Vasiliy’s sharp eyes followed Jozef’s movements. “You have to leave.” He sounded almost disappointed, like he wanted to hang out a little longer with his soon-to-be murderer. Jozef didn’t know who this guy’s daughter was, but she was probably just as crazy.
Jozef lifted his gun.
“May I give you a gift first?” Vasiliy asked quietly.
Jozef tensed as Vasiliy reached for the work bench he’d been painting at when they arrived, but he only picked up a doll. It was about the length of Jozef’s forearm, with a chubby body that would fit other dolls inside. It was female, with long dark brown hair painted over the head and shoulders, a red and white patterned dress and a face that was both sweet and haunting.
Jozef held the doll in one arm and lifted his gun in the other, setting it against Vasiliy’s head.
“When you meet her, give her the doll. I made it in her likeness.” Vasiliy closed his eyes and whispered a prayer.
Chapter Forty
“Dr. Patterson, if you’ll just hold your head still for me.”
Shaun wanted to growl her annoyance as the person doing her hair straightened her head by pushing her chin forward. The man was fingers deep in Shaun’s tight curls, trying his best to straighten them. She could tell he wasn’t used to working with hair like hers. Her tight curls were usually pulled back in a ponytail or left in an afro that framed her head. Sometimes when she was travelling, depending on the country and her access to clean hygiene, she would have her hair braided into tight rows to keep maintenance down.
Shaun was being, poked, prodded, measured, plucked and made-up for the engagement party due to start in just over two hours. Dasha had sent her beauty team to Jozef’s suite to help Shaun prepare. She felt like an expensive, very useless doll.
Shaun hadn’t noticed Jozef enter the room until he stepped up to the man who was working on Shaun’s hair, giving him a glare that had the man’s hands freezing on Shaun’s head. She smiled at Jozef in the mirror, her eyes meeting his.
He’d arrived back at the house in the very early morning and, after kissing her awake, made exquisite, leisurely love to her warm, sleepy body. He’d told her he missed her while he was gone. He hadn’t given Shaun any details and she hadn’t asked, but she’d spent half the night awake and worrying about him.
Jozef’s gaze met Shaun’s in the mirror. What is he doing to your hair?
I don’t know, Shaun signed back, much to the bewilderment of her hair stylist. I think he’s trying to straighten it. She snickered and shook her head. Straightening her hair would absolutely not happen unless the man had some very specific products.
Still standing behind her, Jozef brushed his fingers over her jaw then sank them into the springy curls around the base of her head. He freed his fingers and signed, how do you want it to look?
Shaun shrugged, I guess I like it the way I usually have it.
Then that’s how it should look, Jozef agreed.
He turned his freezing stare to the hapless man attempting to painfully comb out Shaun’s hair. Somehow the guy knew exactly what Jozef was saying, though not a word was spoken. The others in the room, two dressmakers, a jeweler, and a makeup artist watched the encounter with curiosity until Jozef turned the heat of his glare on them.
He snapped his fingers and pointed at the door. There was a moment of hesitation and then one very brave dressmaker stepped up. “But Mrs. Koba insisted we attend to Dr. Patterson. How will she get ready for the party?”
Jozef let out a ferocious growl that had the stylists running for the door while Shaun covered a fit of giggles with her hand. Jozef closed and locked the door once the last person was out of their suite, leaving him alone with Shaun. He met her shining eyes in the mirror and smiled, a genuine smile, for her alone.
Shaun felt it right down to her toes.
I will help you prepare, Jozef signed as he approached her.
She turned in her seat and smiled up at him. “Thank you.”
He stood staring at her, the tension building between them until the rest of the world faded. It was just the two of them in a bubble of their own making. No gangsters, no forced engagement, no death, no family intrigue. Just them.
Shaun broke the moment by asking bluntly, “Did you take my phone? I couldn’t find it.”
Jozef’s gaze dimmed a little and he nodded. I had to know if my uncle set you up.
Shaun’s eyes widened. “He can’t have, I didn’t get the phone from him.”
