Ruthless Stranger by Maggie Cole

10

Maksim

She's missed me.

I'm not the only one thinking about us.

This isn't good. She can't be in my world.

Her eyes are full of tears. There's so much emotion spinning in them, and it includes desire and pain. And I'm not blind. I see it's all for me. But I've never had a woman look at me how she is.

Don't be selfish. Do the right thing for her.

I shouldn't do it. I should dry her off, walk her back to the conference room, and figure out a way to never see her again.

But I can't.

I lower my lips to her and say, "I've missed you, too, my krasotka."

Her tears fall, and I can't wipe them away fast enough. So I give up and kiss her, slowly at first, trying to savor every piece of her and us, but not able to control my insatiable hunger for her.

Her tongue rolls against mine, igniting the fire I thought died when I left Vegas. But it didn't. It's as hot and uncontrollable as before. And every breath she gives me, I take, unable to stop kissing her until someone knocks on the door.

"Just a minute," I bark.

"Oh, sorry. I'll go to the other one," a woman's mousey voice replies.

I return to kissing Aspen.

She even has a sexy name.

I've been obsessing over what her name could be. I stopped myself several times from texting her magenta-haired friend or tracing the number. I still don't know their names, either. I thought they were from California since her phone number had a San Francisco area code.

There's another knock on the door.

"Just a minute," I repeat.

Aspen bites on a smile. I trace it with my thumb.

"You live in Chicago?" she cautiously asks.

"Yes."

She takes a deep breath, and we lock eyes.

My heart pounds in my chest. "I've not lied to you. I am the man I claimed to be in Vegas. It's not the safest situation for you to be with me."

She bites her lip and furrows her brows. "Tell me why."

I stroke the smooth skin on her cheek, not breaking our gaze.

It's too much for her to know. In eleven years, I never told Jade.

She's nothing like Jade.

She finally asks, "Do I not get a choice?"

The blood between my ears pounds so loud I'm sure she can hear. I know everything about this woman's body. I'm limited to details on her life and who she is. But I've never had such an urge to trust someone.

Tell her she doesn't get any choice in the matter and end it. It's best for her.

She's not going to want any part of me if she knows who I really am anyway.

Instead of telling her what I should, I sternly reply, "You don't know what you're asking."

Pain crosses her eyes. She whispers, "So is this it?"

Tell her yes. It's better this way.

Against every voice in my head telling me to put her first, I selfishly choose me. Everything feels right when I'm with her. And every moment away from her has been torture. No matter what I do, the ache for her has only grown over the last few weeks. All I've done is obsess about her, wondering if she is okay, where she's at, and what she's doing. And I've slowly been dying inside, remembering every moment of what it felt like being with her and thinking I would never see or touch her again. "I have an idea."

Hope fills her expression. "I'm listening."

Don't do it.

"Why don't we have dinner at my place and I'll fill you in?"

Her lips twitch. "Yes."

"But, you won't want anything to do with me when you know what I'm capable of." It's the truth and better if she's prepared for it.

She swallows hard then pulls my face back to hers. "You won't ever hurt me." It's a statement and not a question, but I still answer.

"No. Never."

She kisses me. It's sweet, needy, and full of everything she gave me in Vegas. It doesn't leave out any of her desire and only serves to drive my greed for her deeper.

Someone else knocks.

"Still busy," I yell.

She caresses my cheek. "We should get cleaned up. I'm sorry about your suit."

"You can throw coffee on me any day," I tease.

She glances down and touches her wrap then winces. "I love this. It's ruined now."

I lean into her ear. "I know what store it came from. I'll buy you another one."

She shakes her head. "You don't have to—"

I consume her lips again and then mumble, "You're not supposed to argue with me, remember?"

She softly laughs.

"I missed your laugh, krasotka."

"You did?"

I cup her cheek. "Yes. Everything about you, I missed. And you're just as beautiful as you were in Vegas."

She wraps her arms around my shoulders and snuggles into my chest, inhaling deeply.

I kiss her head. "Come on, let's clean up, then you can tell me how you're going to help me with this parcel."

I lead her to the counter. I wipe my pants with towels, and she takes off her wrap to do the same. Something on her arm catches my eye in the mirror.

I spin her into me.

Her eyes widen in surprise. "What's wrong?"

"What happened to your arm?"

She closes her eyes and exhales. "Nothing."

"I won't lie to you. I expect the same honesty in return," I say in a low voice, trying to control my anger. "These are finger marks."

She gazes up, meeting my eyes. "It wasn't intentional. It's never happened before."

Stay calm so you don't scare her.

"What hasn't?"

"Peter came over last night."

"Your ex-husband?" Jealousy flares in my bones. I hate that another man got to spend twenty years with her. He's a stupid man for ever looking at anyone else when he had her, but I still despise she shared her bed with him for all those years.

