When they arrived at a large round table, Kat shook herself back to the present and listened as Alexander introduced her to the other three couples already seated at the table. The only name that caught her attention was that of Mayor Ramsey and his wife, Kelly. The mayor. Interesting. Maybe she would catch a glimpse of Alexander Petrovsky in action tonight.
Alexander pulled out a chair for her between the mayor and his own seat. Kat settled into her seat and took a sip of the champagne that arrived. Dinner would not be served for another half hour, and the other couples at the table stood and headed for the dance floor.
Alexander casually draped his arm over the back of Kat’s chair and rested his hand lightly on her bare shoulder. The simple touch was scorching on her skin, but not in an unpleasant way, Kat noted absently. Like her body wasn’t her own and she was an outside observer.
Alexander leaned toward her as he spoke across her to the mayor. She noticed the way a lock of black hair fell across his forehead, and her fingers itched to reach out and smooth it back. What would that thick dark hair feel like between her fingers, she wondered. The sharp angles of his face were clean shaven tonight. He looked polished and sophisticated and utterly as comfortable in black tie as he had looked in gym clothes that first time she had seen him. That day his face was rough from a five o’clock shadow. Kat wondered what the difference would feel like under her fingertips. The smooth skin versus the scratchy stubble. Which would feel better against her neck?
“Katya?” Alexander’s low voice broke her from her unwelcome thoughts. He was looking at her with a mix of concern and amusement. As if he could read her thoughts.
“What?”
“Are you alright?”
“Um, yes. Of course.”
The mayor’s wife scooted her chair back. “I’m going to visit the little girls’ room. Come with?” she asked Kat.
The mayor stood to help his wife to her feet. Kat understood why, when she caught a glimpse of Kelly’s very pregnant belly, tightly encased in red satin. They made an odd couple. The mayor had to be pushing fifty and wasn’t a workout fanatic, as evidenced by his own round belly. Kelly, on the other hand, was much closer to Kat’s age, and seemed artificial from her blonde hair to her boobs to her long red nails. A classic example of a trophy wife.
“Okay,” Kat replied. Alexander stood as well and leaned in to brush his lips across her bruised cheekbone.
“Don’t be gone too long,” he murmured against her skin.
Kat wasn’t sure if the heat that spread across her cheeks was from his touch or she was actually blushing. Either one was equally foreign to her.
Kat followed as Kelly teetered toward the bathroom on sky high red heels. Inside Kat checked her hair and applied another coat of lip gloss while Kelly used the facilities.
When she waddled back out and washed her hands, she glanced at Kat’s reflection in the mirror.
“How’d you get to be so lucky?” she asked with genuine interest.
“What?”
“Alexander Petrovsky. He’s quite the catch. And he seems quite smitten with you. Usually he brings some mannequin bimbo to these things and hardly spares her a glance all evening. But you’re not just a chair filler.”
Kat wanted to say theirs was just a business arrangement, but she wasn’t sure she should divulge that information to this woman. So Kat shrugged and remained quiet. Which wasn’t a problem, because Kelly chattered on enough for both of them as she arranged her hair and slicked on lipstick the same shade of her dress. Her open clutch sat between them on the counter, and Kat saw the corners of several condom wrappers peeking out from behind a wad of cash.
When Kelly was done primping, they returned to the table to a heated conversation between Ramsey and Alexander. Though their tones were civilized, both men were leaning toward each other. Alexander’s jaw was tense even as he held a polite smile on his face.
When the women approached, Alexander swung his eyes to Kat and stood up.
“Sorry to interrupt,” she said.
“Not at all,” Alexander replied smoothly. “Would you care to dance, Katya?”
Kat set her clutch down on the table and smoothed her hands over her hips. “I’m not much of a dancer.”
Alexander leaned in to whisper against her ear. “Just follow my lead. If I sit at this table any longer, I am not going to be able to keep my hands off Ramsey’s thick neck.”
Kat snorted. “Well, we wouldn’t want you to kill the mayor in front of all these people. Lead the way.”
Alexander smirked at her and took her hand in his, leading them through the tables and onto the gleaming hardwood dance floor.
As Alexander raised their joined hands and placed his other on the small of her back, Kat braced herself for the familiar feeling of dread that came when someone touched her. But it didn’t come. It was disconcerting how absent that feeling was, replaced by other feelings she didn’t wholly understand.
Alexander was an excellent dancer, gliding them across the floor, guiding her with gentle presses on her back.
“So, what’s the deal with Ramsey?” Kat asked, and was thoroughly surprised when Alexander actually answered her.
“The mayor and I have an…understanding. However, he seems to think he has the upper hand in our business relationship. My civilized attempts to correct his thinking have failed.”
Kat glanced over to where the mayor was doting on his pregnant child-bride.
“You should use his wife,” she said as Alexander spun her around and pulled her back against his chest.
He looked down to meet her eyes. “What do you mean?”
Kat was fully aware that there was no longer any distance between their bodies. She was now flush against his hard masculine body, and though her mind wasn’t decided on how it felt about this closeness, her body was not objecting.
