28. Nik

28

The following morning, the unexpected invitation catches me by surprise.

In hindsight, however, I should've expected it. After all, I know better than anyone that Kat makes a great first impression.

At first, I'm content to wait for her in the kitchen, where my maddening house guest seems to stop invariably first thing in the morning. I figure we can have breakfast together, and I can tell her all about the invite as we eat.

After an hour with no sign of her, I grow restless. I decide that I might as well get some work done while I wait for her to wake up. So I head to my office. Soon, I'm forced to admit it's a pointless waste of time. I'm useless this morning. After rereading the same paragraph four times—only to realize I'm still unable to recall a single word from it—I give up.

Frustrated, I rub a hand over my eyes. I'm dangerously unfocused, and it doesn't take any genius to guess why.

I can't stop thinking about her and the hours we spent together yesterday. About that side of her I hadn't seen before.

I give up, getting up from my chair and exit my office.

Exasperated with my foolishness, I make my way to where she is, unable to resist her gravitational pull over me, while the sound of her breathless laugh in the plane yesterday echoes in my mind.

As quietly as possible, I slowly inch the bedroom door open, peeking through the gap like a hormone-crazed teenager.

I don't immediately spot Kat—just a giant, fluffy, white mass of blankets on the large bed. After entering the chamber, I silently approach the linen cloud. Finally, I see her. She's stretched out under the covers, her lush lips are slightly open as her glossy dark hair fans around her face, over the pillows, like a halo.

My beautiful, dark angel.

I take the chair next to the bed, where I sat a few nights ago when she had that nightmare.

I can't help but feel like a bit of a creep, watching her from a darkened corner of the room as she sleeps, blissfully unaware of my presence. But this embarrassing feeling isn't enough to keep me away. Kat is just too addictive, and her pull over me is too irresistible. As it is, I can barely stop myself from joining her under the soft sheets.

I lose track of time as I unhurriedly take inventory of every visible inch of her. The sunlight filtering through the large windows caresses her hair, granting it a coppery glow. I'm so mesmerized by the sight that I almost don't notice it when she starts to wake up.

Kat groans lightly, eyes still closed, languidly stretching her lush body. I grow uncomfortably hard, but somehow I find the herculean strength to stay on my damned chair. After lazily blinking her big, blue eyes, Kat sighs, and I want to groan. I don't—but I must've made some type of noise because she turns to face me.

"Do you always watch over all your enslaved women as they sleep, or am I just that special?" she asks me in a raspy voice that has me grasping the chair's arms to keep myself in my place.

I feel appropriately chastised until her face breaks into a deliciously mischievous grin, her eyes glittering with amusement.

No one should be this beautiful.

"I was just making sure you were still alive. I was a little concerned, considering you've been asleep for the past twelve hours," I say, making a big show of checking my watch.

Kat rolls her eyes, still smiling.

"I'd never dream of inconveniencing my demanding overlord with my sudden demise. I wouldn't want you to go out of your way to find another minion to boss around." She brushes her hair over her shoulder.

"I appreciate that. Really. It's so hard to find good help these days."

"And don't you forget it. I expect a very large bonus once I deliver my end of the bargain," she says without missing a beat, her voice dropping an octave.

"I believe that could be arranged," I assure her in the same tone. Kat smiles at me again while holding my gaze. A private, sultry smile this time.

"So," she says, clearing her throat. "What brings you here this morning?"

"We've received an invitation. Patrick McGuire would be honored to welcome us to his newly renovated summer home for his birthday celebration. You must've made a lasting impression on the man." Even to my own ears, I sound bitterly jealous.

"A win is a win, right?"

I nod. "It could mean an overnight stay, so you should pack a bag."

"This is a great opportunity for us," she says, almost vibrating with excitement. "He'll be comfortable on his home turf, so we should be able to make some progress with him."

A homicidal rage threatens to overtake me as I think about Kat "making progress" with McGuire.

"I agree," I say instead. "I bet he wants to get a closer look at you and taunt me while he's at it. He hasn't invited me to his birthday bash in years, not since Maxim and Erin's indiscretion. It delights him to make a big production out of inviting the heads of all Seven Families but me. As if I give a shit about his fucking party."

Kat's face falls. It's such a stark change from her smiling expression that I lose my train of thought. "What's wrong?" I ask.

