That’s right, the higher ups were pissed about Nikolai and Dmitri running away with the jewels, that’s why they wanted me to give him a warning in Morocco. I open my laptop and type Nikolai’s name into the search engine. A video comes up. I press play. It shows Two men being outed by Nikolai for being gay. But holy shit, the men are actually in love with Zoe, Grace’s sister, who was kidnapped by Nikolai. He sold her into sex trafficking. And Grace too. What?

  ‘I don’t think the jewels are what we think they are,’ I tell Sergei, who nods. ‘I feel so fucking naive about it all. They played us, Sergei.’

  ‘I know. But it’s not our job to know about this kind of stuff. Our job is to take out who they need us to.’

  I scrub my face. Why the hell am I suddenly growing a conscience?

  He claps me on the shoulder. ‘When something like this comes to your doorstep, it’s hard to ignore it. Let me look into it and see if I can’t find out more.’

  I nod and he leaves. I stare at the video on my screen. What the hell happened to you, Grace? Next thing I know; I’m googling her name. Up pops her smiling face and information about her time at the International Court of Human Rights. What hits me is the life behind those jade green eyes—they sparkle. The sparkle has gone from the eyes I see now.

  I promise you Grace, I will protect you.

  Then I hear a blood-curdling scream.

  8

  Grace

  ‘I like it when you put up a fight, Gracie,’ Dmitri snarls at me. I am tied to the bed. There is nowhere for me to go.

  ‘It doesn’t seem like a fair fight, does it?’ I pull against the restraints, which just makes him laugh.

  ‘True, but I like you this way. To do with as I please.’ The look in his eyes is murderous. There is no escape. He brushes hair from my face. ‘Now, I need you to be a good girl for me tonight. Show them a good time, and I will reward you.’

  ‘There’s no reward that you could give me that would make me do it.’

  He raises an eyebrow. ‘Really? Not even letting you stay the night with your sister?’

  I freeze. Fuck, I miss Zoe. I need her strength.

  Dmitri chuckles. ‘See, I knew there would be something. Now, behave and be a good little jewel.’ He opens the door.

  ‘Get off me!’ I push against the strong arms wrapped around me. I punch and scratch at them.

  ‘Fuck. I’m trying to help you, Grace,’ a voice yells at me, but my instincts have taken over as I scramble from the danger.

  ‘Please, don’t rape me, not again, please.’

  ‘I would never.’

  The words still me. I blink once, twice, and the dark fog that surrounds my vision seems to lift. Maxim stands before me, his chest bloodied from my nails. I’m huddled in a corner of the bed as far away from him as I can be. He looks sad.

  ‘I thought …’ Embarrassed by what he has seen, I burst into tears, emotions still running high after my nightmare.

  ‘Hey.’ The bed dips near me. ‘I promise I will never touch you, not like that.’

  I look at him through tear-soaked lashes, tension slowly releasing. There’s something about the way he’s looking at me, something in the tone of his voice, that makes me believe him. He’s still the enemy but … I trust his words. He sat with me while I detoxed, he fed me a beautiful dinner, he held me as I broke down after trying to hurt myself and here he is again, helping me. He puts his arm around my shoulders, and I sink against his body.

  ‘Thank you.’ I’m a little embarrassed by the way he keeps coming to my rescue.

  He pushes my hair away from my face. ‘It’s my pleasure.’ He gives me a small smile.

  A flutter tickles my stomach. It’s not fair that he’s hot, not when he’s such a bad guy. But is he really that bad? I mean, he’s looked after me rather well this past week. No, he kidnapped you. He stopped you from escaping. He kills people for a living. There is nothing good in this man. But he could have his way with me at any time, like Dmitri or any of his men would have, and he has only cared for me. Maybe there’s some good underneath the bad.

  We sit in silence for a very long time.

  ‘I’m sorry you had a nightmare. Do you want to talk about it?’

  I shake my head.

  ‘Okay.’ He doesn’t push me any further.

  ‘Maxim.’ I look up at him.

  ‘Yes, Grace?’

