4. Anton

4

ANTON

I’m afraid I’ll have to pass.

I don’t think a woman has ever said those words to me in my life.

I never have to work very hard to get a woman into my bed. I simply flash them a few smiles and make them feel special. It’s very little effort for a high reward, but it seems Nina doesn’t work that way, and I’m surprised by how refreshing it is.

She’s going to make me work for it.

She is turning this into a game of cat and mouse, and on purpose from the smirk she gives me before walking away, making sure to swish her hips with every step.

I’m practically drooling as I stare at her legs, imagining them wrapped around my waist as I thrust into her.

The attraction between us was undeniable, and I wanted nothing more than to spend the night exploring it further. It’s been a long time since I was so entranced by a woman, something my throbbing cock is desperate to remind me of.

“Fuck.” I run my fingers through my hair.

If she wants to play, we can play.

It won’t be hard to find out where she lives. Little does she know I have private investigators on speed dial that could get me her address before she even reaches the sidewalk.

She gave me all the information I need. It wouldn’t take much to hack into her personal file at the IOD and track her down.

But I think Nina enjoys the chase, and if that’s what she wants, then so be it. I can wait a little longer before getting my hands on her.

She might have turned down my offer to spend the night in my bed, but that doesn’t mean that I’m finished with her for the night. I wish she would have given me the opportunity to drive her home, just to ensure she got there safely. But I was too damn distracted by her breasts that were pressed up against my arm to insist.

Emma’s warning echoes in my mind, and I get to my feet.

She might have been joking about chopping off my dick if something happens to Nina, but I’d rather not push my luck. They left Nina in my hands, and despite her refusing my offer to spend the night, I’m not about to let my bruised ego get in the way of a woman’s safety.

I smooth out my jacket before rebuttoning it and take a moment to glance around, noticing how packed the bar is. My chest swells.

I built this place from the ground up and offered it to my cousins to use as they please, letting some money pass through the books every so often. It’s the only venture I can truly take credit for, and I work very hard to make sure it remains successful.

I nod my head in the direction of a few tables, clocking some regulars. I like to show my face as often as possible as a reminder to some customers in particular who’s in charge. Being a Koslov comes with a reputation. While I don’t like to throw it around too often, it’s nice to have it in the bag if needed.

As I reach the exit, the cool October air filters in from outside.

I think of Nina in her skimpy outfit and curse myself for not offering her my jacket. I really was in a trance…

I nod at Reid, one of my bouncers on the door. “How are we doing?”

“We’re at full capacity.” Reid fold his huge, tattooed arms across his chest.

Despite the cold, he’s wearing a tight-fitting black T-shirt that shows off his muscular physique. His dark hair is cropped short, and his gray eyes never miss a thing as he scans the line of eager patrons waiting to get through the doors.

“If there’s any trouble, I want to know about it. And not just after you’ve taken care of it.”

Reid chuckles, the sound rumbling in his chest.

“Can you blame me for wanting to silence these fucking idiots? Get a few drinks and they think they can take me.”

“You want a fucking medal or something? It’s not an even match, Reid.”

Reid shrugs his enormous shoulders, his eyes constantly scanning the line for any sign of trouble.

“It never is. What’re you doing out here, anyway?”

“Did you see a dark-haired girl in a purple skirt?”

Reid’s mouth twitches as he glances at me.

“Sure did.” He chuckles. “Nice pair of legs on her.”

“That’s not what I asked,” I snap which causes another laugh to spill from Reid’s mouth.

I’m surprised by my sudden possessiveness toward Nina. It’s something that I can’t afford to succumb to, especially since I don’t do relationships. I wish I did, but I just can’t commit the time, not when my mother takes up so much of it these days.

Perhaps that’s what subconsciously drew me to Nina. It’s clear that dancing is her first priority, and she made a point of how busy her schedule is, as if to let me know that she’s only looking for some fun.

I just didn’t expect the fun to take me on a cat and mouse chase through New York.

“Did she get into a cab already?” I glance around the busy street.

It’s almost eleven on a Thursday, but for most, the night has barely started.

I can’t see any sign of Nina, which is putting me on edge.

“Nah, she wondered around that way.” Reid points to the right.

“What?” My stomach sinks.

“She disappeared around the corner. Not the safest decision on her part if you ask me. If I had known she was a friend of yours, I would’ve made sure she got into a cab. Sorry, Anton,” Reid grunts, but I wave him off.

“Let me know if she comes back.” I take off down the street.

I dodge in and out of drunken pedestrians until I reach the end of the street and turn right.

Espionage might be situated in the heart of Manhattan’s Upper West Side, but that doesn’t mean that Nina will be safe to walk home alone in the dark. If anything, the richer the guys, the more entitled they think they are to a woman’s attention.

More bars line each side of the street, each one packed with drunk customers.

I scan the side alleys where the trash is thrown out, looking for any sign of Nina, but I seem to be coming up short.

“Shit.” I run my fingers through my hair.

I’m about to pull my phone out of my pocket to call Rurik, one of my PIs, to get a hold of Nina’s address when a gut-wrenching scream rings in my ears.

From the way my stomach sinks, I know it’s Nina.

Without thinking, I take off at a sprint, following the sound of her screams to one of the side alleys. What I find almost has the four scotches I drank earlier threatening to make an appearance.

