Kat looked around the room at nothing in particular. Then she pulled back the covers and slid underneath, plumping the pillow under her head. Lying on her side, facing him, Kat tucked her hands under her face.
Alexander set his iPad on the night table, turned out the lights so only a slight glow from the bathroom remained and mirrored her position, leaving more than a foot of space between them.
“How does it feel?” he asked.
Kat stretched out her legs beneath the covers, and Alexander tried not to think of what she was not wearing underneath his pajama shirt.
“It’s okay.”
“Just okay?”
Kat shrugged, and then she scooted closer so her head was on his pillow and tucked one foot between his.
“That’s better,” she said and closed her eyes.
Alexander watched as she shifted slightly and eventually fell asleep. He normally slept on his back or sprawled on his stomach. Never on his side. But he would be damned if he moved an inch tonight.
When he awoke several hours later to the sun filtering through the shades, Alexander still lay on his side. He hadn’t moved all night, but Kat had. She was now on her other side, facing away from him and tucked right up against him with not an inch between their bodies. Which Alexander was acutely aware of as his erection pressed against her ass. Fortunately for him, Kat’s breathing was still deep and even.
Wishing like hell he could never move again, but knowing he had to get up, Alexander unwrapped his arms from around Kat and got out of bed. He carefully arranged the covers back over her. Taking his phone into the bathroom with him, he texted Luke to have the car ready in thirty minutes. He had planned this trip to New Jersey last week, and he briefly considered cancelling. But the business he had there was pressing. He would, however, condense his planned three days into one, so he could return the following day. Just the thought of leaving Kat for twenty four hours made him edgy.
When he had showered and dressed in a navy blue suit and red tie, he emerged from the bathroom and was relieved to find Kat still in his bed. She was awake, though. Just stretching and yawning.
Sitting on the edge of the bed he brushed the back of his hand across her cheek. “Sleep well?”
She smiled, a true genuine smile, that nearly brought him to his knees. “Very.”
“Good. I have to go to New Jersey, but I will be back tomorrow. Please keep my bed warm for me.”
Kat stretched her arms over her head and arched her back. Alexander bit back a groan as her breasts pushed against the shirt she wore. Leaning down slowly, so as to give Kat every chance to pull away, Alexander pressed his lips gently to hers.
“Be careful while I am away,” he said. What he really wanted to say was don’t leave the penthouse or let anyone in until I return. But he knew that wouldn’t go over well. Instead he would tell Luke to stay with her wherever she went.
“Goodbye, Katya,” he said, placing one more kiss on her forehead and standing up to leave.
“Bye, Alex,” she said with a cheeky smile.
He shook his head as he walked away. Perhaps he could stand the nickname, especially as he had the memory of her crying Alex as she climaxed. With one final look at the woman in his bed, the only woman to ever be in his bed, Alexander shut the door and left to handle his business as quickly as possible.
After Alexander left, Kat stayed in bed a while longer. It was definitely more comfortable than her couch, and it smelled of Alexander. That was the best part. Eventually, Kat decided she couldn’t stay in bed all day. Though what she was going to do she didn’t know. Retrieving Blade and checking on Larissa was top on her list.
After a quick shower, Kat dried her hair and pulled on a robe, prepared to cross the hallway to her room for her clothes. But then she noticed her bag sitting just inside the door. A bit presumptuous of Alexander to think she was staying in here. But the thought of sleeping in the bed across the hall made her shiver, and not in a good way. Alexander would be back tomorrow and they could work out the arrangement of her staying in a room downstairs and getting started working at a legitimate job at The Onyx.
Dressing in jeans and a long sleeve shirt, Kat pulled on her boots and opened the door. She found Luke sitting at the large island in the kitchen, drinking coffee and reading on an iPad. He glanced over at her.
“Hi, Kat.”
“Hi, Luke. Why am I not surprised to find you here?”
Luke was his usual locked down stoic self, not unlike herself, and his mouth barely lifted. “Alexander thought it would be a good idea if you didn’t go out alone, considering what happened last night.”