  ‘Can you stay with me tonight?’ I bite my lip, because I can’t believe I’m even asking this man for a favour, but I don’t want to go to sleep and dream of Dmitri again. Maxim’s muscular arm around my shoulders makes me feel safe, something I haven’t felt in a long time.

  ‘Are you sure?’ He sounds nervous about the idea.

  ‘Yes. I trust you. I’m not sure why, but I do.’

  He gives me a smile. ‘I know I’m the bad guy here, Grace, and I’m sorry this is how things have happened, but I promise I’ll look after you.’

  He’s serious—I can see some kind of internal battle raging in his mind, but I can question him about that tomorrow. I yawn, tired after the exhausting day I have had. Then I lean forward and kiss his prickly cheek, and his dark eyes widen in shock and surprise. I move away and wriggle down into the bed, turning onto my side. I wait, listening to Maxim’s heavy breathing. It takes him a couple of moments before he settles in beside me, his hard chest against my back. I can feel his tight muscles through the thin T-shirt I’m wearing. His arm moves around me and I wrap it under my own arm like a blanket, except his fist is a tight ball against my chest. I open his hand and let it rest against my breast.

  ‘Grace.’ He says my name with a groan.

  ‘Ssh, I can’t sleep with a fist against me, it was digging into my chest.’

  But Maxim’s body is now one big stiff board.

  ‘Relax.’

  ‘I promised not to touch you.’ he whispers.

  ‘And you haven’t, because I am the one who moved your hand there. It’s just comfort, nothing more.’ He lets out a sigh and I wriggle back against him. Then I feel it, something hard. Shit! My heartbeat increases but I don’t move. I hear Maxim swallow a couple of times but he doesn’t move either. There is an elephant in the room—or should I say an elephant in his pants.

  ‘I’m sorry … it’s just …’ Maxim tries to explain about his erection but honestly I don’t want to hear it. He makes me feel safe and after the dream I just had, I want the feeling to stay a little while longer.

  ‘It’s okay, it’s natural. I know it means nothing.’

  Another groan comes from him, but he settles in behind me.

  ‘It’s been a long day. We need to get some sleep.’ And we do, and for the first time since I don’t remember when, I have a restful night.

  The sun is blazing through the windows and I can hear birds singing. Did I dream that Maxim was in my bed? I turn over and smell the sheets. Nope, they most definitely smell like him. I bury my nose further into them, inhaling his musky scent like some love-struck groupie. I roll onto my back and shake my head. What’s happening to me? Then I smell bacon cooking, and my stomach rumbles right on cue so I jump up out of bed. I rush into the bathroom, relieve myself and head out to find where that delicious smell is coming from. I walk around the villa, following the bacon trail, checking the dining room first. No one is there, but the smell is close. I push through a door next to the dining room and end up in the kitchen.

  There’s Maxim, dressed in nothing but grey sweatpants. The kitchen is huge, all stainless steel, more like a restaurant kitchen than someone’s home. I take a moment to savour his tanned skin, which is covered in a light sheen of sweat from the heat of the cooktop. Then I notice the scars, spots and lines across his back. My eyes fall further down to his tight arse filling out the sweats.

  ‘You hungry?’ Maxim asks, making me jump and pulling me from my appreciation of his fine body. He looks over his shoulder as he turns the bacon in the frying pan.

  ‘Yes,’ I say, shaking the stupid thoughts from my mind. They shouldn’t be there at all. I take a seat at the island bench and watch as he moves confidently around the kitchen. Not only can he kill people, but he cooks as well.

  ‘Would you like a juice? There’s some freshly squeeze orange juice in the fridge.’

  I get up from the bench and open the industrial-sized fridge. It’s filled with fruit and vegetables, as well as leftover pasta, meat, cheese. I pull out the large jug.

  ‘Would you like one?’ I ask.

  ‘Yes, thanks, glasses are in the top cupboard.’

  I reach up and grab two, then pour us some juice.

  When Maxim turns around to set the bacon, eggs and croissants on to a tray, I notice the scratch marks across his chest.

  ‘Did I do that?’

  He looks down at his chest. ‘Yes, but it’s okay. You didn’t know who I was.’

  ‘Well, I’m sorry.’

  He shrugs as if it isn’t a big deal. Maybe it isn’t, considering all the scars he has on his body.