“When we were in the ladies’ room, I saw she has condoms in her purse.”
Alexander raised an eyebrow and waited for further explanation of how this would be helpful to him.
“A pregnant married woman who is faithful to her husband doesn’t need to carry multiple condoms in her purse.”
Understanding dawned in Alexander’s eyes. “Ah, so the good mayor’s wife is stepping out on him. Perhaps that baby might not even be his. Yes, she wouldn’t want that information to be known.”
Smiling down at Kat, Alexander said, “This is exactly why I wanted you to work for me.”
He had known she was smart and capable. This only proved what he had suspected all along. Katya Rossi was the only woman he had ever met who was able to play anywhere near his level.
“Thank you, Katya. I will put this information to good use.”
Kat looked to their table as Kelly stood and walked over to the bar. She swung those piercing eyes back to his, and Alexander almost forgot their relationship was business. Though one could hope.
“Let me talk to her,” Kat said.
“What? No. It’s one thing to provide me with information. But I won’t have you be an accessory…”
Kat’s hand left his shoulder, and she pressed her finger over his lips to silence him. It took everything he had not to suck it into his mouth. Though one taste of her would undoubtedly leave him wanting more.
“I want to help you,” she said softly.
“Why?”
She smiled, a genuine, breathtaking, bring a man to his knees smile. “I have no idea,” she replied, echoing his words from earlier.
The song ended and Alexander reluctantly released his hold on her. Kat immediately turned and walked to join Mrs. Ramsey at the bar. Alexander stood alone on the dance floor watching the feminine sway of her hips and the expanse of bare skin across her back and shoulders as she walked away. Jesus Christ, what had he gotten himself into?
Alexander returned to the table, but his eyes never strayed from Kat. He watched her stand next to Kelly as she ordered a drink from the bartender. Kelly laughed at something Kat said. Then
the bartender walked away and Kat leaned close. All the color drained from Kelly’s face, and then it was over. Kat picked up two glasses from the bar and walked gracefully over to where Alexander sat. He rose to greet her.
She handed him a glass of vodka and kept the glass of champagne for herself. “It’s done.”
He raised his glass, and said, “Did she understand the repercussions if she doesn’t get her husband to be more reasonable?”
Kat’s answering smile was wickedly sexy. “Oh, yes. She understands.”
Alexander had never been more turned on in his life. Perhaps he had finally met his match. A woman who understood him and accepted him as he was. His few previous relationships had been with women who no doubt had an inkling of what he was into, but turned a blind eye upon his business dealings. As long as he kept them happy in bed and dripping in jewels, they didn’t care how he made his money.
But Kat didn’t care about his money, and she not only accepted his darker side but seemed to enjoy it. Standing with the glass of vodka that she had brought him in his hand, looking at the incandescent woman before him, Alexander vowed to break down the walls surrounding Katya Rossi and have her for himself. No matter what he had to do or how long it took.
Chapter Fourteen
“Showtime, girls,” Ron called, sticking his balding head inside the door of the employee break room. Frowning, he looked around at the three women putting the finishing touches on themselves.
“Where the fuck is Larissa?” he barked in Kat’s direction.
Kat met his eyes in the mirror and shrugged. The two other cocktail waitresses on shift filed out, scooting by Ron.
“She’d better get her ass here in the next five minutes or she’s fired,” he grumbled. Looking back to Kat, he tacked on, “the Feds are out here for you, Kat. You’ve got ten minutes to get rid of them. It’s bad for business…” His voice trailed off as he walked away and the door shut behind him.
Kat wasn’t totally surprised Colin had come to see her at work, considering she had been ignoring his calls and texts for the last week since seeing him before the charity gala. With Alexander. But right now, her bigger worry was Larissa and where the hell she was.
Picking up her phone, Kat sent a third text to Larissa.
Kat: Ron is pissed. Are you okay?
Setting her phone to vibrate and tucking it inside her green suede bra top, Kat went to deal with Colin. He was standing off to the side near the front entrance with his new partner, who Kat had not officially met. In his dark suit and tie, standing at alert like he was about to take a bullet for the President, Colin screamed Fed - and looked completely out of place in The Garden of Eden. Even more than Alexander had when he had been here.
Colin’s blue eyes tracked her movements until she stood before him and crossed her arms defensively over her barely covered chest.
“Hi, Colin.”
He sighed heavily. “Hi, Kat.”
She stood motionless, waiting for him to get to the reason for his visit, while his partner watched with unabashed interest. Colin shot him an irritated glance and reached out to guide Kat toward the door.
“Can we go outside and talk privately?” he asked.
Kat hesitated, looking to see if Ron was watching. He would be glad that Colin was no longer inside, but he wouldn’t be too happy about Kat leaving as well.
“Don’t worry about your asshole of a boss. I’ll have agents tearing this place apart if he gives you any trouble,” Colin said.
“Okay, but I only have a few minutes.”
Kat walked through the door he held open. There was still a chill in the air, especially at night, and Kat wrapped her arms around herself more tightly to keep from shivering. Colin immediately shrugged out of his jacket and held it out for her. After a moment Kat turned around and allowed him to drape it over her shoulders. She was grateful for the warmth and the coverage. It was one thing to have the customers leering at her, but it was a whole other level of awkwardness to be that exposed with Colin.
