“That sounds perfect. And I won’t be cold if you keep me warm.”
“I will not let you be cold.” He took her hand, and they walked out to the balcony, which was a huge space that held a large seating area, a dining table and chairs, and an outdoor kitchen. He started a fire with two taps of the remote control, then they settled onto the center of the biggest couch.
He held her wrapped in his arms and allowed his inner furnace to burn a little brighter. “Warm enough?”
She nodded and laid her head on his chest. “Perfect.”
They sat there in absolute, comfortable silence for a long time. He ran his hand over her hair, marveling at the silkiness of it.
She splayed her fingers on his chest. “I have to see my father tomorrow.”
“I know.” He let a few more quiet seconds tick by. “Do you want me to go with you?”
“Yes. But no.” She sighed. “I don’t want him to know that you and I have become close. He’ll use that against me.”
“Do you want him to think that I am here because of your power over me?”
She shook her head a little. “I’m not going to ask you to do that.”
“I will do anything that will help you earn your freedom.” He didn’t think he’d ever spoken truer words. “Would that be best for him to think?”
She didn’t answer right away, and when she did, there was resignation in her voice. “Yes.”
“Then I will do it. I remember what it felt like. I can imitate it again, if need be.”
She sat up to look at him. “You won’t have to do it much. You might not have to do it at all, really. Would you normally see him before a fight?”
“Yes. At weigh-in and for a few minutes in the dressing room.”
She stiffened a little. “Oh.”
“Don’t worry, zolotse, I can handle it.”
“I know you can.” She put her head back down, and they returned to companionable silence.
Until a new thought crept into his head. “Won’t he wonder why you are not staying at the Shamrock?”
“If it comes up, I’ll tell him I need to keep you in my sway. It’s happened before. He doesn’t monitor my every move. At least, I don’t think he does. In theory, he shouldn’t need to since I’m sort of tied to him anyway.” She took a few deep breaths. “Do you not want him to know where I’m really staying?”
“The only thing I want is for you to be safe. You can tell him you’re staying here if you want. He will not get farther than the lobby anyway.”
“Okay.” She yawned and sat up again, this time putting her arms around his shoulders and nuzzling his neck.
The soft caress of her breath on his skin sent shivers of desire through him. He tilted his head to give her more access.
Gentle, feathery kisses below his ear followed, and he moaned in pleasure.
She pulled back, smiling, eyes heavy-lidded. “I do love you, Ivan Tsvetkov. And no matter what happens in these next few days, I want you to know that I have had the time of my life with you. Thank you for everything.”
“You are welcome, beautiful Monalisa. Now we should go to bed. To our own beds,” he clarified. “Otherwise, your kisses may lead us down a very different path.”
She woke bright and early with a heavy mix of emotions on her heart. She’d never been happier in her life. And she’d never dreaded a day more than she did today.
Seeing her father would be, at best, unpleasant. At worst, it could turn into the biggest fight she’d ever had with him.
Either way, today would not be boring.
Since she planned to go by her apartment at the Shamrock before seeing him, she showered, did her hair and makeup, then just threw on jeans and a sweater. She’d change into something dressier before going to his office.
It was seven fifty-eight when she walked into the kitchen. Harlan was already there, scrambling eggs and cooking bacon. And also, apparently, grilling a couple of steaks. She dropped her bag by the door.
He gave her a quick smile. “Morning.”
“Morning. Is there coffee?”
“Absolutely.” He put down the whisk and took a step toward the sleek machine at the end of the countertop. “What would you like? Cappuccino? Latte?”
“Just plain old cream and sugar, and I’ll get it. You’ve got enough to take care of. Just tell me where the cups are.”
“Second cabinet in. Coffee is in the carafe, cream is in the fridge, and sugar is in that dispenser next to the coffeemaker.” He went back to whisking.
“Thanks.” She got a cup, filled it, doctored it with cream and sugar, then took a seat at the counter. “Is Van up yet?”
