by Rose, Bella
Alek sat next to her, so close their thighs almost touched. “My dear, I don’t think you realize just how dangerous you are.” He reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, and she struggled to not lean into his touch.
“But I am more dangerous. Don’t ever forget that,” he whispered as his lips brushed against her ear.
A shiver went through her, but it wasn’t fear. Desire. Hating herself, she immediately jumped from the couch and glared at him. “I believe I was warranted two weeks of freedom. Until then, please keep your distance.” Gripping the contract in her hands, she marched into the kitchen and sat at the table. While he followed her, he gave her some space and lounged in the doorway instead. The distance didn’t do much to calm her libido, and she fidgeted nervously. What the hell was wrong with her? This man nearly killed her father, and here she was responding to his every touch.
Doing her best to pretend that he wasn’t there sucking all the logic out of her, she glanced over the contract. It was pretty straight forward, but there were some things she didn’t like. “Can you please define what kind of work you expect me to do for you? I will not hurt or threaten anyone.”
“Just some paperwork,” he said with an amused smile. “Filing. Answering phones.”
“Excellent. I’ll just add secretary for a mob boss to my resume,” she said with a sigh as she kept looking through the contract. “I want my father banned from your casinos,” she said as she looked up.
“He’s already banned.”
“Good. My cat comes with me.”
He frowned as if he wanted to push the issue, but he finally just shrugged and nodded. At least she had one piece of comfort.
She swallowed hard and rubbed her hands together. “So, I’m on birth control, and I won’t go off it.”
Natalia flinched as Alek through back his head and roared with laughter. “Oh, my dear. It’s been a long time since I’ve laughed like that. I am not a family man. You should have no fear of any attachments on my part.”
“Fine.” She reached for her pen and hovered her fist above the line. Closing her eyes, she had to remind herself that it would only be a year. A year as this man’s plaything. A year of involvement with the mob.
A year, and her father would be set free.
Her mouth set in a determined line, she put pen to paper and signed her name. Taking a deep breath, she moved the contract over to him. He crossed the floor in a few steps and leaned over to press his lips to her hair. Natalia stiffened her spine, but she didn’t move away. The touch lasted only a brief moment before he reached over and took the pen from her. After signing the contract, he removed the top copy and handed the one on the bottom to her. “I believe it will be a pleasure doing business with you,” he said softly before he walked away.
Natalia didn’t even turn around. She heard her front door close, and she didn’t get up to lock it. What was the point? Nobody worse than Alek was going to darken her door, and she had a feeling he would protect his prize.
It was done. And there was nothing she could do.
When Bones finally came out of hiding and wrapped around her ankles, she picked up the black cat and snuggled in his fur. Every part of her wanted to break down and weep, but she refused. Crying solved nothing. She was stronger than that.
Besides, maybe something good would come from this. She would have a whole year to figure out how to bring Alek and his entire operation down.
Chapter Three
Natalia was waiting outside her locked door on the steps when the dark car pulled into the parking lot. With its tinted windows and impeccable shine, she had no doubt that this was Alek. But when the driver got out to start loading her few possessions, she realized that the handsome devil wasn’t in the car.
“Too good to come pick me up himself?” she muttered as she grabbed the cat carrier. Inside, Bones was crying in protest.
“Mr. Evanoff has business to attend this morning. He’ll join you this afternoon.”
Natalia rolled her eyes and tried to grab a bag, but the driver shook his head. “No ma’am. You are his guest. You do not load your own bags.”
“I’m not a guest. I’m a prisoner. And I’m perfectly capable of loading my own luggage,” she snapped as she carried the bag and her cat to the car. Her throat tightened when she finally slid into the back seat and hushed Bones. “It’s going to be okay,” she whispered. She hoped it would be okay.
“If you have not eaten this morning, breakfast will be provided for you. Mr. Evanoff requests that you speak to the cook about your dietary needs while we get your room set up.”
Her room? Did that mean that she didn’t have to stay in the same room as Alek? That was a relief. “Breakfast won’t be necessary,” she responded quietly. There was no way she was going to be able to eat today. Her stomach was too tied up in knots.
She stared out the window as she grew more and more anxious. By the time they pulled up to the gated mansion, she was frozen in fear. This was it. She was here. This would be her home for the next year.
The driver opened the door and stared at her. “Miss?”
“Right.” She took a deep breath and tried to move her legs. They didn’t budge. “God.”
“If it would make you more comfortable, miss, you’re welcome to walk the grounds while I unload your bags.”
Natalia stared at the driver. He was so nice. Was he one of Alek’s men that went around breaking legs and shooting people? “Thank you,” she said as she finally climbed out of the car. “But that won’t be necessary. I’d like to make sure Bones is comfortable as possible.” She knew she sounded like a lunatic, but Bones was her baby and her only connection to the life she wouldn’t be able to touch for the next year.
The driver nodded. “Very well. You may follow these gentlemen to your room.”
She looked up and saw three large guys grabbing her bags. As she stared at their tattoos and muscles, she knew these men weren’t just the standard help. As one guy reached up to close the trunk of the car, Natalia saw his shirt lift to show the gun he’d holstered underneath. Her mouth immediately went dry.
