Love Thy Enemy (Red Stone Security #13)(24)

Viktor simply nodded, scanning the parking lot, and opened the passenger door for her. “Get inside.” The words came out like an order. “Ah, please,” he added when she raised her eyebrows at his brusque tone. “I want to keep you safe.”

The way he said those simple words did something strange to her insides. He said it as if he truly meant it. As if her safety was the most important thing to him.

She slid into the seat, and for some reason wasn’t really surprised when he actually buckled her in. The way he just took charge sometimes made her melt. Heart still beating out of control, she started to dial her bank as he rounded the front of the vehicle.

To her surprise he pulled out another phone and made a call, speaking in Russian as she made her own phone calls. First she canceled her bank card and then reported her phone stolen. This was a huge pain in the ass but she was just glad they were okay. Once she was done, he was wrapping up his call as well. She handed him his phone as he started the engine.

“Wait, what about the police?”

He snorted, the sound laced with the slightest bit of derision. “I’m not calling the cops.”

“Why not? I was just mugged.” They needed to make a report.

“I want to get the locks changed on your condo tonight. I’ve already called someone and I’m having it taken care of immediately.”

“My locks… Oh my God. They’ve got my address and my keys.” At least she hadn’t had any work keys in her purse. She’d just brought the basics tonight.

“What else did you have in there?” he asked, steering out of the parking lot.

She wanted to argue with him about not calling the police, but answered. “My phone and debit card, both of which are taken care of now. A little cash and some makeup stuff.”

“No work stuff?”

“No.”

“Okay. Good.”

“Now why aren’t you calling the police?”

“Because they won’t be able to do a damn thing about tonight. Did you see the man who took your purse?” he asked, even though he had to know she hadn’t seen a thing.

Biting her lip, she shook her head. “I didn’t even get a glimpse of him.” One moment she’d been almost kissing Viktor and the next someone had shoved her into him. “Where did he even come from?”

“He must have been waiting for us. There was someone waiting with him which means a team timed this perfectly, waiting until we were distracted.” Viktor’s voice was tight with barely concealed rage. “I should have kept you safer. I’m sorry.”

There was so much self-recrimination in his voice it made her pause. “Viktor, it was just a random mugging. It’s not your job to keep me safe. I’m just glad we’re okay.”

He seemed troubled. “I…don’t necessarily know that it was random.”

A new thread of fear slid through her veins. “What? Why would you think that?”

He glanced in the rearview mirror before switching lanes. “Mud was rubbed across the license plate, and the way it was almost choreographed…” He shook his head, his expression darkening. “I have a lot of enemies and you were out with me.” Again, there was that note in his voice she didn’t like.

“Some jerk stole my purse. It’s no one’s fault but his. And I can’t imagine someone mugging me simply because I was out with you. That doesn’t even make sense.” He had to see that.

But instead of agreeing with her, he just did that grunting thing and took the next turn.

Sighing, she leaned back against the seat, fighting the rush of nerves that had invaded her and didn’t seem to be going away. Something so much worse could have happened tonight. What if her mugger had been carrying a weapon? She fought off a shudder, and to her surprise, Viktor reached out and squeezed her thigh, ever so lightly.

“I’m going to find out who did this.” There was a blade-sharp edge to his voice that took her off guard, but she just nodded.

The truth was in his voice and part of her felt bad for her mugger. Because if a man like Viktor did find him… She was pretty sure he’d hurt the guy. And she didn’t know what to think about that.

Didn’t know what to think about anything lately. Viktor had completely knocked her world off its axis and she was only now coming to terms with the fact that she was insanely attracted to him. A man who most definitely had a shady history in business and was the son of a man she’d considered her enemy for a long time.

Even though she was worried about her stolen purse, she still couldn’t help but wish that they’d gotten to follow through on that kiss. What would it have felt like to have Viktor’s lips teasing hers and his body pressed up tight against hers?

She wasn’t even sure what she’d like. Her sexual experiences consisted of kissing and what her mother would have called ‘heavy petting.’ All over the clothes.

After her mom had killed herself Dominique had retreated into herself, just working through college and barely even going out with friends the first couple years. The only people she’d even let into her life had been her extended family. Looking back, she realized that she’d been depressed. It had taken a long damn time to crawl out of her self-imposed prison. Not only that, she’d been afraid of sex for a long time. Her mom had been used sexually, had felt so ashamed that she’d killed herself. Even after Dominique had managed to start living again, she’d still shied away from sex.