“Yep. He’s downstairs on the treadmill getting his miles in.” Harlan poured the eggs into a pan.
“Downstairs? I bet this place has a killer gym.”
“It probably does, but he’s literally downstairs. He owns the floor below this one too. Turned it into his personal gym. It’s where he trains.”
“Oh. How about that?” She sipped her coffee. Van certainly wasn’t the kind of guy to let anything stand in his way. She liked that about him so much. And while it was a trait he shared with her father, the way Van did things was night and day compared with Padraig. “I guess those steaks are for him.”
Harlan looked up from stirring the eggs. “You want one? I can make another one, no problem.”
“No, no. Just curious. The man brings new meaning to the word carnivore, doesn’t he?”
“He is a dragon.” Harlan shrugged. “And when he’s training, he needs the protein more than ever.”
“How did you guys meet?”
He got plates out and laughed. “I came to Vegas hoping to work in one of the shows here. I’m an amateur magician. But I’d like to be a professional. I figured I could get my feet wet working on one of the productions, maybe get to know some people, work my way up, that sort of thing.”
“Hey, that’s cool.”
He set the plates down, then with a flourish, flattened his hands, palms down, and crossed them over each other. He next flipped his hands over to show her they were empty. A quick snap of his fingers, a small puff of smoke, and he was holding the forks and knives.
“Wow.” She nodded. “I’m impressed.”
He chuckled. “Thanks. That’s kind of basic, but I’ve got some much bigger stuff. Anyway, the only job I could get was working as a bouncer at this high-end club called Ultra. Ivan was in one night, saw me deal with a couple of rowdy drunks, and asked me if I’d ever thought about fighting.”
“You said that wasn’t for you.”
“It’s not. But I am a gargoyle. Just because I don’t want to fight for a living doesn’t mean I don’t like to mix it up now and then. Sparring with Ivan is a good outlet. And he pays a helluva lot better than being a bouncer.”
A door opened and closed somewhere in the apartment.
She nodded. “That’s cool.”
“What is cool?” Van walked in wearing track pants and a tank top with a towel draped around his neck. He was dripping sweat and looking about as hot as Monalisa had ever seen him.
She turned to face him, crossing her legs as she took in the view. “Harlan was just telling me how you two met.” She drank her coffee, eyeballing him over the rim.
He seemed to notice her close study of him and took a slightly different posture, chest out, hands on hips. Judging from the gleam in his eyes, he enjoyed her ogling him. “You like what you see?”
“I do.” She put her cup down. “Very much.”
He spread his arms wide. “Maybe you would like a big hug.”
She laughed and squealed. “Not until you’ve showered.”
He walked toward her, grinning. “Why not now?”
“Because I am showered.” She put her hands up, giggling.
He stopped inches away, put his hands on the counter behind her, and leaned in. “Kiss me, or I will hug you anyway.” He waggled his brows. “Then you will need to shower again.”
“You drive a hard bargain.” She kissed him, tilting forward so that their mouths were all that touched. “How was your workout?”
“Good.” He straightened. “Now, I will shower and eat, then the next round begins in an hour. Sparring this time.”
“Steaks are almost ready,” Harlan said.
“I will shower fast.” Van started for his bedroom, then hesitated and turned around to look at her again. “Why is your bag by the door?”
“Because I’m going to swing by my apartment before I see my father. I need clean clothes. And I need to change into something professional.”
Van nodded. “You are sure he will not give you a hard time about staying here?”
“Not if he thinks I need to keep you influenced to ensure you show up for that rematch.”
“Okay. Good. Do you need a car?” He shrugged. “I will call you a car. Do not leave until I come back.”
“I hadn’t planned on it.” She smiled as she turned her chair back around. She’d never been wanted the way Van wanted her. Or so well taken care of. It was heady stuff.
“Ready to eat?” Harlan asked.
“Not yet,” she said. “I’ll wait for Van.”
