“Damn it, Gustav, why didn’t you tell me?”
He scratches his head, averting his gaze from mine. “I’m already in your debt. I couldn’t ask you for more.”
“Damn the money.” I pace to the window and stare out at the street scattered with evening strollers. “How much do you owe him?”
“Three thousand.”
Fuck. “You know Kravic won’t blink an eye when he’s pointing a gun to your head, right?” I watch him pace, sweat beading his forehead. “Wait here.”
Turning around, I head to my office. After punching the code into the safe, I count out the amount he owes Kravic, shut the safe, and walk back to the living room.
“Here.” I shove the money into his hands. “There’s extra in there to cover whatever other shit you’re involved in.”
His eyes widen as he takes the money. “Thank you.”
“Repeat that mistake again, and I’ll track you down myself. I want you in Sophie and Lilli’s radar twenty-four-seven. When I say jump, fucking leap twenty feet. Got it?”
He nods quickly, stammering some shit. I wave my hand, dismissing him, and stalk back to the basement. Footsteps thump on the wooden tiles as he leaves. Minutes later, the front door slams shut.
I press the play button and Linkin Park is back. I lose myself in kicks and punches until I’m too exhausted and my mind is numb.
Rafael
“I DON’T like this at all,” Simone says, handing me the program from the opera director in Milan. “You either have to end it, or tell her.” She folds her arms across her chest. Her lips are pulled taut, her jaw clenched.
What should I tell Sophie? That I’m responsible for stealing her chance at happiness when Olivia died? That I’m fucked-up in more ways than any twenty-five-year-old should be?
“I just need time--”
“You don’t have time, Rafael. The more you wait, the worse it will be. After you left for St. Xavier’s that summer, you never went back. You promised you’d come back for her, that you’d marry her. I know you were only eleven, but your promise broke that ten-year-old girl’s heart. She never forgot you. I don’t know what you did to her. And I don’t know why she doesn’t remember you. I’ve tried to analyze it, and all I can come up with is that you’ve changed. A lot. She probably doesn’t see the face of that eleven-year-old boy. You need to tell her, Rafael. I can’t afford to lose both of you. I just can’t.”
Simone whispers the last three words. My chest hurts just looking at her. She doesn’t deserve this, not after everything I put her through.
“I’ll tell her.”
She stares at me, and from the look in her eyes, I’m certain she thinks I won’t. But I’ll prove her wrong.
“Kravic is on her trail.”
Color drains from her face. “How?”
I tell her what Tony told me at the cemetery, and about her father’s debt. Simone’s face grows paler. She shuffles to her desk and drops onto her chair.
“I knew David’s company wasn’t doing well, but loan sharks? God, what has he done to the poor child? Why hasn’t Sophie told me?”
“You should know her by now. She’s stubborn, independent,” I say. “She’s changed a lot since Olivia’s death.”
Simone sighs. “She went quite wild for a while. Olivia traveled a lot, and David was immersed in his own company. The only one she could turn to was the woman who took care of them. And me. If it wasn’t for you, we would have lost her. ”
When she was fourteen, I’d found her under a park bench, unconscious. Apparently, her “friends” had left her there. I’d called for a taxi, and driven with her to the hospital. After a check-up, she’d been put on a drip to detox from whatever was in her system. That same night, I’d called Olivia in London to tell her what had happened. She’d stopped her tour and come home the next day.
“She pulled through, though. If that isn’t bravery, I don’t know what is,” I say. My heart races at the thought of how I’d almost lost her that afternoon.
Simone runs a hand down her hair. “You need to do something about Kravic, Rafael.”
“It’s already handled. Ben and Gustav have it under control.”
Her eyebrows shoot up. “Gustav? Can he even protect himself?”
“Actually, he’s one of the best.” Gustav looks like a weasel, but he’s good at what he does: protection and loyalty.
She gives me a dubious look. “Does she know you know?”
I shake my head.
“All the more reason you should remind her who you are. And tell her everything.”