She’s pressed up against the brick wall, a knife digging into the soft skin of her throat as the guy fights to get his hand beneath her sweater. Another stands nearby like a fucking watchdog.

“Shut the fuck up!” he growls as she goes to scream again.

I stay close to the wall, my body hidden by the shadows as I try to assess which one to take out first.

I don’t want to pull out my gun and risk drawing any unwanted attention. It would be more of a headache to clean up the aftermath if we were caught opening fire than if I just knock them out using my bare hands.

I crack my knuckles.

Looks like I’ve got myself a good old-fashioned brawl.

“I don’t think she’s interested, boys.” I walk out of the shadows.

My presence takes the watchdog by surprise.

Taking the opportunity, I lunge for him.

I grab the guy by the hair, pulling his head back and slamming it in the brick wall. He’s knocked out cold, and I toss his body aside.

Nina cries out as the second guy pulls her in front of him like a shield, pressing the knife harder against her neck.

“One move, and she’s dead,” he growls.

He bares his teeth at me as he yanks on Nina’s hair, and she lets out a terrified whimper.

“Funny.” I smirk. “I was just going to say the same about you.”

I lunge, grabbing hold of the wrist attached to the knife, before slamming my right elbow into his chin.

His hold on the knife loosens as he grunts, and I quickly pull it free and toss it aside.

“ Move ,” I order Nina.

She darts out of the way, cowering in the shadows as I narrowly miss a hit to the cheek.

I grab hold of his shoulders and send my knee straight into his gut, knocking the wind out of him.

He doubles over, and I quickly take his head in my hands and send it slamming to the ground.

I straddle him, my thighs on either side of his torso, and take his head in my hands once more, grunting as I slam it into the ground.

Blood starts to pool around his head, and I take that as my cue to stop.

Panting, I climb to my feet and stare down at the unconscious man at my feet.

I doubt the blows will be enough to kill either one of these men, but right now my priority is getting Nina the hell out of here.

I need to get a message to Reid to let him know of the two men who were no doubt keeping tabs on the women that were coming in and out of the bar. What I don’t understand is why they targeted Nina specifically. Did they have eyes inside the bar? Did they see me getting close to her and decided to send me a message?

If that’s the case, I can’t help but feel that Igor Ivanov is behind this.

The thought has bile rising in my throat.

I should have been more careful.

I take the opportunity to snap pictures of the two men. Even though I’m almost certain that they work for Igor, it’s always best to be cautious. The Koslovs have many enemies, which means we can’t afford to jump to conclusions. If I’m wrong and I send my men into Igor’s den without reason, it will be a fate worse than death.

“Are you ok?” I crouch low in front of her.

She’s shaking, and her eyes are wide as she looks over at the two men lying unconscious on the ground.

“ Nina ,” I press.

“I-I’m ok.” She looks back at me.

Her sweater is torn, but she seems otherwise unharmed.

I can’t help but picture what state she might have been in if I hadn’t reached her in time.

I shrug out of my jacket and wrap it around her shoulders. It swamps her, but it’s better than nothing.

“We need to get out of here.” I reach for her, but she instantly recoils.

“You’re safe.” I hope that she can see the sincerity on my face.

She glances around again. “I-I need my clutch.”

I get to my feet and quickly search the floor, spotting the sequined bag by the head of the first guy I took out. I grab it and hurry back to Nina, offering her a hand.

She offers the two men one last wary glance before placing her cold hands in mine.

I gently lift her to her feet, giving her a moment to steady herself.

“We need to get out of here before they wake up.” I tuck the clutch into the pocket of my jacket.

Nina nods, tightening her hold on my hand.

“How good are you at running in heels?”

I practically drag Nina back toward Espionage .

Despite her heels, she does well to keep up as I navigate a path through the crowd, constantly checking over my shoulder to make sure we’re not being followed.

Despite the cold air, my body feels unbearably hot from the spike in adrenaline, and the running doesn’t help. But I don’t stop until we reach Espionage.

I glance down at Nina, and she’s barely out of breath. Her cheeks are flushed pink, and her bangs are a little windswept, but it’s good to see some color in her cheeks.

“Is everything ok?” Reid asks as we approach, eyeing the blood staining my hands.

Now is not the time to explain, I need to make sure she is safe and away from here. “Can you get my car sent round.”

Reid nods, turning his back on us as he speaks into his earpiece.

Nina squeezes my arm. “I don’t need a ride home; I can get a cab.”

I shake my head.

“I’m not giving you a ride home, Nina. You’re coming home with me.”

“Anton—”

“I’m not taking no for an answer, Nina. Those men back there are dangerous. I can’t in good conscience send you back out into the city, alone.”

“My apartment is in a safe building with security.” Nina wraps her arms around herself.

“I don’t care. If these men want to find you, it’ll take a lot more than a doorman to stop them.”

“I can’t hide out at your place, Anton.”

“You can, and you will.”

“Anton—”

“You can try and fight me all you want on this, Nina, but you’re going to lose.”

She narrows her eyes, her mouth turned down in a scowl.

If the circumstances were different, I’d tell her how fucking adorable she looks when she’s annoyed.

She huffs. “Fine, I’ll stay at yours tonight.”

“No, that’s not the deal.”

“Excuse me?”

“Until we figure out who was behind this attack, I’m not letting you out of my sight.”