Kat briefly wondered if he was referring to the break in or what had happened in Alexander’s bed. Of course, Luke was referring to the break in, but Kat wondered if Alexander’s motives weren’t more personal. She definitely got the sense that he liked to be in control, in all aspects of his life. Which made the fact that he had let her call the shots all the more appealing.
“Okay,” she agreed. “You can follow me, but you can’t dictate what I do or where I go.”
Luke nodded. “Understood.”
Kat set about fixing a bowl of cereal and a glass of orange juice for herself and joined Luke at the island.
“I need to pick up Blade from Larissa, and then I was going to see if she would go to Dane’s with me. It might help her if she knew how to defend herself,” Kat said.
“Good idea. I could use a workout myself.”
Luke did look a little rough around the edges this morning, Kat thought. Even more than usual. The more she got to know the guy, the more she actually liked him.
Chapter Twenty Four
A rustling sound from the hallway had Kat turning her head. Luke’s eyes, however, remained riveted to his iPad. When Kat saw a pretty brunette walk out of the hall and into the living room, she instantly recognized her from Alexander’s photos. The girl didn’t have the same look of recognition on her face when she saw Kat.
In fact, her expression became downright icy as she looked from Kat to Luke, who was still studiously ignoring everyone. Kat wasn’t exactly the friendliest person, but she took the lead here, because there was obviously some serious tension in the air.
“You must be Natasha. I’m Kat. I’m a…friend of your brothers.”
Natasha’s eyes widened in surprise. “Really? A friend of Alexander’s?” she asked doubtfully.
Kat tilted her head toward the hallway opposite where Natasha had come from. “Yeah, I’m staying here for a few days. I hope that’s okay.”
Natasha walked into the kitchen and shrugged. “It’s his place. Apparently anyone can come in here these days,” she said with another glare in Luke’s direction.
Kat saw him wince, but otherwise he had no reaction to Natasha’s response. Finishing his coffee in one gulp, Luke put his mug down and slid off the bar stool. Looking only at Kat, he said, “Listen, Kat. I’m going to go check on some stuff in Alexander’s office. Come find me when you’re ready to go out.”
Kat had never seen the man move so fast, and that was saying something, as he punched in the code for the door off the kitchen and disappeared down the long hallway.
When the sound of his quick footsteps faded, Natasha sighed and slumped back against the counter.
“I’m sorry for being so rude. It is really nice to meet you, Kat. Alexander never brings friends here. So it was just a surprise to find you here,” Natasha said in a much nicer tone than she had used previously.
Kat brushed off her apology. “Don’t worry about it.”
Natasha hopped up on the bar stool that Luke had vacated and pushed his mug aside with a little more force than was necessary. She shoved a spoonful of cereal in her mouth and asked, “Are you sleeping with my brother?”
Kat took her time swallowing the sip of orange juice she almost choked on while she thought of how to respond. “Um…not really. It’s complicated.”
Natasha laughed. “What’s not complicated
with Alexander? Well, whatever not really means, I’m glad he’s happy.”
“He’s not happy. I mean, we’re not…in a relationship,” Kat stammered.
Natasha rolled her eyes. “Well, whatever you guys are doing, you wouldn’t be here in the penthouse if he wasn’t really into you.”
Kat was suddenly feeling the familiar uncomfortable feeling that came when things got too real with another person. That is, anyone other than Alexander.
“It’s just that my apartment was broken into last night, and Alexander thought it was safer for me to stay here until everything gets sorted out,” Kat explained. No need to add that sorting it out meant finding and then killing the man who had tortured her years ago. Even though Natasha was close to her in age, Kat could tell she was light years away in life experience. And that wasn’t a bad thing considering just what Kat’s life experiences were.
“Is that why Luke is here? As your bodyguard?” Natasha asked with feigned disinterest.