Who did you get it from? Jozef asked.
Shaun sat silently, wondering what to do. She had to decide if she was going to trust Jozef with the information. Trust that he wouldn’t do anything to Saskia. Trust that he was telling Shaun the truth when he said his uncle set the whole thing up and that he wasn’t just trying to get the name of her ally. Then Shaun realized she’d already made her choice to trust Jozef when she’d told him about the phone call.
“I got it from Saskia,” she whispered, her eyes pleading. “But I know she wasn’t a part of any conspiracy to trap me. She’s too honest with her emotions.”
Jozef’s lips twisted in a grim smile. Yes, I agree. And it pleases me that you would protect the youngest member of my family. I believe my uncle found a way to get the phone to my cousin without her realizing he was manipulating the situation.
Shaun nodded her agreement. Then it struck her. Jozef didn’t need to tell her the truth of his uncle’s machinations. He could have left her in the dark. Instead he was trusting her with the information, firmly pitting them together against his uncle in this situation. They were inside the bubble, just the two of them.
Jozef rotated the chair away from the mirror until she was facing him, then he sank onto his knee in front of her. Shaun’s eyes widened and the breath caught in her chest as Jozef reached into his leather jacket and pulled out a box. This one was different from the one he’d shown her on the bridge. This one was a plain old-fashioned blue velvet box with faded gold trimming.
He opened the box and held it up for her to see. Nestled in the creamy satin folds of the box was a gold band with a single solitary diamond. The ring wasn’t new, though it looked like it had been refurbished. She sensed that there was a sentimental value to this ring that hadn’t belonged to the one on the bridge.
“It’s beautiful,” she whispered, touching the ring with her fingertip.
Encouraged by her lack of immediate refusal, Jozef pulled the ring from the box and gently slipped it on the third finger of her left hand. After Jozef had forced the other ring on her finger, after their botched date night, she’d taken it off and shoved it in a dresser drawer. When she’d gone back to look a few days later, it was gone.
Shaun stared down at the beautiful ring he’d placed on her finger, trying to remind herself of all the reasons she couldn’t accept it. Yet, none of the reasons would surface. They were all still there, but all she could concentrate on was the darkly handsome man on his knee, making her feel as though she was the only woman in the world.
He squeezed her fingers, bringing them to his lips for a lingering kiss that sent her heart racing.
He dropped her hand so he could sign. It was my mother’s ring.
Shaun nodded and blinked back tears at the thoughtful gift. Not knowing what to say, she repeated, “It’s beautiful, Jozef.”
One day I will ask you to marry me properly.
“Not today?” she whispered, bewildered. Why was he on his knees if he wasn’t proposing?
He shook his head. No, I won’t propose to you again until I know you will give me the answer I want to hear. He stared at her with his steady lake-blue gaze. Is today that day?
Shaun thought about his question and then shook her head, dejected that she couldn’t give him what he wanted. She wasn’t ready to give herself up wholeheartedly to her situation. There was too much about it that was wrong. She was a captive with no real free will. She had been torn from her family and forced to put her career on hold. She couldn’t reconc
ile herself to a life where so many of the things she loved and had worked hard for were being taken from her.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
She was afraid she’d ruined the moment with her refusal, that Jozef would grow cold again, but he didn’t. He looked at her with understanding and dipped his head in a brief nod.
I will not ask you to marry me then, he signed. But I will ask you to wear my ring, in whatever form of commitment you are able to give at this moment.
Commitment. Was she ready to wear a symbol of Jozef’s ownership? She knew the Koba family and their elite friends would see it that way. She was property of the Koba family, and the ring sealed that fate. Shaun preferred to look at the ring in the spirit in which it was being given, a sign of Jozef’s commitment to her. A request that she consider one day giving him more when she was ready.
