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The words sh a

Seconds later, Clair found herself shoved into the back of his town car, jolted byof the paparazzi frenzy Aleksy gave Ivan sharp instructions to return theers into his hair, then made a call in Russian

She stared at hi on in her mind, but she couldn’t help the reaction That white line on his face see

Murder?

His cheek ticked He knehat she was thinking and his face hardened, but she couldn’t help how shaken she was Adrenaline saturated her blood She tried to scra, but she kept asking herself, What kind of man had she attached herself to?

One who bought her a necklace she soripped in her tense hands Also a new laptop, new smart phone, a tablet Clothes, enerosity he bestowed on her, but he wasn’t really soft and kind He was hard and angry if she cared to re and—her mind tripped to think of it—capable of murder?

No, her heart cried, but his expression wasn’t that of so falsely accused There was too nation

“We’ll go to Piter,” he said once they’d made it into the safety of his flat When she only stared blankly, he clarified, “St Petersburg Things will be ugly here for a while”

Uglier than right now? He was like ancient iron, all pitted darkness with gri to process the iue: Is it true? Her heart pounded

“We?” Her lips felt numb

“You’re not going back to London if that’s what you’re thinking” Implacable

She gave a near-hysterical choke that wasn’t anything like a laugh “I don’t knohat I’ for a place to land, glancing off the illusion of a houn to see in these flawlessly decorated walls

If she hadn’t been with him outside and heard those shouts, would he have told her the reason they were leaving Moscow? Or would he be selling this sudden trip as a roetaway?

Would she have bought in? Was she that naive and desperate for affection?