“Yes,” Kat replied. Clearly there was something going on between those two. As if the obvious tension from earlier hadn’t been a clue.
“So what are you doing today?” Natasha asked.
Kat thought that she and Larissa would get along really well. Both were bubbly and chatty. The exact opposite of herself.
“Uh…I was going to hit the gym for a while. And then I don’t know.”
“Oooh, I could really use a workout. Can you bring a guest?”
It was a stretch taking Larissa to Dane’s. But if she walked in with Natasha, who was sorority girl epitomized? Dane might revoke her membership. Then again, she was Alexander’s sister.
“Um, sure. But I have to warn you, it’s not the kind of gym you’re probably used to.”
Natasha shrugged. “That’s okay. I don’t want to be rude and invite myself, but if you’re dating my brother, we really should get to know each other.”
Natasha bumped Kat’s shoulder with her own and hopped down. “I’m going to go get ready!”
Kat opened her mouth, but Natasha had already bopped off down the hallway in a flash of dark hair and pink pajamas.
Okay, then.
While she waited for Natasha, Kat changed into her own workout clothes and pulled out her cell phone. Sitting on the edge of Alexander’s bed, she checked her messages. There were three messages from Colin. Kat knew without even listening that he had heard about the break-in at her apartment. He was probably frantic with worry.
Putting the phone to her ear, Kat rose to pace around the room as she waited for Colin’s phone to ring. He answered on the first ring, as he always did when she called.
“Kat! Where are you? Are you okay?” Colin demanded, his voice booming through the line.
“I’m fine. I’m fine, Colin.”
“I saw the report come through on your apartment. Where are you? Kat, what the fuck is going on?”
“Calm down, Colin. I’m okay. Maybe we should meet and talk.”
“I’ll come to you. Where are you?”
“That’s probably not a good idea. I’ll meet you…”
“Why not?” Colin interrupted. “Kat. Where are you?”
Kat sighed, knowing there was no way he was going to let this go. “I’m at The Onyx.”
Kat heard Colin curse and she could imagine him shoving his hand through his thick hair.
“I am too. I’m outside the fucking Onyx.”
“Oh, okay. Well, I’ll meet you at the Starbucks across the street in ten minutes,” Kat said and then hung up to avoid any further inquiries into exactly where she was in The Onyx.
This was not going to be easy. She felt like she was choosing sides, and in a way she was. Colin and Alexander were on opposite sides of the law, and she had been straddling that line for far too long. Kat texted Larissa to be downstairs in the lobby dressed for the gym in half an hour. And bring Blade. She also stopped by Natasha’s room to tell her the same thing.
In the kitchen she found Luke waiting for her. Setting her bag on the counter she reached in and pulled out her gun to check that it was loaded. Luke immediately pushed her hand back down and glanced nervously toward Natasha’s room.
Kat left her gun where it was inside the bag and said, “I take it Natasha doesn’t know what kind of business her brother is really in?”
“She knows her brother owns The Onyx.”
“Ah. Okay, I’ll keep the secret,” Kat said. “I told Larissa and Natasha to meet us in the lobby in half an hour. I’m meeting Colin at the Starbucks across the street now.”
“Natasha? Why is she meeting us?” Luke asked, his brow furrowing.
“She wants to go to the gym.”
Luke looked utterly confused, not to mention worried, but Kat didn’t have time to play matchmaker. She zipped up her black jacket and swung her bag over her shoulder. She didn’t have to turn around to know Luke was following her.
Five minutes later Kat walked into Starbucks and found Colin already waiting with two coffees at a small table by the back exit. His eyes narrowed and glinted with anger when he saw who was with her. Turning around, Kat held up her hand to Luke.
“Privacy, please. You know he is not going to hurt me.”
“Fine,” Luke huffed, lowering himself into a chair by the door that gave him a clear sight line to where Colin was sitting.
Kat walked to Colin, who stood when she was near and pulled her into a tight hug. She was new to the whole hugging thing, and it still made her want to bring her knee up to his groin. Instead she reminded herself this was Colin, and she wrapped her arms loosely around his shoulders.
