Chapter Ten

A shiver ran down Mia’s spine. Was he purposely trying to scare her?

“I don’t think you give yourself enough credit,” Mia said.

Nik snorted and rolled his eyes. “I know who and what I am.”

“You can deny it all you want, but there’s a good guy in there. I’ve seen him.”

“You have no idea what I’ve done,” he insisted.

“I don’t care. You protected me yesterday—more than once—and you saved me from freezing to death. I owe you.”

“Trust me. You don’t want to owe the devil.”

She tilted her head. “You might be big and scary, but you’re not the devil. You’re more like…” Her voice trailed off as she sought to find the right comparison. “Like an Archangel—someone who defends and protects against evil.”

He shook his head, but didn’t comment further.

“I want to go with you to Petrov’s,” she said, and he nearly choked on his coffee.

“No.”

Ugh, that simple denial he always gave her was so annoying. “I can help.”

“Petrov is a monster,” Nik said. “And you’re not going anywhere near his compound.”

“Nik—”

He marched right up to her, grabbed her chin and forced her to look into his dark eyes. “In case I wasn’t crystal fucking clear, your ass stays here. No fucking way are you going to Petrov’s. Understand?”

“You’re not the boss of me, Nik Valentine,” she said stubbornly.

He leaned down until they were nose to nose. “I am the boss of you, Mia Carlisle, and you will do exactly as I say.”

They were so close, a breath away, and her lips parted as the air around them suddenly charged and seemed to crackle. “I’m not afraid of you, Nik,” she whispered, searching his charcoal eyes.

“You should be running from me,” he said, voice husky, attention dipping to her mouth. “Locking yourself in that bedroom and hiding until I return you to dear old dad.”

“I’d rather be kissing you,” she admitted.

Nik released her chin and stepped back. “You don’t have any idea what you want.”

“You’re wrong.”

“Dammit, Mia. Why’re you so fucking difficult?”

“Because I know that I can help you. Where exactly is this compound that—”

The moment she mentioned Petrov’s compound, Nik exploded in a way she hadn’t seen before. He’d warned her, but she hadn’t listened, hadn’t believed him. And now she had a front row seat to how scary he could actually be.

The dragon had just come lumbering out of its den and he was breathing fire.

Dark eyes blazing, anger and frustration pouring off him in hot waves, his nostrils flared. She was glad he couldn’t really breathe flames or she’d be crispier than a piece of burnt bacon.

“Get your ass into the bedroom,” he ground out, tone low and lethal. “Before I drag you in there.”

Shit. She’d pushed him too far. Eyes wide, she scampered away before he could manhandle her and make good on his threat. Because right now? Nik wasn’t playing.

The moment she reached the bedroom, she tried to shut the door on him. His hand caught it, slammed it open and she raced over to the bed, trying to keep her distance.

Up until now, she hadn’t really been scared of him. Not truly. But the ferocious look on his face, the steam practically pouring out his ears, warned her to tread lightly. She didn’t believe he’d actually hurt her, though.

At least, she didn’t think so.

For being so big, Nik moved fast. He reached the bed in two long strides, grabbed her wrist and handcuffed her to the bed frame. Dammit, why had she not seen that move coming?

“Asshole!”

“You are not leaving this cabin. I forbid it,” he hissed.

Instead of fighting back, knowing it was a lost cause and would only anger him more, she bit her lip and remembered the key in her pocket. Bide your time, Mia. She tilted her chin up and narrowed her eyes. And the bastard smiled at her.

“Put your claws away, kitten,” he murmured. “I’m going to Moscow to deal with Petrov and you’re staying here. Your babysitter is already on the way.”

“Babysitter?” she echoed.

“Nadia is coming to keep an eye on you. I suggest you don’t try her patience,” he added wryly.

She huffed, not sure if she was more annoyed that he was leaving her there, or who he was leaving her with. And a babysitter? Really? She was a twenty-four-year-old woman who didn’t need to be locked up with someone watching her like a hawk. “What if I have to go to the bathroom?”

He shrugged a shoulder. “You wanna bucket?”

“You are the biggest asshole I’ve ever met,” she seethed.

“You ain’t seen nothin’ yet, Goldilocks.” He turned around and walked to the door, then paused and looked over his shoulder. “Behave, Mia, or I will spank that pretty ass of yours when I get back.”

Her belly fluttered. Why did the idea of his hand on her ass make her tremble? “Don’t you dare die and leave me here alone with Nadia!” she snapped.

“You know what to do if I don’t come back—call Pharaoh.”

The first trickle of worry cut through her. He had to come back. “How am I supposed to reach the phone?” she asked, jangling the cuff.

“I have no doubt you’ll find a way,” he replied dryly.

Her heart jackhammered. Did he know she had the key? Not much got past the big brute.

“And Nadia will unlock you as long as you behave.”

He walked out and she fell back against the headboard with a frustrated sigh. In the next room, she could hear him moving around and it wasn’t long until a car pulled up outside. A moment later she heard Nadia’s voice and what sounded like duffel bags hitting the floor.

Mia strained to hear their conversation, but it was low and muffled, and she was pretty damn sure in Russian. After a minute or so, the front door opened and closed again, and the sound of a car’s engine filled the air, eventually fading away.

Dammit. There was nothing she could do except wait for Nik to return.

He was gone.

Nadia appeared in the doorway and dropped the duffel bags they’d left in the SUV after sliding off the road. She placed a hand on her hip. “Nik told me you have the key,” she said. “So, feel free to come out and join me for coffee.”

Mia felt her cheeks burn. So much for staying a step ahead of Nik—he’d been two steps ahead of her the entire time. She supposed she shouldn’t be surprised.