He was back out in a few minutes and joined her at the counter. At her request, Harlan did a few more magic tricks while they ate. It was a lovely morning and one that took her mind off meeting with her father.
But breakfast lasted only so long.
Monalisa changed into trim black leggings, high-heeled black boots and a long, subtly striped maroon cardigan with a matching shell. She packed quickly, ditching her small rolling bag in favor of a larger one and a better selection of clothing.
The driver Van had called for her had insisted on staying until she was ready to return, so she picked up the phone and asked for a bellman to take her bag down to the waiting car.
He got to her apartment in under five minutes, one of the few perks of being Padraig Devlin’s daughter. And with that done, there was nothing left to procrastinate on. She picked up her purse, checked that she had her ID badge, and headed for the second floor where her father’s office was.
She stepped out of the elevator on the second floor and clipped her badge to her sweater. The security guys waved her through with deferential smiles.
Several other people greeted her as she wound her way through the labyrinth of offices. Deeper in, she passed the heavily guarded doors that led to the finance offices and the vaults. Besides the guards, the steel doors had biometric locks that required a fingerprint and a retinal scan. And every inch of this floor was videotaped. No one got in or out of here without being recorded.
After seeing Van’s hoard, she thought about where her father kept his stash of gold. Behind those doors? That was what she’d long suspected.
She stopped to glance back at the armed guards standing on either side of that entryway. Yes, the casino and the hotel took in tremendous amounts of money, but it would stand to reason that her father would want that same level of security for his personal wealth as well.
Which meant that somewhere behind those doors was the coin she so desperately wanted. Doors that she didn’t have the clearance to get through. She never had. Her father had told her numerous times that neither she nor her mother needed to worry themselves with the money end of things.
She snorted softly. He was such a condescending idiot.
That thought fueled the rest of her march to his office.
His administrative assistant, a woman named Seela, gave her a nod. Seela was a banshee, a supernatural whose voice could shatter glass and stop a heart, and she also served as a first line of defense for Padraig. “Hello, Ms. Devlin.”
“Hello, Seela. I need to see my father. He’s expecting me.” He wasn’t exactly, but it wasn’t too far from the truth.
The woman nodded. “I don’t see you on his calendar.”
“He asked me to come in when I returned to the city.” Monalisa made herself smile pleasantly. “And here I am.”
Seela got up from her desk. “I’ll just go let him know.”
By which Seela meant she’d see if Monalisa was lying.
Monalisa held on to her smile until the woman turned her back, then she pulled out her phone and sent her father a quick text. Home. Need to talk.
Seela was gone only a minute or two, and when she returned, she wore a slim, frosty smile. “He’ll see you now.”
Monalisa’s grin was real this time. “I guess I was on his calendar.” She tucked her clutch under her arm and strode through the tall double doors that led into her father’s office.
His office was an enormous space filled with dark walnut furniture, vibrant green malachite stone wall panels, and hand-knotted carpets laid over slate floors. The fixtures were gold-plated, and cut-crystal objects were everywhere. The seat behind his desk was more throne than chair. She’d once heard him boast that decorating his office had cost more than the hotel’s presidential suite.
Instead of a view of the gorgeous mountains beyond the city or the bustling streets below, his privacy-coated windows overlooked the casino floor. And not just any section of the casino, but the high-dollar tables.
He was standing in front of them now, hands clasped behind his back.
She could see his face in the reflection. He was staring down into the pits, watching the whales lose their shirts. Her eyes narrowed. She hoped one of them got lucky and broke the bank.
Her father stayed where he was, not bothering to greet her or even acknowledge her with a look. “I take it you brought the dragon back with you?”
“I did.”
His gaze remained on the gamblers below. “And he’ll be ready to fight?”
“He will.”
“Excellent news.”
“I’d like the coin now.”
That got him to turn around. “I’m sure you would.”
“I did what you asked. The job is done.”