Clutching Bones, she followed them at a distance into the mansion. She’d half expected the mansion to be overly ornate and grotesque, but all the rooms were actually rather sparse and modern. It was tasteful and clean and almost minimalistic. Still, it did nothing to ease her panic.
Climbing the winding staircase, she passed several closed doors before the men opened a door and carried her things inside. Her heart dropped when she realized that the room was already occupied. The bed was unmade, clothes were on the floor, and there was a distinctive musky masculine scent in the air. A door on the other end revealed a secondary room that held a large closet, several chairs, some bookshelves, a television, and a large window. As the men set down her bags and began to unzip them, she bolted forward in horror.
“No. Please. I’ll unpack them.”
One of the guys straightened and shook his head. “They must be inspected for weapons.” There wasn’t a shred of regret or apology in his voice, and the men continued to rifle through her things. Since she wasn’t allowed to bring any clothes, her things mostly consisted of books, notebooks, electronics, and her toiletries. Hidden at the bottom of one of her bags were her undergarments. She’d hoped to sneak them in. While she’d immediately thrown out anything remotely sexy while she packed, she’d tried to sneak in her bras and practical underwear. They were immediately thrown into a plastic bag.
Hidden at the bottom of her lingerie was a picture. As one of the men reached in to grab the rest of her bras, it tumbled out and fell to the floor. She gasped when the glass in the frame broke.
“Boyfriend?” one of the men asked when he picked up the frame. She refused to answer him as she reached over the snatch it.
“You need to be careful with my things. This frame was important to me,” she said in a thick voice as she struggled to keep from crying. The broken glass bit into her finger, and she ga
sped and stuck the bleeding finger into her mouth.
“I’ll get you a bandage,” the man said gruffly. “We’re done here anyway.”
There was no apology for breaking her frame. They immediately left her alone in the suite, and she crumpled to the floor in the middle of her things. Holding the picture of Niko close to her heart, she rocked back and forth. Finally, Bones’s cries to attention pierced through her shock, and she carefully placed the frame back into her bag. Leaning over, she opened the carrier.
Twenty pounds of black fur streaked out of the carrier as her cat immediately headed for a hiding spot under the bed. She leaned down on the floor and stared into his golden eyes. “It’s okay, Bones. You’ll get used to this place.”
The door opened, and she pushed herself up. The guard handed her a Band-Aid for her fingers, and she tried to smile. “Thank you.”
“Alek will be back for lunch. You will join him.”
It wasn’t a request. His eyes lingered on her for a little too long before he exited the room. She sucked her finger before wrapping it with the bandage. With a sigh, she went back into the suite and began to pack the things back into her bag. She had no intentions of putting anything out to make things seem homier. She’d just pull things out as she needed them.
Natalia also had no intentions of taking part in his hospitality. She closed the door to the suite and opened the curtain to look outside. Down below, she could see more guards patrolling around a sparkling pool. To the right was a beautiful garden still bursting with colors even in the late spring. Her lips parted in surprise. The grounds were beautiful. Of course they were. Alek probably had millions. He’d want to show that money off for prestige and class.
Sneering, she shut the blinds and sat on the floor. She would enjoy nothing in this home. Grabbing her journal, she jotted down what little information she’d gathered this morning. Lots of weapons. Strict policies. Nothing illegal yet, but she had no doubt she’d stumble across something soon enough.
Soon there was a guard throwing open her door. “Mr. Evanoff requests your presence in the dining room.”
Natalia jumped and stared. “Can you knock?” she hissed. Would there be no privacy while she here?
The guard merely stepped aside and waited. Natalia rolled her eyes and followed him out the room. Alek was seated at the expansive dining room table with several dishes in front of him. He didn’t smile when he saw her, but his eyes did fall to the Band-Aid on her finger. She sat as far away from him as possible at the table and glared at him.
“How was your morning?” he asked softly as he reached for one of the plates.
“Unimpressive,” she answered coolly. “How was your morning? Break anyone’s arms today?”
He chuckled softly. “Eat. I will not have you starving yourself while you’re here.”
Surprisingly, her stomach did rumble. She uncovered the plate in front of her and stared at the meal. It was enough food for two. With a sigh, she grabbed one of the sandwiches and nibbled on it.
“My guards told me that you tried to smuggle some clothing items in here. You were under strict orders not to bring any clothes with you. Consider this a warning. If you try to breach your contract again, I will take my unhappiness out on your father.”
“I wasn’t aware that panties and bras were considered clothing,” she said as she tried to hide the fear from her voice. “Perhaps you should have been more specific.”
Alek waved his hand. “You knew exactly what I meant. You will wear only what I want you to wear, and that includes your lingerie.” A slow smile crossed his face. “Perhaps instead of taking my anger out on your father, I’ll simply take it out on you. Cross me again, and you will be wearing only lingerie around here.”
She blanched and tried to gain control of the situation before he had any more brilliant ideas. “Did your guards also inform you that they broke something that was valuable to me?”
“We will replace it,” Alek said in an unconcerned voice.