It amazed her how far Jozef had come from the brutal killer who’d kidnapped her. She wasn’t fooling herself into believing that he was no longer dangerous. All she had to do was remember the men who’d attacked her in the alley. He’d dealt with them with brutal efficiency and then walked away with Shaun as though he hadn’t a moment’s remorse for the lives he’d just taken. And though he’d admitted to her that he could remember the face of every person he killed, he still committed the act. He’d been raised a killer and he would die a killer.
Yet, the feral dog of the Koba family was softening for her, and even though she didn’t agree with his line of work, it was impossible to resist the raw romance Jozef was determined to show her.
“Thank you.” She curled her fingers into her palm, feeling the press of her new ring. “I’ll treasure it.”
Jozef reached up and, gripping her head in his palms, dragged her into his body for a kiss. She fell out of her chair, but he caught her before she could hit the floor and cradled her against his chest while deepening the kiss. Shaun clung to him, feeling the intense emotion of the moment mixing with the rising lust that seemed to always swirl around them.
Finally, he broke the kiss, touched his lips to her nose, then set her back in her chair. Standing up, he signed, let’s finish getting ready. I want this party done so I can get you to myself.
He gave Shaun a distinctly lascivious look, telling her exactly why he wanted to get her alone.
Shaun laughed and turned her chair back to the mirror, picking up a nearby comb. She was relieved Jozef had sent the hair stylist away. She much preferred her own style over the smooth and straight version the man was trying to give her. She teased her hair until she got it exactly right. When she finished, it stood several inches out from her head in perfect symmetry all the way around.
Jozef sent a servant to the ballroom for a single gold-dipped black rose. Using his switchblade, he cut the stem off and tucked the rose into Shaun’s hair, just above her ear. She touched her fingers to the rose, marveling at the unique beauty, then she used pins to secure it. She sprayed her hair into place and then turned away from the mirror.
Together they got ready for the party, signing to each other and laughing. It was the most relaxed Shaun had been in that house and she found herself wishing she was getting ready for an evening out with Jozef, rather than a big fancy engagement party.
Can you please zip me? Shaun signed, turning her back to Jozef, who was standing in only his suit pants and a belt. She found his bare feet unbearably sexy, especially when paired with his bare chest, which was truly a beautiful sight with its wealth of tattoos. Shaun held her breath as he stepped up to her, the heat of his body caressing her. He took the zipper of her dress and pulled it up from her butt to halfway up her back, his knuckles deliberately touching the skin of her back.
She tried to step away, but he took her shoulders and turned her until she was facing him. His eyes drank her in, from the top of her afro to the dip in her cleavage, all the way down the slinky floor length gold silk gown to her bare toes peeking out from the hem. When he lifted his eyes to hers, his gaze held fire and admiration. He was telling her she was beautiful; she didn’t need to hear the words to know.
“Thank you,” she said with a smile.
Jozef stepped away from Shaun and reached for his white button up shirt. His aunt had sent a tuxedo for him to wear, but Jozef had chosen one of his finer suits instead. He told Shaun that he would wear the tux if she wanted, but he hated feeling confined. Shaun replied that she didn’t have an opinion. She didn’t say out loud that it didn’t matter what Jozef wore, he would be the sexiest man in the room. There was something magnetically appealing about his darkly intense demeaner. As if he hid a wealth of secrets and the only way he would give them up was if he was either fucking or killing.
Finally, they were ready.
Shaun added a hint of shiny lip gloss to her nude lips, otherwise she wore little makeup, allowing the shimmery golden dress to speak for itself. Leeza had given Shaun a pair of strappy satin sandals to match the dress. Shaun was grateful as the straps helped her feel more secure in the three-inch heels.
Jozef held her arm while she bent to slide each shoe on. He then bent down, kneeling at her feet, and buckled them for her. When he stood, he didn’t move away, instead taking her shoulders in his hands and rubbing his thumbs over her skin. In her shoes, Shaun was nearly the same height as Jozef. They would make an imposing pair.
He continued to stare at her as the air heated around them, charged with their chemistry. Jozef was a tactile person, always touching her when he got the chance. At first, Shaun thought it was his way of controlling her, but she quickly realized it was his love language. He was always touching her, whether they were having sex or not. He didn’t get anything out of it, except for basic human contact. He wanted to touch her and truly enjoyed it.