Colin planted his hands on his hips and shook his head at the ground as if he were searching for words. He was nearly as tall as Alexander, and they had similar builds - lean and muscular. But that’s where the similarities ended. Colin’s brown hair was short, and his eyes were light blue. First as a cop and now as an FBI agent, his whole life was played by the book.
Alexander’s black hair was wavy and just a little bit unruly. His eyes were just as dark and gave away nothing. If you saw something in his eyes, it was only because he wanted you to see it. And his moral and ethical compass was certainly not pointing in the same direction as Colin’s.
Colin looked up at her, and his blue eyes were burning with intensity. He rubbed one hand over his hair as he spoke.
“Kat…I don’t know what you think you’re doing with Petrovsky, but he is trouble. I’ve been investigating him for over two years now, and it kills me to see you with him…with his hands on you…” Colin’s voice ended on a strangled growl, and Kat could feel how much turmoil this was causing him.
She knew what department he worked for in the bureau, and though he had never talked about his cases specifically, it didn’t surprise her that Alexander was being investigated. Colin was good at his job, and the fact that he had nothing on Alexander after two years told her just how capable and skilled Alexander was at his own job.
He looked so distraught that Kat instinctively reached out and touched his arm. Colin jerked his head up in surprise and then stared at her hand on his arm. She knew that besides that hug outside The Violet Vixen almost two weeks ago, this was only the second time she had ever initiated physical contact with him.
“Colin, I don’t want you to worry about me. I truly appreciate everything you’ve done for me. But I need justice. I need it, Colin, to be able to move on. If I can.”
“He’s not the answer, Kat.”
“You can’t help me anymore, Colin. Your hands are tied by your job, by the law. Alexander has…resources…that you and I don’t. And you know I can take care of myself.”
Colin shoved both hands on top of his head and paced a few steps away and back. His shoulders were tense, straining against his light blue shirt, his holster rippling with his muscles as he stalked back and forth.
“Godammit, Kat!” he said harshly. “This isn’t just about you taking care of yourself. The thought of you with him makes me sick. Literally sick to my stomach.”
“I’m not with him, Colin. We have a business relationship.”
Colin scoffed. “Do you honestly think he doesn’t have ulterior motives? He’s a man, Kat. A man who’s used to getting what he wants. And you’re…you’re beautiful and irresistible.”
Kat fidgeted with the lapels of Colin’s jacket, drawing them closer around her. She could feel the conversation going into territory they had never covered before, though she had always known on some level that his feelings for her went beyond friendship. She looked down at the ground as she kicked some loose stones with the toe of her green suede boot.
“Kat,” Colin whispered, his voice closer as he now stood directly in front of her.
Kat reluctantly raised her face and was struck by the emotions churning in his eyes.
“I’ve never wanted to push you, but…I’ve always… Shit. If you’re ready to open yourself up to a man, I want it to be me.”
Kat bit her lip, the urge to bolt inside nearly overwhelming. “I’m not…that’s not what I’m doing with Alexander.”
Colin winced when she spoke his name.
“I’m not ready for…that. I don’t know if I ever will be,” Kat said honestly, though the thought of being with a man wasn’t as foreign as it had been even two weeks ago. Kat didn’t mention that, or that it wasn’t the man in front of her that was triggering new feelings.
Colin ran his hand lightly down her arm and captured her hand in his. Giving it a gentle squeeze, he said, “Just know that the way I feel about you will never change, Kat. But I will ne
ver ask for more than you can give me.”
If Kat were prone to tears, she would have welled up at the most sincere and heartfelt words ever spoken to her. Instead she squeezed his hand back and didn’t let go.
“Thank you, Colin.”
“Will you at least keep me in the loop about what kind of information you’re getting from Petrovsky?” Alexander’s name came out as more of a swear word than a name.
Kat raised her eyebrows.
“Off the record. For my piece of mind,” Colin added.
Kat nodded. “Okay.” This wasn’t the first or the last lie she would tell Colin. But keeping Colin and Alexander as far apart as possible seemed like the smartest course of action. After she had what she wanted they could go back to being mortal enemies and she wouldn’t be stuck in the middle.
It had to have been more than ten minutes since they had come outside, and Ron was probably furious. Kat let the jacket fall from her shoulders and held it out to Colin. She waited while he shrugged it on. She couldn’t give him what he wanted - not her heart or anything on Alexander. But she could give him something that he would know was hard for her. Stepping into him, Kat wrapped her arms around his waist and lay her head against his chest.
Colin hesitated only for a split second and then hugged her tightly. He rested his cheek on top of her head, and she could have sworn she felt him kiss her hair. It felt like she was saying goodbye, and she supposed she was. It was made that much sadder by the fact that Colin had no idea.
As Kat stood in Colin’s embrace, she realized she didn’t feel skittish or afraid. She felt warm and safe. Slowly pulling back, Kat raised up on tiptoe and kissed Colin’s cheek.
Black Kat Page 10