Sweat breaks all over at the thought of her knowing everything, and I can’t seem to breathe right.
I loosen my tie. “I need to go.” I press a kiss on Simone’s cheek and stride out of the room. As soon as I’m outside the theatre, I gulp in the crisp air.
I need to pull myself together. I’m in control. I try to convince myself over and over, but it doesn’t work. My world shifted when Sophie came back into my life.
Whoever said, “The truth will set you free,” didn’t know what they were talking about. My truths feel like shackles around my neck, legs, and fucking wrists.
Sophie
MARIA WASN’T feeling very well, so I came to work early and sent her home. After completing most of the pending tasks, I check for flights to Colorado. Gah! It’s like buying a kidney! So damn expensive! I’ll have to wait for my next paycheck, or approval of my loan, to buy the ticket. I know I shouldn’t use the bank’s money for anything other than its intended purpose, but Lilli needs to leave Vienna immediately. And I need to get Kravic off my back. I can’t breathe, can’t think, and, half the time, I’m in a panic over Lilli’s whereabouts.
I rub my temples with my fingers, scowling at the numbers in front of me. I’m in way, way over my head with this math stuff. Who invented math, anyway? They need to be staked with a very blunt object. Seriously. I feel like my life span’s been reduced by half. Would I sound weak if I took Rafael up on his offer to help? I really need to know who else my dad owes money to before the next group of debt collectors arrive. How would I repay him, though? I can’t let him spend his time on Dad’s accounts and not pay him.
The door opens, and I bite back a smile. I wouldn’t want to show Rafael I’ve been waiting for him like a cat waiting for its dinner. The smile freezes as I look up to greet him. That’s not Rafael. My pulse is like a hummingbird’s wings in my ears.
“Tony? What are you doing here?”
“Hey.” He shuffles closer, the bottoms of his jeans dragging on the floor. He’s still wearing the cable knit sweater I gave him. When he reaches the counter, he shoves his hand toward me, smiling nervously. I glance at the pink envelope addressed to me in slanted lettering. “What’s this?”
He jerks his thumb toward the door, indicating the silver Volvo outside. Goosebumps scatter over my skin. I can feel Kravic’s eyes through the tinted glass of his car.
Tony pushes the letter into my hand, then turns and dashes out the door, leaving me staring at the envelope. I’m not sure I have enough energy to open it.
Finally, I take a deep breath to keep my panic at bay, and run a letter opener across the seal.
My dearest Sophie,
Just a gentle reminder to let you know I’m thinking about you. Or, should I say, the money. Two more weeks.
Sincerely,
Kravic
P. S. You could come work for me.
I reread the meticulously handwritten note.
Two more weeks. I press the heels of my hands to my eyes, pushing back tears. Nausea hits the back of my throat. I shoot to my feet and round the counter, heading for the bathroom. As I pass Rafael’s door, I pause. I badly need a drink, something to numb the panic threatening to cripple me, and he has a stash.
When I reach the shelf inside his office, I grab a bottle without checking the label, skip a glass and tip it back, squeezing my eyes shut as the liquid burns down my throat. I snap my eyes open, bl
inking several times to clear my teary vision.
Holy crap! I’m smo--
“Sophie?”
I swing around to find Rafael leaning against the door, one shoulder braced on the frame. His head is tipped to the side, his dark, dark eyes pinning me where I stand.
Holy mother of smokin’ hot men! He looks so freaking good dressed in a black suit, white shirt with the top button open, and black tie. His dark hair is deliciously tousled, sprinkled with rain. He lifts his hand and sweeps locks of hair off his forehead.
His eyes move to the bottle in my hand, then to my face. He unhitches himself, and lazily walks toward me, his footsteps and body movements controlled.
He holds his hand out for the bottle of . . . what the heck am I drinking? I relinquish it. He brings it to his lips, his eyes never leaving mine. Knowing his lips hug the same space mine were seconds ago, destroys me.
“It’s like we just kissed,” I say with a giggle. Two gulps and I’m already tittering like an idiot. That drink must be good.