Shaun wished she felt more comfortable touching him back. Though her family was a loving one, they hadn’t been demonstrative. They didn’t often hug unless one of them had been absent for an extended period of time, and none of Shaun’s previous boyfriends had been particularly touchy with her. Shaun hadn’t realized she was missing anything until Jozef touched her, his magical fingers working to almost instantly relax her.
He turned away and Shaun thought they were going to leave to go to the ballroom, but he caught her arm and held her still. He pulled open the drawer to his desk and picked something up. As he turned back to Shaun, she caught a flash of something shiny. Curious, she watched as he opened his palm, showing her a delicate chain with a tiny heart.
She hadn’t expected anything else from him, but if she had, she would have thought a family of the obvious wealth the Kobas had would give huge, shiny, opulent jewelry. In fact, Shaun was positive none of the women of the family would show up at the party less than fully decked out in their icing. Yet, this simple and delicate chain meant so much more to Shaun because she knew it had come from Jozef alone.
He took her shoulders in his hands and turned her until her back was to him, then he placed the tiny heart against the dip in her throat, linking the chain at the back of her neck. Shaun lifted a hand to touch the precious metal as Jozef kissed the back of her neck.
He stepped away from her and, as she turned, held a hand out to her. She slid her fingers into his palm and looked at him, her vulnerability shining bright in her eyes. She didn’t think she was imagining the same look in his velvet blue eyes.
Chapter Forty-One
Every head in the room turned and the orchestra fell silent as Jozef led Shaun into the ballroom, pausing in the doorway for the occupants to look their fill. Shaun clung tighter to Jozef’s arm, while he squeezed her hand reassuringly. Being the object of such focused attention made her nervous and reminded her all over again of how different she was from these people.
Though Shaun had helped prepare the house for the party, she was still shocked by the transformation of the ballroom. It was dripping in glittering crystal, gold and black accents and the most expensive settings money could buy. Shaun stared at the tablecloths covering the buffet tables. If
she wasn’t mistaken, they were the exact same shade as her gown. She stared open-mouthed at Dasha, who was standing near the front of the crowd with her hand on Krystoff’s arm. The woman had outdone herself. When Shaun caught Dasha’s eye, the older woman lifted her champagne glass in salute. Shaun was truly impressed.
Dasha and Krystoff approached Jozef and Shaun, and in a moment of choreographed harmony, the matriarch and patriarch of the Koba crime family each took Shaun in their arms and kissed her cheeks. They were showing their assembled guests that they wholeheartedly accepted and endorsed Jozef’s choice for wife. It was a fraught moment as the guests whispered and Leeza and Saskia approached to follow suit.
When it was Leeza’s turn, Shaun was surprised to see the other woman’s husband reach for her hand, then felt guilty for forgetting the man existed. He was a quiet non-entity in the family. He’d been introduced as an accountant, but Shaun had since learned he was actually the accountant for the entire organization; the same man who blew the whistle on Jozef’s childhood friend.
He looked like every stereotype of a mafia accountant that Shaun might have imagined; short, or at least shorter than Shaun, balding, thick glasses with a slight paunch around his middle. Shaun suspected he might be pre-diabetic based on the slight shake to his hands as he touched her, a pale fatigue to his features and dry skin with some dark patches that shouldn’t be there for his age. Shaun would talk to him about it later, at a more appropriate time, maybe suggest some treatments.
Leeza stepped up and hugged Shaun warmly, kissing her cheeks. “Welcome to our family.”
“Thank you.”
Shaun watched as Leeza and her husband walked away, his hand hovering over her waist but not touching her. It was odd, but Shaun couldn’t detect even a hint of warmth in their marriage. She wondered how they got together in the first place. Leeza couldn’t be more than 28 years old, while her husband was significantly older. They shared a five-year-old son, which made Shaun suspect they’d gotten together while she was still quite young.
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