direction her sister disappeared. “Let’s go.”
“Where are we going?” she asked, trailing beside me as I cut through the middle of the floor. “At assassin school they taught me eight ways to kill a man with a high heel. Better not be trying anything funny.”
“I’ve had a drink, I’ve had a chat,” I said. “Now I’d like to have a dance with my wife.”
Kat had no sassy reply, and soon we plunged into the crowd of dancing couples. I turned her in my arms, placing one hand on the small of her waist and holding the other by my shoulder. Something hot flickered in her gaze and she put her hand on my arm.
I started leading her around the floor. Nothing complicated, just swaying and steps. This wasn’t the place to dazzle the crowd or my date with a Viennese Waltz or a Foxtrot.
“You’re surprisingly fleet-footed for a gangster thug,” Kat commented.
“Like I said, we’re a classy bunch.” I spun her, pulling her back a little closer this time.
“I suppose that only goes to show that anyone can surprise you,” she said breathlessly. “Even your husband.”
The space between our bodies was hot, fervently so. If there were other people on the dance floor, in the room, on the planet, I was unaware. All I could see was her. Smoldering golden eyes stared back at me, and her plump cherry lips stood out against the caramel of her skin, begging to be kissed.
I was no stranger to desire, but this was different. I wanted her like I’d never wanted any woman before, and I had since the first moment I talked to her. Primal instincts barged past my breeding and manners and urged me to claim her. To own her. To make her mine in every way. I didn’t know whether it was the light in her eyes, her dusky beauty, or the fire that laced each word from her lips. I only knew that if I went the night without tasting her, I’d shrivel into a husk of a man.
We danced slow, then fast, then slow again for what felt like hours, then escaped onto the balcony for some air. Janet found us again, her friends with her this time, and we played our game like experts.
The anonymity of the mask made me feel freer than I had in a long time, and I sensed Kat was feeling the same. We took the opportunity to indulge in a little mischief, sneaking into forbidden spaces and playing harmless pranks. Time seemed to flash by, and before I knew it the festivities began to draw to a close. I checked my watch while Kat went to the bathroom, noting that there was an hour left before the night was officially over.
Kat returned, and I took the opportunity to admire her from a distance as she approached. Her dress fit snugly, as if molded to her curves. The black gossamer parted at the side so that when she walked I got a mouthwatering glimpse of her toned leg.
“It looks like people are starting to clear out,” Kat said, stopping before me.
“We’ve got an hour before we’ll be kicked out officially, but there are plenty of after parties already on the run.”
She frowned. “Boo. For a while there it seemed like the night might last forever. Reality’s a bitch.”
“Now, now.” I caught her eye, grinning. “Don’t call it until it’s dead.”
“What should we do?” she asked, scanning the room. “We could steal some more hor d’oeurves from the kitchen. I could go for another of those mini pie things.”
“We could do that,” I said, nodding. “Or we could do something else.”
“Like what?”
I brushed an escaped curl behind her ear. Her hair was black and silky, though she had styled it into a chignon for the occasion. I wondered if I’d ever get to see it down.
“There are dozens of empty rooms upstairs,” I said, dropping my voice just above a whisper. “I don’t think anyone would mind if we borrowed one for a little while.”
Her brow furrowed in question but then it dawned on her and her lips fell open just a little. She was testing my restraint and didn’t even know it. I had half a mind to slam her up against the wall right there. I might die if she turned me down, and it was the first time in a very long time that I worried about being rejected.
And then, mercy, lust flashed in her eyes. And something else. Daring. My cock swelled.
“Screw it,” she said. “I’ve been playing it safe for way too long.”
I smiled and took her hand, leading her through the remnants of the crowd toward the curving balustrade to the second floor. We weren’t supposed to be up there, but everyone was either too drunk or too distracted to realize. The security at these kinds of things was always less than one would expect.
Kat’s hand was soft and warm in mine. The simple touch of skin on skin whispered promises of pleasure for what was about to come, and I couldn’t wait.
The first room we tried was already occupied by a half-naked couple and a bottle of champagne. We tried the next, which was blessedly free. It was a storage room of sorts, with sheets covering the few pieces of furniture and dust stirring with each footstep. I guided Kat inside and closed the door. My heart hammered out gunshots inside my chest.
Kat faced me. The closed curtains glowed white from the street lamps, illuminating the room just enough that I could see every delicious inch of her. She turned her swan-like neck to look around the room and I could sense she was questioning her decision. It was real now.
“Hey,” I murmured, stepping up to her. I ran my thumb down her cheek to her chin, guiding her face up to look at me.
My gentleness surprised her. She blinked and opened her mouth, a question poised at the tip of her tongue. And then she discarded it and kissed me.
Her mouth was sweet and supple. I groaned with pleasure and dove in, sucking in her lip and tongue. She plastered her body against mine. My hands found her ass, squeezing. She was plump like ripe fruit. And, like ripe fruit, I hoped I’d soon be licking her off my fingers.
The kiss deepened, grew frantic. All her initial hesitation was gone. Her hands roamed my chest, pulling at my bow tie and unbuttoning my shirt to slip inside and caress my skin. Sparks of pleasure skittered down between my legs. My cock was almost uncomfortably hard, throbbing with need.
I dug my fingers into her hair and tipped her head back, kissing down her neck, biting, sucking on her velvet skin. She moaned softly and her body quivered.
This mystery woman was so perfect in every way that I wouldn’t be surprised if she suddenly disappeared in a puff of smoke. The way she tasted, the way she responded to my touch, the way she made me feel from my balls to the marrow of my bones... It couldn’t be real, yet it felt more real than anything I’d ever known.
I pushed he
r back to the wall. The slit in her dress made it easy to hike up around her hips, and I pulled aside her silken panties and dove into her heat. Kat cried out in pleasure. She was soaking wet and my mouth watered.
I swirled my fingers over her clit as my other hand massaged her tit, squeezing in time with my ministrations. Kat panted against the wall, half-lidded eyes watching me with heat. I held her gaze as I slipped a finger inside.
She was tight. Hot. The sensation of her inner walls against my finger made my cock jump. I slid another finger inside, stretching her, and Kat whimpered.
“That feels amazing,” she breathed.
“It’s going to feel even more amazing when my cock splits you open.” I twisted my fingers inside of her and nipped her throat. “I can’t wait to sink into your pretty little pussy, my beautiful Katarina.”
I’d fucked a lot in my life. Many women. Many times. One thing I hadn’t done, however, was role play. Never really appealed to me. This unintentional game was turning out to be the hottest fuck I’d ever had. This woman was my wife and I was going to cherish her like she was my wife, fuck her until she was breathless like she was my wife. Whatever happened afterward was too far ahead for me to see, but for now I submerged in the fantasy and breathed it in until I drowned.
I thrust my fingers in and out of Kat while circling my thumb over her clit, making her ready for me. I couldn’t wait much longer before I had her, and we couldn’t stay in here too long anyway. It was a shame that tonight would have to be a quickie. I could have spent hours exploring her body.
Kat scratched her nails down my chest and I groaned, hair standing on end. That was it. My resolve broke.
In one fluid motion, I turned Kat and pressed her front against the wall, pulling her hips back and up until her ass was on full display. It was round, perfect. I tore her panties down and fought with my pants until they were open enough to pull out my cock. It was fully engorged, vein sticking out angrily on the side. Kat looked back and saw it, mouth dropping open.
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