“Shhh, it’s okay,” she murmured, for once being the one to do the comforting.
Colin eventually released her and they sat down. His eyes periodically darted over to Luke sitting by the door.
“Kat, you’re killing me. What is going on? I heard about the break-in, so I went to your apartment. I saw the photos, Kat. God…” He put his head down into his hands for a second. “I called you. I went by your work, but the day guy said you don’t work there anymore. You’re staying at The Onyx? Kat, you’ve got to tell me what’s going on.”
The anguish in his eyes and voice hit Kat hard in the center of her chest. She wanted to be able to tell him everything, but like she did with Natasha, she knew a watered down version of the truth was better.
“Alexander took me home last night after dinner, and we found the break-in and the…photos. I packed a bag and stayed in a room at The Onyx.” Kat left out the part about whose room she stayed in. “I didn’t call you last night, because I didn’t want to worry you.” And because she wanted to give Alexander’s men a chance to do their own investigation.
Colin was shaking his head like he didn’t understand. “What about your job? Not that I’m sorry you’re not working in that shit hole anymore, but…”
Kat reached across the table and covered Colin’s hand with her own. “There was this thing with Larissa, and I got fired for helping her out.”
“Are you working now?”
Kat shrugged. “Not at the moment, but I have a couple of job prospects lined up.”
“What about Petrovsky? How does he figure into all this?” The hard edge returned to Colin’s voice when he talked about his enemy.
Kat shook her head. “He doesn’t. Our relationship remains strictly business. I’ll stay there only as long as it takes to find a new place.” She hated outright lying, but she couldn’t very well tell an FBI agent she was close to finding and killing her own enemy. It would put Colin in a terrible position. And there was no way in hell she was going to tell Colin just how close she and Alexander were last night.
Colin’s expression was pained as he looked at her. “I feel like I’m losing you, Kat.” His voice broke. “To him.”
“No, Colin. You’re not losing me. Everything’s going to be fine.” Kat caught Luke’s eye across the room. “I have to go to the gym now, but I promise to call you later. Okay?”
C
olin looked utterly defeated as she stood up. Holding out her arms she offered him a hug. He held her just as tightly as he had when she came in until she pulled back and waved goodbye as she walked away.
“I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I feel sorry for him,” Luke said, holding the door for Kat to leave ahead of him.
“Why?” Kat asked, slipping her sunglasses on to block out the late morning Las Vegas sun.
“The poor guy looked like hell. You really did a number on him.”
Kat looked at Luke like he was crazy. “I didn’t do anything to him. He’s just worried.”
Luke scoffed. “Yeah, worried like a man in love.”
“Shut up, Luke,” Kat muttered. She didn’t need to hear what she had always suspected.
“Put on your happy face for the girls, Luke,” Kat said as they crossed the street to meet a smiling Larissa and Natasha.
“I don’t have a happy face.”
“Yeah, me neither.”
Chapter Twenty Five
Luke felt a certain kinship with Kat as they crossed the street. He knew what she had been through, and he could relate to the tough exterior she put up. But any warm and fuzzies he was feeling over his newfound friendship were doused by the sight of Natasha coming out of the front entrance of The Onyx. What the fuck was she doing? Trying to kill him?
Kat dropped to her knees as Blade bounded toward her when Larissa dropped his leash. The powerful dog lavished sloppy kisses on Kat’s face and rolled over on his back for a belly rub. Luke imagined himself doing the same thing if Natasha held out her arms for him.
There were awkward greetings all around and they all piled into Luke’s black Suburban that was parked in front of the hotel. Thankfully, Kat joined him in the front. Natasha was wearing tiny black shorts and a fitted pink tank top. He didn’t think he could drive straight with her legs in his peripheral vision. Not that Kat wasn’t something to look at, but he didn’t have feelings for her. And she was Alexander’s. Whether she knew it yet or not.
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