One brow goes up. “How so?”
“My mouth was right there.” I point to the bottle.
He steps closer to me, and I can’t move. I can’t fucking move my feet. His eyes are so full of things I can’t explain. From the way his smoldering gaze dips to my lips, I know he wants to kiss me, and I want that so bad. Then he moves his eyes back to my face, and there’s something else. Like he’s fighting himself over something.
“Shouldn’t you be packing for your trip?”
“I wanted to see you,” he says bluntly. “Why are we drinking?”
I drop onto his chair. “I feel like I’m losing control of my life. What’s your reason?”
He studies me for a few seconds, then hands me the bottle and motions for me to take a sip. I shake my head, biting my lip. If I drink more, I might end up spouting things I’m not ready to tell him.
“I’m about to lose my entire universe,” he murmurs as he walks past me and places the bottle back on the shelf.
Rafael
I CAN feel Sophie’s eyes on my back.
“Want to talk about it?” she asks.
She wants to talk about my problems when her world is falling apart?
I cross my arms over my chest, my feet firmly planted on the floor. “I want to talk about you.” And the letter from Kravic on your desk.
Fuck! How can I make her trust me, open up to me? I clench my hands, the image of Kravic’s self-important face flitting through my head. That piece of shit.
The chair creaks as she stands, and moments later, she’s in front me.
She runs her hand along the side of my face. I fight the need to close my eyes and lean into it, because I don’t want to miss the way her eyes soften when she looks at me.
“Do you believe in fate?” I ask.
Her eyes cloud, and she shakes her head. “Not anymore. Do you?”
I nod. I want to tell her Fate brought her back to me, but I bite my tongue. I told Simone I’d talk to Sophie, but right now, my problems are meaningless compared to the threat that is Kravic. The phone on her desk starts to ring, and she dashes off to answer.
Pulling my phone from my pants pocket, I dial the one number I swore I’d never call. It might not be saved in my contacts, but it’s glued in my brain.
“Well, look who decided to grace me with a call. How are you, Master Arie?” Kravic says, his tone satisfied. “I knew you’d call sooner or later. Especially now that your play thing owes me money.”
“I’m calling to warn you, Kravic. Stop messing with her.”
“Or what? You’ll climb down from your high perch and beat me?”
I clench my jaw. “You know what I’m capable of,” I say very softly, my threat evident in my voice. “You’ll get your money soon.”
I have to convince Sophie to let me help her. But how do I do that without telling her about my past?
“I know of a certain reporter interested in details about your life.”
My blood turns to ice in my veins. “Haven’t you learned your lesson, Kravic? No one threatens me. I am the fucking Master, and you’d do well to remember that.”
He laughs. Damn it! I walked right into his trap.
“Then you need to come back. We need you.”
“Fuck you.” I hang up and pace while I wait for Sophie to finish her call.
Shit! I thrust my fingers into my hair. Blood pounds in my ears. I have to cool off before facing Sophie again.
Sophie
THE DOOR to Rafael’s office slams open. He stalks out, heading for the glass exit.
“Rafael?” He halts mid-step, spinning around to face me. The muscles on his forearms shift as he flexes his hands. He tips his head to the side, a muscle jerking in his strong jaw. Holy shit! He looks ready to pound something. How would it feel to have all that intensity focused on me? I clear my throat, feeling heat slap at my cheeks.
“You okay?”
He prowls to my desk, the muscles on his shoulders shifting with every step. He leans forward, his scent hitting me in the back of my throat: violence and stormy, wild night. I can’t believe I’m turned on. Seriously? I need to get laid. Soon.
“No,” he says. “I’m not okay.” His eyes rove across my face, finally settling on my mouth. “Stand up and come here.”
I do, I’m helpless not to. I’ve been wanting to kiss him again, and right now, I’d take whatever he’s offering. At least, that’s what I think he has in mind. His gaze is glued to my mouth as I settle in front of him.
“You should be intimidated by me right now, Sophie. You should turn around and run.”