  ‘Would you like a coffee?’

  I shake my head. Never been a big coffee drinker.

  ‘Okay, well, I thought we could eat breakfast by the pool. You’re allowed to roam outside today.’

  The comment catches me off guard, and I stare at him but I can see he’s trying not to laugh.

  ‘You’re seriously joking about my escape?’

  He holds the door open for me and we walk along the path that brings us to the pool area.

  ‘Too soon?’ he asks, giving me a smirk. He seems happy this morning.

  I ignore his joke and take a seat at the table under the umbrella. The sun is beating down upon us, even though it’s still early in the morning.

  ‘If you want to go for a swim today, I’ve organised some bathers for you.’

  Is this man for real? ‘Thank you, the pool does look inviting.’

  He bites into his croissant, the pastry falling down his chest. My eyes follow each flake and I could seriously lick up every one of them. I shake my head—what the hell is happening to me? I take a bite into one of the pastries and I start to make appreciative noises.

  ‘If I knew the way to a woman’s heart was through her stomach, I may have cooked women breakfast more often.’ He chuckles, giving me a flirty smile, before his eyes dip to the flakes falling down my chest. I realise that I am not wearing a bra under the thin T-shirt and my nipples are saluting him, but I can’t move to cover them without making it obvious.

  I brush the crumbs off my chest. ‘I’m pretty sure they aren’t thinking of food in the mornings.’ Shit! That wasn’t supposed to come out of my mouth.

  ‘Really? And what do you think they have in mind, then?’ He rests his elbows on the table. Is this man flirting with me?

  ‘Do you really need your ego stroked so early in the morning?’

  ‘If it’s the only thing being stroked, then yes.’ He gives me a wink and takes another bite of croissant.

  My stomach sinks. This is not a date, Grace, this man is not some amazing one-night stand cooking you breakfast, this man is your kidnapper, an assassin for hire. Someone you shouldn’t be flirting with, someone you shouldn’t think is hot and most definitely not someone you should be asking to share your bed with. I look away, staring out over the impressive vineyards. I can feel Maxim watching me, noticing my sudden change but he makes no comment.

  ‘It’s beautiful, isn’t it?’ he says instead.

  Small talk. I can deal with small talk.

  ‘Yes, I’ve always wanted to visit Italy.’ I sip my juice.

  ‘Maybe one day I can show it to you.’

  I turn and look at him. He seems serious. I frown and ignore the fluttering in my stomach. He is your kidnapper, I chant over and over again, reminding myself that I am not on a romantic weekend away.

  9

  Maxim

  My dick has been hard for days, nestled against Grace’s tight little arse each night. Every night she calls out for me, looking for me in her nightmares, and every night I soothe her by wrapping myself around her, my palm resting against her breasts. They are the perfect size for me, not to big and not to small. And every morning when the sun rises, I leave her bed, jerk off in the shower and make her breakfast. Then we sit and talk as if we don’t have a care in the world. It’s a perfect illusion, one neither of us is ready to shatter just yet.

  I’ve been staring out at the pool all day today, distracted from my work by the beautiful creature currently enjoying the water. I’ve watched as she swam laps back and forth, her lithe arms gliding through the water. I’ve watched her laze around reading a book, or enjoying the sun against her tanned skin, eyes closed, body relaxed, relishing the bit of freedom I have given her. I’ve been appreciating the tiny bikini I ordered for her. I’ve scanned her curves, along her toned arms, across her flat stomach and down along her creamy legs. She looks after herself—maybe she would like to use my gym sometime. I haven’t shown it to her yet. I shake my head. She’s not a guest, I don’t have to impress her. She’s a job, she’s destined for somewhere else, for someone else.

  I don’t think I like that.

  The ringing from my laptop pulls me from my daydream. Dmitri. I still for a moment, collecting my thoughts.

  ‘Dmitri,’ I answer tersely.

  ‘Maxim, good to see you.’ He smiles as if we are old friends. He wasn’t smiling when my fist was meeting his face last time we spoke in person.

  ‘What do you want?’

  ‘I hear you have Grace.’

  Fuck, who the hell told him?

