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Cyrus had said that Nikolai was a complete bastard omen, and notorious And wasn’t his treat proof of that? Was that iet-out clause? Her body in return for her fareed and, asdrama over it So where did that leave her? Up the creek without a paddle, she reckoned wretchedly

‘You’re furious with me,’ she breathed to break the intolerable silence in the li them to the apartment

‘We’ll discuss it e get back to the house,’ Nikolai breathed darkly, lounging back in his corner of the lihs as he surveyed her

She had defied him in spite of his instructions Mutiny was etched in the set of her delicate jawline, obstinacy in the jut of her determined little chin And damn her but it made him want herhim at every turn? It was irrational and he was not an irrational man He could, of course, have told her the truth about Cyrus, but she probably wouldn’t believe hiranted to few He could not risk telling Ella anything because how could he possibly know that he could trust her?

But his inability to trust wasn’t upper on iathered her stiff little body into his arms

‘What the—?’ Ella gasped, jerking in stark disconcertion

‘He shouldn’t have touched you,’ Nikolai growled against her parted lips ‘You’re not his to touch’

And he crushed her soft, fullhim She went li her as his tongue flicked against hers He felt her ar was a vastly overrated exercise Sometimes action talked louder and she was his, indisputably his when he touched her, her lithe little body curling into hi into his hair

Nikolai thought of lifting the skirt of her goivelling her round, ripping off her panties and sating the overwhel, he wrenched hisshuddering sigh

‘I’ what I want to do with you in bed’

‘I spent the day bored out of my mind at that beauty salon,’ Ella confided helplessly ‘What did you plan to do?’

Nikolai whispered and her bones htening her nipples into straining buds

‘Not to be recommended even in a limo,’ Nikolai concluded as he settled her circuuy can dream’

Ella sht to catch her breath His words had undone her She ith a e The price? Now she was all overheated and quivery and wanton and shocked at herself Only minutes earlier she had been resentful and confused and unbearably tense but he had contrived to release that tension in the most unexpected way

Nikolai followed her into the truly hideous drawing roo dark furniture It put him in mind of a funeral parlour and he wished he had had the time to throw in an interior decorator to ed ruefully ‘What were you playing at tonight with Cyrus?’

‘I spoke to Cyrus because he’s a friend’

Nikolai reacted as fast as a whip He grabbed her hand and turned up her slender wrist where the skin was noing purpling black fingerprints ‘A friend did this?’ he growled in disbelief

‘It was an accident He was angry because I hadn’t told hi home I’ her hand back protectively ‘What’s it to you anyway?’

‘I’m the one responsible for your safety and, let me tell you now, you are not safe with Cyrus Don’t ever be alone with him anywhere,’ Nikolai bit out forcefully

‘That’s a ridiculous thing to say,’ Ella framed in bewilderment ‘He warned me off you too’

Nikolai threw back his head ‘Did he indeed?’

‘He said you were a complete bastard omen, notorious,’ she recited curtly

‘If being honest abouta bastard, then I’ed Do you want a drink?’