Love Thy Enemy (Red Stone Security #13)(39)

Hope bloomed inside her that it was Viktor. It was well after midnight so he should be back anytime. Or she assumed he would be. She snorted at Lyosha’s words. “You think I should be a better kidnapping victim?”

He made an annoyed sound in his throat. “You should listen better to Viktor. He’s just looking out for you. He needs his woman not to question him.”

A burst of surprised laughter escaped. “Oh my God, you did not just say that. Like what, I should be one of his employees and just jump when he says something? Relationships don’t work like that. Not since the nineteen fifties.” Not that she knew from experience, not really. But she’d at least had a good example from her parents—until everything went pear-shaped. And it wasn’t like she and Viktor were even in a relationship. She’d thought they might be heading that way—until tonight. Now she just wanted to smack him.

“No, you’re a woman. You need to let him take care of you.” Frowning, he pulled out his cell phone. Whatever he read on the screen had the tension in his shoulders completely easing up.

“Oh sweet Lord, so you’re a sexist,” she muttered. “Just great.” She stood, determined to find Viktor. Because she was pretty sure he was back, if Lyosha’s body language and the flash of headlights were any indication.

He pinned her with a penetrating stare. “I’m not sexist. I just think—”

“I really, really don’t care what you think. Where’s Viktor?”

He lifted a big shoulder.

“Fine. I’ll find him myself.” She swiveled and headed out of the room. She’d taken her heels off hours ago but was still in her dress. The hardwood floor of the foyer was cool against her feet. She hadn’t gotten a tour of the place but she could pretty much guarantee Viktor wasn’t up the stairs to her right.

There was a huge formal dining room across from the living room she’d just been in, and another door on the other side of it. It had to extend to the rest of the house, and since the garage was on the other side—

“Come on.” Lyosha fell in step with her. “I’ll take you to him.”

She hurried after him as he continued to the dining room at a fast clip. “I’m surprised you’re taking me.”

“It’s better than you running all over this place, getting into things that don’t concern you.” He shot her a dark look as he opened the swinging door connected to the dining room.

She just rolled her eyes and strode past him into what turned out to be a huge, gorgeous kitchen. Everything in it appeared new.

She didn’t get a chance to appreciate any of it before Lyosha ushered her through it to a hallway. Then another one, until he knocked on a heavy-looking wood door with intricate carvings on the outside. It was custom and beautiful.

Viktor opened the door a moment later and much to her annoyance her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him. She could see Abram behind him, leaning against a big desk. Viktor’s eyes widened at the sight of her, then he glared at Lyosha. He growled something in Russian but thankfully Lyosha answered in English.

“I told her to take one of the guest bedrooms and offered her new clothes. She said no.” He looked at her, seemingly for confirmation.

She nodded, even though a small part of her wanted to throw him under the bus. He was just doing his job and she wasn’t going to hold it against him. Even if he annoyed her with his sexist bullshit. “We need to talk,” she said to Viktor as the door opened even wider.

His brother stepped past her, giving her an unreadable look as he motioned that Lyosha should come with him.

Viktor moved back so she could enter. “I’m sorry you got dragged into this.” For a moment he looked as if he would reach for her, but he let his arms drop. His voice was as exhausted as his expression.

Which made her feel bad. She wanted to comfort him, to wrap her arms around him. But not until they hashed some things out. “I’m really not happy with you, but first…were any of your men hurt? Are you okay with the police?”

“None of my guys were injured and yes, I’m fine. They just had a lot of questions and had to deal with the bodies. It was very time-consuming.”

“I’m glad you’re okay.” She smacked his upper arm once. “But I’m not okay with you kidnapping me.”

His jaw tightened as he looked down at her. Without her heels on he actually towered over her. Instead of using his height difference against her, he sighed and went to sit on the edge of the desk. “I’m sorry, Dominique.”

The way he said her name sent a shiver of awareness through her. She fought against her reaction. She came to stand in front of him, hating how tired he looked. “Why didn’t you let me stay?”

“I just… I didn’t want you there, not with the cops and the whole parade of people I knew would be there.”

“Why not? You’re not into anything illegal, right?”

“Not anymore.”

She nodded once. “I know that.”

His lips curved up, his smile wry. “Your guys down at Red Stone tell you that?”

She lifted a shoulder. “More or less. So what’s the deal, for real? You think I can’t handle a few questions from the police?”

“I didn’t want you to have to. I didn’t want you on their radar at all.” His words were as harsh as his expression. There was no give there. Now he didn’t look tired, just angry and frustrated. “I didn’t want you linked to all that death, to me.”