I push my chin forward and fold my arms over my chest. “You don’t scare me. I probably should be scared of you, but I’m not.”
His hands quickly circle my hips, and he hoists me onto the round counter in two seconds flat. He slants his mouth, crushing it against mine. I’m expecting the kiss, but not the power that slams into me. The desperation, aggression. I tangle my fingers in the hair on the nape of his neck, fisting and tugging it gently, increasing the force in his kiss. I moan in his mouth as his tongue tangles with mine, tasting the bittersweet flavor of the scotch we drank before. He groans deep in his throat, and that sexy sound has me sucking his tongue. He yanks me closer, pushing his erection between my jean-clad legs. My hands drop from his neck, sliding down to the front of his pants. I rub the flat of my palm on his erection.
“That feels fucking amazing,” he says between pants, jerking my hips toward him. “You feel amazing, Sophie.”
“I could take care of you, you know,” I say.
He pulls back, pressing his forehead against mine, our chests almost touching with every rise and fall.
“I’ve fantasized about your mouth on my skin.” He eyes fall shut, his breath fanning my forehead. I push him back, my fingers fumbling with his zipper, but his hands circle my wrists. He pulls them to his lips, kissing my knuckles. “So beautiful,” he murmurs as he dips his head to lick the soft swell of my breast, nipping gently.
“Rafael.” I groan his name between shivers, repeating it over and over.
He slips the other hand down my hip, skimming the band of my jeans teasingly, edging toward my inner thigh. “I can’t stop thinking about you. I’m fucking dying to have you anyway I can.” He rubs his hand between my legs, sending tiny electric buzzes up my body. “Soon, baby. I want you nice and ready when I finally bury my dick inside you.”
Groaning, I push my hips into his hand. “So, what do we do now?”
“I have an idea, but first, I need to kiss you senseless.” His licks the labret on my lip, nipping lightly before he slips his tongue back in my mouth, tasting me.
He pulls back to stare at me through hooded, dark eyes. “Let me help you with the ledgers.”
“It’s not that simple.”
“I don’t do simple,” he says. “Just say yes.”
I pull back, running my fingers along his scruffy jaw. “I don’t have money
to pay you. And I don’t want you to do this for free.”
“I don’t need money. You could pay me in other ways, if you insist.”
“Oh.” I squeeze my thighs together at his words, and he chuckles under his breath.
“Naughty, naughty. That’s not what I meant,” he says, one side of his mouth curled up in a smile. Wicked.
“At this point, I’d clean your house if I never have to see those ledgers again.”
He grins devilishly, squeezing my thigh as if in warning. “You seduced me with two words: balancing accounts. Now, show me what you need.”
“Feeling a little demanding, aren’t we?” I lean back to study this gorgeous man who just kissed me like his entire world depended on it. His eyes are focused on my chest. I follow his gaze. My blouse is stretched tight across my boobs. Yikes! What bra am I wearing today? I cross my arms over my chest, but he uncrosses them, leans forward and slips his tongue inside the little gap between the buttons. He traces it around the edges of my bra.
“Do you like that?”
I swallow before nodding quickly. My tongue is stuck to the roof of my mouth. Sliding one hand from my hip, he pops the first two buttons open and groans.
He murmurs something about “stupid bets”, but I’m too drunk on lust to think straight.
Rafael
DAMN YOU, Hawk, for making me crave sex. Crave her, when I can’t do a damn thing about it.
Angling her mouth to mine, I mesh my lips with hers, our tongues tangling, fighting for domination. I can tell she’s holding back. She’s hungry for me, takes what I’m offering, but won’t demand any more. She’s still holding onto her control, like always.
I want more of her, of everything that is Sophie.
I tighten my hold around her hair, tugging it back as her fingers do the same with mine.
Checkmate. I don’t know what exactly turns me on about her: the fact that she’s as stubborn as I am, or the fact that I want to be the one she trusts enough to let go. If only for a night, or day.
“Cede control, Sophie. Just this once,” I murmur against her ear. “Your body is coiled so tight.”
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