"Yes."

"Why?"

Annoyance flashes in her face. "He said he made a mistake and wants me back. He wants to move back in."

My pulse quickens, and my chest tightens. Twenty years will make many people do a lot of things. "Please tell me you aren't letting him?"

"No. Of course not. I'm done."

I breathe in relief. But then I get angry again. "How did your arm get bruised?"

"He just grabbed it. He didn't mean to. It was the only time anything like that has ever happened in twenty years. I don't think he realized how hard he was gripping me."

I stare at her arm, trying to stay calm but feeling the beast in me awaken. It's the one that surfaces before I kill. And I do everything I can to restrain him.

She reaches for my cheek. "Maksim."

It's the first time she's said my name. It rolls out of her mouth with sugar attached. I'm reminded again at how innocent and wholesome she is.

She pins her gaze on me. Her dark-brown eyes tug on my heart. "It was an accident. I promise you."

She may think it was, but he was holding her too tight for a reason.

"How long has he been harassing you?"

She shakes her head. "He's not. It's the only time he's contacted me."

I hesitate, but her eyes plead with me to believe her. And I don't doubt her, but I don't trust him, either. "If he contacts you again, I want to know."

Her lips twitch until she has a full-on grin. "Does this mean I'm going to be seeing more of you after tonight?"

I palm her ass and tug her against my erection and cradle her head with my other hand. I kiss her neck then murmur in her ear, "There's nothing I want more than you. But we're going to talk tonight. What I tell you, you shouldn't take lightly, my krasotka."

She inhales deeply. "Okay."

There's another knock on the door.

I kiss her one last time then escort her back to the conference room, not touching her and missing her body already.

When we get into the room, I pull the chair out next to mine and motion for her to sit. I refrain from doing or saying anything that isn't professional with her.

The next hour, she runs circles around her colleagues. She listens, asks questions, and comes up with possible solutions. She points out pitfalls the board may use to deny our request, then she discusses how to get around them.

I'm not sure why anyone else is even in the room. She's running the show. The rest of them sit back and say nothing.

I look at the business cards in front of me.

How is she only a permit technician?

The other titles on the cards are Permit Specialist, Code Enforcement Officer, and Senior Planner. All are higher on the totem pole. She shouldn't even be in this meeting based on her title.

The more she shows her brilliance, and the others sit back and twiddle their thumbs when she presents hurdles, the angrier I become.

She's being taken advantage of here. They are surely getting way more pay, and she's getting the short end of the stick.

When the meeting is over, I hand her my card, not bothering to give it to any of the others. I only address her. "My cell phone is on here. Please call or text with any updates."

She smiles, and my heart skips another beat.

I don't want to leave her, but I go through the motions, doing my best to keep it professional so I don't embarrass her in front of her coworkers.

As soon as the elevator opens on the first floor, my cell vibrates. I pull it out.

Unknown: It's Aspen. We didn't talk about the details for tonight.

I walk quickly to my car before I add her as a contact and reply.

Me: Send me your address. I'll pick you up at seven if that works?

Aspen: Yes.

Dots appear as if she's typing then they go away.

Me: Ask me whatever you want, my Krasotka.

A moment passes before she responds.

Aspen: Should I bring an overnight bag?

My adrenaline surges, but I remind myself of who I am.

Me: Yes. But if you decide to leave after I tell you things, I won't stop you.

She only texts back her address.

Uneasiness erupts inside me. The neighborhood she lives in is rough. It's no place for a woman like her.

I text her again.

Me: What time do you get out of work?

Aspen: Five.

Me: My driver will wait for you outside to take you to your place.

Aspen: That isn't necessary.

Me: There isn't any point arguing about this.

She doesn't respond.

The car stops at a light. I roll the divider window down. "Adrian, look at me for a moment."

He obeys, and I snap a picture of him and text it to Aspen.

Me: This is my driver, Adrian.

"Missing my good looks when you aren't with me?" Adrian jokes.

I snort. Adrian is my cousin. He's also my top bodyguard. Things are low-level risk right now, so when things are calm, he drives for me. "Funny. You'll go back where we were and pick up a woman named Aspen at five. You'll take her to her apartment and escort her into her place. Wait outside her door until I pick her up at seven."

"Got it."

"If you see anyone approach her, you protect her at all costs."

"Yes, sir."

She may have said her ex is harmless, but I saw her bruises. And no one is going to touch or harass her, whether she becomes mine or not.

Now I know she's in the city, everything I assumed is correct. I'm not going to be able to stay away from her unless she tells me she no longer wants me. It'll be painful, but I'll have to respect it. And she's never again going to be unprotected.

Anyone who tries to harm her will experience my wrath. Mercy won't be part of it.