"Oh, it's nothing," she says, too fast. It's a blatant lie, if for no other reason than the horrified look in her eyes.

"Kat. What's the matter? What did I say?"

She sighs. "It's nothing, really."

"Yeah, I don't buy that for a second. It's obviously something. I can see it all over your face. Don't waste your breath denying it. Was it something I said?"

"No. It's a long story. It's… complicated, to put it mildly."

"I've got time," I say unwaveringly. Whatever upset her this much, I need to know all about it so I can fix it. I won't have anything keeping me from seeing her smile at me like that again—not if it can be helped.

"Nik, I—It's a really, really long story. One that isn't just mine to tell."

This woman and her endless secrets will be the death of me. Just when I think we're getting somewhere, the little thief reminds me of all I don't know about her.

"I see," I say, even though I don't. At all.

Kat's painfully beautiful eyes study my face. Whatever she sees there makes her sigh. She opens and closes her mouth several times, seemingly searching for the right thing to say. Eventually, eyes brimming with some powerful emotion I can't quite identify, she says, "Nik, I need you to understand that you and I met during a very convoluted period of my life. I need you to be patient and understanding. There are certain things I have to do to keep my friends—and myself—safe."

Her heartfelt statement gives me pause. "Kat, if you are in any type of danger, I need to know."

"It's not that simple?—"

"It's nonnegotiable," I cut her off.

She sighs again. "Look, like I said, it's complicated. I can't tell you all about it right now."

My first instinct is to argue with her or browbeat her into telling me everything. But I quickly realize that would be an unwise approach. If Kat is in trouble, I need her to trust me enough to tell me what I must know to keep her safe. If I intimidate or annoy her too much, I would achieve the opposite effect.

"Well," I say hesitantly, unsure about how to urge her to tell me everything without aggravating her. "What are you comfortable telling me, then?"

Kat blinks. I want to groan in frustration—somehow, I must've messed up again—but she surprises me by shockingly sharing some information.

"I guess I could tell you it's related to the Flame of Mir. It's the reason I took it, I mean. I had to steal it to protect A.J. and myself. She became involved with someone dangerous. Someone who realized he could use his leverage over my best friend to get me to do his bidding."

I'm not sure what I thought she'd say. But it most definitely wasn't that. I end up staring at her for a moment, processing her words and the repercussions of what she just told me. My mind races a mile per minute—then it suddenly stops with a screeching halt once the terrified expression in her eyes registers with me.

"Kat—" I say, unsure of how exactly to put everything I'm feeling into words. How can I convey that I'll never let anyone hurt or scare her again? How can I assure her I'll crush the living shit out of the imbecile who hurt her?

Kat interrupts me before I get a chance to figure out how to voice all these new and alarming feelings. "A.J. and I are still dealing with him, you know. He could still hurt us. That's why I'm not exactly thrilled about this party. I have a feeling he might be invited, too."

So I probably know the bastard. "Tell me his name."

"I can't. I told you, he could still hurt us. I can't take the chance."

"Kat," I say through gritted teeth. "You're going to tell me everything about this man right now. And then I'm going to take care of him."

"Absolutely not."

"Why the hell not?" I yell, unable to control my anger, even though I know that's never the best approach with her.

"You're not listening. I've already told you why. It's too dangerous."

"Not if I handle him for you. You have nothing to worry about."

"Nik, I understand you're dying to recover your diamond. I really do. I'd be livid to lose it, too. Trust me, parting with that beauty was one of the hardest things I've ever done. But I'm not telling you anything else. I have promises to keep and people to protect. I've told you all I can—at least for now—and you're just going to have to respect my boundaries." She has the nerve to shrug.

"Respect your boundaries?" I hear myself roaring. "You've lost your mind if you think this brain-dead idea of yours is going to fly with me."

Kat rolls her eyes at me, utterly unconcerned about my outburst.

"Once you're able to think rationally, we can talk about it more. As long as you understand there are things I won't tell you—for my sake and A.J.'s. I'm sorry about your diamond. I really am. But it is what it is."

"Fuck the diamond," I say with a grunt to the absurd woman as I get up from the chair to pace in front of the windows, trying to divine what's the right thing to say to get her to see things my way. "Can't you see that I can keep you safe?"