Reaching into her pocket, she pulled the key out and unlocked her wrist. She had so many questions and Nik had already refused to answer her most burning ones. Maybe Nadia would be willing to shed some light on him and the situation.

Tossing the cuffs, she slid off the bed, walked into the next room and found Nadia sitting on the couch in front of the roaring fire. Determined to get some answers, Mia walked over and sat down beside her. Nadia nodded to the steaming mug on the table and Mia reached for it.

“I’m not a babysitter and don’t plan on fighting you. So, if you want to leave, then go.” Nadia took a sip of her coffee. “But if you stay and make my life easy, I might be able to answer your questions. Knowing Nikolai, I assume he’s told you very little. And, fair warning, a blizzard is coming so you wouldn’t get very far before freezing to death.”

Mia shivered, not wanting to ever be as cold as she was the other night. As all thoughts of running away fled from her mind, she leaned closer, beyond curious about the man who made her feel so many things. “What’s his real name? Everyone calls him something different.”

Nadia’s cool, feline eyes met hers and she chuckled. “I only call him Nikolai,” she said, hesitating before adding, “It’s his earliest name, anyway.”

“What do you mean?”

“We met on the street when we were both kids. He told me his name was Nikolai Vasilevsky. If you want to know what happened to him before that, you’ll have to ask him.”

Hmm. She wondered what exactly that meant and filed it away for later.

“He called you an old friend. I assume you were more than just friends,” Mia added dryly, remembering the familiar way she’d kissed him on the mouth and how she’d said he could give Mia a night to remember.

The corner of her red lips lifted. “Very briefly, a long time ago. But we had different objectives and went our separate ways. Still, I’ll always have a fondness for him. It appears you do, too.”

“Me?” Mia blurted. “In case you didn’t know, he kidnapped me and handcuffed me to the bed. Twice!”

She arched a dark brow. “Did you take advantage of the situation?”

“What?”

“You should. He’s rough and hard, but a night with Nikolai is worth every bruise.”

“Okay, this isn’t what I wanted to ask you about.”

“You don’t want him to fuck you?” she asked candidly.

“I, no, I mean—that’s not really any of your business,” Mia stuttered. Had she thought about it? Yes. But she had no plans on telling Nadia anything about her secret desire for Nik.

Nadia smirked, as though reading her mind. “What do you want to know then?”

“How did Nik get involved with the Bratva and Petrov? And just how much danger is he in right now?”

Her face became serious, the smile withering away. “Going back to Petrov’s compound is very dangerous, but he knows it well. I have every faith he’ll return.”

But what if he doesn’t? a little voice asked. She suddenly felt sick. Nik had to return. Yes, she could call Pharaoh from the burner and they could get her out of Russia, but her concern was about more than just escaping.

At some point, maybe after she’d seen him break down in the ice cave tunnel, she started caring. About his safety, she quickly amended. Yes, he was darkly attractive. And, yes, she enjoyed his hot kisses. But Nik Valentine or Nikolai Vasilevksy or Saint or whatever his name was hardly screamed relationship material.

No, he shouted damaged goods, excess baggage and deep scars—emotional and physical. There were too many red flags to count. She should stay far, far away from him.

At least that’s what she kept telling herself. But the truth was, she was more than a little interested in getting to know the inked man better. Much, much better.

Obviously, the Russian winter had frozen the logical part of her brain. It was the only excuse she could think of for wanting to dive between the sheets with Nik and see just how warm he could make her.

◆◆◆

With the window rolled down, Saint relished the ice-cold wind on his face, needing it to cool him off in more ways than one. Mia had pushed him until his temper had snapped and he’d been forced to cuff her to the bed. He knew she’d taken the key from his jacket, though. Little thief. Or, maybe more like Thief in Law, because that little kitten would fit right into the Vory prison subculture. She was fierce, fearless and determined. Completely defiant, yet inherently sweet. It was an oddly attractive combination he was beginning to like more and more.

Even though he’d been doing his best to deny it, his kitten was sinking her claws under his skin.

What the fuck? He had no idea what to do with a woman like Mia. When he’d lashed out and told her she wasn’t his type, he hadn’t been lying. He stayed far away from good girls. Normally, they gave him hives. It was much easier, and less problematic, to find a worldly, experienced woman who recognized and understood his type.

A woman like Mia was far too innocent. She would expect a relationship. Something he wasn’t capable of or interested in. And even if he was, he didn’t know the first thing about how to make her happy for longer than a night.

Forget her, a little voice said. He had bigger problems to worry about—The Agency, the Bratva and a deadly neurotoxin…could things get any worse?

Saint parked Nadia’s SUV on the tarmac near the Ex Nihilo jet. The engines were on and it looked like Hunter had just finished deicing the wings. She waved to him as he walked over, carrying a duffel bag of supplies.

“Your country is a damn icebox, Saint,” she complained. “Please tell me Moscow is a little warmer.”

He shook his head. “Not at this time of the year, Pyro, sorry.”

“Figures. You guys owe me a beach vacation after this trip.”

“All grievances and vacation requests go directly to Pharaoh.” Saint headed toward the rolling stairs that led up to the cabin’s entrance. Once inside, he stowed his bag, sat down and buckled up.

Hunter appeared a few minutes later, locked the cabin door and briskly rubbed her gloved hands together. “Weather forecast isn’t great, so it might get bumpy. I’ll do my best,” she promised. “Flight time is two hours and eight minutes.”

He gave a nod and leaned back as she disappeared inside the cockpit. He had two hours to review the compound schematics in his head and go over his plan. It had to work. If it didn’t, he was fucked six ways to Sunday.

Because the alternative meant one thing: death.

Except he wasn’t quite willing to say goodbye to Mia yet.