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Good, I heard through the grapevine that they’re looking for her. Interpol has put out missing person flyers out about her.’

  I curse internally, but all Dmitri can see is my calm exterior.

  ‘I’m not ready to take her yet, so I need you to look after her for, like, a month.’

  ‘Why?’ Of course I’m going to look after her, there’s no way in hell I’m releasing her back to him. But he doesn’t need to know that, because if he suspects there’s one ounce of me that likes this girl, he’s going to demand her back.

  ‘Shit, man, please? There’s too much heat. She’s high profile at the moment. We need to stay low about it.’

  ‘Where are you?’ I wonder if he’s been able to track down the other jewels yet, as per his boss’s request.

  ‘I’m on a fucking goose chase around Europe. People really don’t want these bitches to be found.’ He chuckles, but I am not amused.

  ‘Time’s ticking, Dmitri.’

  He blanches but recovers quickly. ‘I know, I know. I’m on a hot lead as we speak.’

  ‘Baby, come back to bed,’ I hear a female voice say in the background.

  ‘Babe.’ Dmitri looks off camera, scowling.

  ‘Who’s that?’ I ask.

  But Dmitri ignores me. ‘I have to go, Max. I’ll be in touch in a month. Remember, stay low.’ Then he’s gone.

  I stand looking out at the swirling ocean as a storm rolls in. The waves are crashing against the beach and yet I walk towards them. ‘Elena!’ I call to the sea. ‘Where are you?’ I hope someone will reply but no one does, no one ever does. ‘Let me save you!’ I scream into the wind, but my words are carried away and dissolve into the nothingness. I step further into the waves, I need to find her, she has to be here. I scream her name over and over. I am soaked, the cold Atlantic water chilling my bones, but I don’t care, I have to find her, she has to be here, she can’t just disappear like that.

  ‘Elena!’ A wave hits me, filling my mouth with salty water, then knocking me over. I am pushed deep under the water, and when I come up for air I’m hit by another wave and I begin to choke. Another wave hits me and I am floating in the turbulent water. Then my feet find the sandy floor and I’m able to stand up. ‘Elena!’ I scream one last time; it is all I have left in me. Then I hear her voice.

  ‘Maxim!’ She sounds like an angel calling me from beneath the water.

  ‘Elena, I’m coming.’

  ‘Maxim!’

  I am so close; I follow her voice further into the ocean. I sink until it has swallowed me again. She has to be here, but I can’t see anything. She’s gone, she isn’t here.

  And then I see her. She is bloated, her eyes wide, her skin white, her lips blue. She is dead.

  ‘No!’

  I sit up with a start, my body covered in sweat, my heart thumping.

  10

  Grace

  ‘Elena!’ Maxim screams the name, waking me from my sleep. He sounds like he is in so much pain. He is thrashing beside me and I’m not sure if I should wake him. Suddenly he screams out, ‘No!’ and sits up straight, as if the nightmare is over. His bare chest is bathed in sweat, he looks pale and disorientated, and he blinks a couple of times.

  ‘Maxim, it’s Grace,’ I whisper, not wanting to startle him.

  ‘Grace.’ He rubs his face, trying to focus on me standing before him.

  ‘You had a nightmare.’

  He stares at me and doesn’t say a word.

  ‘Would you like a glass of water?’

  He nods and I go to the bathroom, where I also wet a hand towel and bring it back. I hand him the glass and he empties it eagerly. Then I touch his heated skin with the cool towel and he flinches.

  He eyes me suspiciously. ‘What are you doing?’

  ‘You’re covered in sweat.’ I move the towel down his back, then up again.

  ‘Oh,’ is all he says, as I continue moving the towel around his neck, then down one arm. I kneel beside him and move the towel up over his chest. Over his pecs, down his tense abs and back up again, missing the deep V of his hips. He closes his eyes and lets me care for him. I move closer, leaning into him as I try to each his other arm. My face is near his, and I can feel his warm breath against my neck, making goose bumps appear on my skin, but I focus on my task. I notice him move closer to me, burying his face in my hair, his nose lightly touching the thin skin of my neck. I let out a gasp as my body starts to tingle.

 

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