“It had sentimental value,” she snapped.
He paused and stared at her. “The frame or the picture in the frame?”
So he did know. She tried to keep the emotion out of her face. She would not discuss Niko with him. “I don’t believe that’s any of your business.”
For a moment, she thought he would argue with her, but he simply shrugged. “Very well. Have you had a tour of my home?”
“I don’t want a tour of your home,” she said coldly. “I intend to spend as little time as possible outside my suite.”
“You mean outside my bedroom?” he asked in a seductive voice.
Natalia immediately reddened. “That is not what I meant,” she said in a small voice, but she couldn’t look up to meet his eyes. Instead, she reached for her sandwich to take another bite.
Alek chuckled softly. “While I intend for you to spend as much time as possible in my bedroom, you will be required to entertain me elsewhere. I have an active social life, and you will be on my arm at all times. Should I wish you to join me for a dip in the pool, you will swim with me. And when I need some work done, you will spend time in my office. There are no restricted areas in my mansion, but should I catch you in the bed of another man, there will be dire consequences with no warning. Is that understood?”
“Fine,” she muttered. She didn’t have any desire to sleep with any of his guards anyway.
“That goes for whoever’s picture you’re hiding from me,” he said softly. She felt her heart clench, but she looked him steadily in the eye.
“I heard you the first time.” Her tone was even, and she forced herself to hold his gaze. She would not back down from him.
“Good.” He pushed his empty plate away and rolled his shoulders. “I’m afraid I will be gone most of the afternoon as well, but I’ll be back this evening. We will dine privately in my room. For dinner, I will send a girl up to dress you. She’ll be instructed to store what you’re wearing. You’ll have it returned to you at the end of the contract.”
God. She didn’t even want to think about tonight. As his eyes lingered on her, she felt herself warm. If he had any idea how much he affected her body, he’d make things miserable for her. She had to get control of herself.
Thankfully, he left the table without another word and without touching her. She breathed a small sigh of relief and devoured the rest of the sandwich. When she reached to clear the plates, a small staff appeared and immediately pushed her out of the way. Feeling useless, she thanked them and trudged back up the stairs to hide in her room. At least she had a few more hours of alone time before she had all her dignity stripped from her.
***
A few hours later, Natalia had just gotten Bones out from under the bed to gaze out the window when there was a small knock on the door. Startled, Natalia opened it just a crack. A petite and pretty blonde stood on the other side. “I’m sorry to bother you, miss, I’m here to help you get ready for your dinner tonight.”
The woman looked Natalia directly in the eye. If she knew that Natalia was a prisoner here, she didn’t show it. Perhaps she didn’t care. Natalia had a feeling that all of Alek’s staff were cold and unfeeling. Opening the door all the way, Natalia swept her arm in a mocking gesture for the woman to come in. The woman’s eyes widened in surprise, but she came in. “Would you like me to draw you a bath?” she asked nonplussed.
“No.” A sudden through struck her. “In fact, I might not bathe the whole time that I’m here. I wonder what your boss would think of that.”
To her surprise, the woman burst into laughter. She immediately clamped her mouth shut. “I’m so sorry,” she said with wide eyes. “I just don’t think Alek would like that much at all.”
“So you can speak candidly,” Natalia said with a small smile. “What’s your name?”
“Anastasia. You can call me Ana. I’m usually part of the catering staff, but Alek thought most of his house staff was too timid for you,” the woman said with a wink.
&nb
sp; “He has timid house staff?” Natalia said dryly. “Most of them are carrying guns.”
Ana put the clothes bag on the bed and shrugged. “The guards and the staff are two different caliber of people. Alek was honest about what you’re doing here. I have to say that it’s a bit unusual for him to do this. Kidnapping women isn’t usually part of his payment plans.”
Natalia snorted. “And yet you don’t seem surprised.”
Ana shrugged. “Most of Alek’s women would stoop to murder if it meant getting an extra night with him. Spending a year under his roof shouldn’t be a hardship.”
“Are you kidding?” Natalia demanded. “I watched him almost kill my father. Spending a second under his roof is horrendous, let alone a year.”
The other woman shrugged. “You’re probably right, but you agreed to this, so you might as well suck it up. We’ll skip the bath today, but if I have to manhandle you into the shower tomorrow, I will.”
“Please. I could take you,” Natalia snorted.
Suddenly, before she could react, Ana flipped her over her shoulder and slammed her on the floor. The impact knocked the breath out of Natalia’s lungs, and she wheezed as she put her hands up to catch her breath. “I stand corrected,” she said when she could finally speak again.
“All of the staff members go through basic combat and self-defense courses. We’re trained by his guards to protect ourselves in case any of Alek’s guests get too handsy.”
Well that was…nice of Alek. Natalia pulled herself off the floor and shook her head. “Well, let’s see what I’m supposed to wear tonight.” She unzipped the garment bag and stared at the sheer black negligee. Swallowed hard, she spun around to Ana with panic in her eyes. “Please tell me there’s more.”
“There’s more,” Ana said with a smile. She crossed the room and opened the closet. After disappearing inside for a few minutes, she came out with a white cocktail dress.