Kat shrugs again, maddeningly. "Perhaps. But perhaps not. I just can't take the risk. I know you're used to getting your way, but you're just going to have to accept you can't make me change my mind, regardless of how much you yell or try to bully me."

Her calm, rational tone and choice of words break through the fiery red haze of my anger to find me. She's right. I am acting like a bully, blundering my way through this situation. Stupidly, I am demanding her blind trust when I know that's not how trust works.

Properly chastised, I make my way to the bed, sitting on the edge. "Kat, I—Fuck." I sigh. "I'm an idiot, Kat."

After a brief pause, I laugh humorlessly as I struggle to find the right words to tell her what's on my mind.

"Are you waiting for me to disagree? Because you'll be waiting for a long time," she says. I smile, feeling more than a little relieved. If she's joking around—even if at my expense—then I haven't completely fucked up everything.

As I sit so close to her, on a bed of all places, I can't help but stare at Kat—her face, her hair, her everything. Our gazes connect, and her posture softens a little. Unable to help myself, I lean closer.

"Kat, I shouldn't have tried to push you to tell me more than you're ready to share. I can't stand bullies. I don't want you to think of me as one. Believe me when I say that I know better than most that trust isn't something one can demand from someone. It has to be freely given and fully earned. That's a lesson I learned the hard way long ago."

"What do you mean?"

I hesitate in answering. It's such a painful story, and I couldn't bear it if she looked at me with pity in her deep blue eyes. At the same time, how can I ask her to trust me with her most precious secrets if I'm not willing to share a small piece of my own?

"It's a long story, like you said." I chuckle. "One not worth reliving."

"I doubt that," she softly replies. Kat looks at me expectantly. Unlike me, she doesn't push for more than I am able to give her at the moment. Maybe that's why I decide to share some of it with her.

"Trust isn't something that comes easily to me. Truth be told, I'm not sure I've ever fully trusted someone. Besides Maxim, that is. And even with him, I paid a steep price for that trust. He was my closest friend, my right-hand man. He was supposed to be a bridge between me and McGuire, helping me expand the bratva. You know how that turned out." I laugh under my breath humorlessly. "Maxim betrayed me, even though we were the closest thing each other ever had to a family."

"How's that?"

Once again, it goes against my every instinct to answer her question. But if I want to protect her from her mysterious threat, then I need her to trust me enough to tell me all about it. She'll never do that if I'm not willing to do the same.

"We found each other when we were so young. We practically grew up together." I sigh. "His parents and mine weren't in the picture at all. Mine kicked me out before I was old enough to shave, and Maxim was even younger when he was abandoned. We kept each other alive for years. He was my brother. Not by blood, but something else altogether—something much more powerful."

"Oh, Nik." Kat says, her eyes warm and full of compassion. She throws her arms around my neck before pressing her face against it.

"I don't want your pity," I say roughly, even as the feel of her body against mine warms me to the core of my being.

Kat shakes her head. "No, no. I don't pity you at all. I could never pity you. No one should pity you. You survived horrors most people will never truly comprehend. You faced every adversity, rising to heights most only dream about. Pity is the last thing anyone should feel about you."

I groan against her hair. "Kat…"

This woman…

If I don't watch myself around her, she's going to be the end of me.

"Listen to me now," I say before she completely ruins me for good, "I've said all this to say that I know I'm not entitled to your trust and your secrets, even if it sometimes doesn't seem like it. If I ever earn your trust and you decide to share them with me, I'll help you with your problem, and I will make your bully pay for all the worry he's caused you. You are under my protection, so use it."

Kat nods against my neck, squeezing me tighter. "I'll keep that in mind," she says after a moment of silence.

"Promise me," I insist.

"I promise. And I'll go to McGuire's party with you."

"You don't have to if you don't want to go. We'll find another way to get closer to him."

Kat shakes her head, pushing me away to look into my eyes. "No, I have to go. I'm tired of letting that horrid man dictate my life. And I'll do what it takes to help you take down the person who took your brother from you." Her bottom lip quivers with emotion.

Like a broken record, I groan again. "Kat—" She'll unman me if I let her.

She shrugs. "Besides, I know you'll keep me safe."

"With my life," I promise her solemnly, meaning it with every cell in my body.