His eyes narrowed disapprovingly. “So eager to leave the nest.”
“I’m thirty years old. I’ve been here long enough.” She took a breath and reminded herself to keep her voice even and calm. “I’m ready to start my own life. You know that. We’ve been through this.”
He lifted his chin so he could look down his nose at her. “You’ll have it. As soon as he steps into the ring.”
“The rematch is a done deal.”
His lip curled. “When he’s in the ring. Ask about it again and I may change my mind.”
Anger bubbled up in her. She wanted to scream at him. Tell him what a horrible father he was. That he was the lowest of the low and bog scum and that he deserved every bad thing that came to him.
Instead, she managed a tiny bend of her mouth that hopefully passed for a smile. “I’ll see you at the fight, then.”
She turned to reach for the door.
“Actually, I’ll see you at dinner tonight. Your mother’s request.”
Monalisa didn’t bother turning around to answer. “I can’t. I have to stay with the dragon and keep him under my influence. Wouldn’t want anything to keep him out of the ring.”
“Monalisa—”
She opened the door and walked through it, shutting it firmly behind her.
Van stood on the balcony, letting the sun warm his face. He’d put in three solid hours of training today, which wasn’t that much, but for what lay ahead, it was enough.
He’d never shifted in the ring before. Never wanted to. Never had a need. But on Saturday night, for the first time, he would. The days of balance and fairness had ended when Padraig Devlin had forced Monalisa to disrupt the last fight.
This time, Van planned to step into the ring and claim victory as soon as possible. Ronan, even in his manticore form, would be severely outclassed by Van as a dragon. And his fangs would be unable to pierce Van’s scales.
Van would win decisively, but regaining the championship title didn’t matter. Just Monalisa’s freedom.
It bother
ed him even now that she’d been gone as long as she had. He worried that her father would command her to stay. Or worse. Those dark thoughts caused heat to build in his bones.
Harlan stepped outside. “The doorman called up. You have visitors.”
Van whipped around, his mood already cooling. “Monalisa’s back?”
“No, the friends you invited. I told the doorman to send them up. That was okay, right?”
Van nodded. “Of course.”
“Good.” Harlan rubbed the back of his neck. The kid had done well in the ring today. “If you don’t need anything else, I’m going to split.” He grinned. “I’ve got a date tonight.”
“Have fun.”
“Thanks. See you tomorrow, right?”
“Yes, we will probably all go out for breakfast, so you won’t have to cook.” Van walked inside as the door chime sounded. “Coming.”
“I’ll get it,” Harlan said, jacket in hand. “I’m headed out anyway.” He opened it. “Hello, Ivan’s friends, and goodbye, Ivan’s friends.”
Pandora, Nick, and Willa laughed as they spilled into the apartment. Harlan gave a wave and headed out.
Van met them in the foyer. “I see you all made it. And on the early flight. How was it?”
“So. Early.” Pandora gave him a hug. “But you’re worth it. Where’s Monalisa? Cole and Kaley send their love and best wishes.”
“On an errand, but she will be back soon. That is kind of Cole and Kaley. I wish they could have come.”
She shrugged. “It’s midterm season, and they are both up to their eyeballs in work.”
Van shook Nick’s hand. “Good to see you.”
“You too. Thanks for the tickets. Very generous.”
“Yes,” Willa said. “That was very kind. I’ve never been to anything like this before.”
Van got the feeling fights weren’t her thing, but it was nice that she’d come along with Nick, who was clearly into the whole idea. “This is my last fight, so I am pleased to know I will have friends in the audience.”
Pandora nodded. “You definitely will. And hey, I found a book in the attic that might be of some help with Monalisa’s situation. Well, Gertrude found it. By which I mean she dropped it on my foot when I was up there giving Kaley a lesson, but anyway, I started reading it on the plane and nothing yet, but who knows?”
The Dragon Finds Forever (Nocturne Falls Book 7) Page 21