Vengeance Aside (Wanted Men 0.5)(11)

He distracted himself from such a dangerous move by thinking about the surprise-turned-fascination that had come over the girl’s face when she’d looked up at him. Her scent, fuck. It was as if she’d just sucked on a strawberry and cream lollipop and had wanted to share the sweet decadence with those around her. If he’d been able to react as he usually did when coming across a woman he found attractive, he’d have made some excuse to linger. To take in more. To fill his lungs and memorize the very essence of her until he was sure he’d be able to scent her out in a room of thousands.

“She exists, Mama.” He was already getting used to the idea. “Just like you said. I hope you can forgive me for having my doubts.”

And he hoped Samuel and his father would forgive him for booting the chubby comedian out to make room for the woman he would bring into their family with the same pride and ownership Samuel had shown the day he’d carried Farah over the threshold and into their lives.





FOUR


A short while later, still alone, Lukas tried to tamp down his impatience as he circled the meeting room that was down the hall from Samuel’s office on the second floor of the building. Tired of pacing around the one elegant table that had been placed in the middle of the otherwise empty room, but for a fully stocked bar and framed paintings gracing the walls, he planted his feet before one of six long, narrow windows. The view from the condo was much more impressive, but it didn’t make any difference. He wasn’t taking in the brick buildings and metal fire escapes anyway.

He whipped out his phone and sent another text to Samuel.

Where the fuck are you?

Because Vasily and Maksim were their guests, Lukas had yet to find a moment alone with his brother, which meant the plan with Dale was still on.

He pressed the number and brought the phone to his ear rather than wait for a response.

“I’m coming, man. What the hell’s the emergency?”

“Don’t bother arranging an intro with Dale.”

“What? But I alrea—”

“I don’t need her now. We’ll talk about it after the meeting.” Which would begin in less than an hour.

“Excuse me for a second.” Samuel’s voice went quiet. “Lukas, you promised Papa you’d—”

“I know,” he cut in. “And I will introduce him to someone, but it won’t be the chubby comedian.”

Samuel groaned. “Are you on that again?”

The sound of the door opening had him focusing inside the room through the reflection in the window. His eyes flared, and his breathing cranked up as she appeared in the doorway. He lowered the phone, ending the call without a word of warning. Something about her showing up here was off, but he didn’t care enough to waste time thinking about it. Because she was here. His end goal. Twenty feet away.

Funny how the idea of her existing was nowhere near as unappealing as it used to be. It was merely a done deal. A perfect one. She was his. Now he had to let her know it with some patience and restraint. Two things he normally didn’t possess.

He turned, causing her to look up from the piece of paper in her hand. She froze mid-step, but Lukas didn’t zone in on her widening eyes because it was then he took notice of what she looked like below the neck. Fireworks started going off in his periphery. They weren’t celebratory.

The heels on her feet had to be four inches high, the fishnets clinging to her long legs the luckiest cunts to ever exist. No. Those black shorts painted across her flat midriff and barely covering the swell of her ass. They were the lucky ones. Or maybe it was the deep purple velour corset with its silver and black ribbons that hugged her indented waist and ended at the flare of her hips. Her breasts were pushed up and on display, inviting any man in the vicinity to eye-fuck what was now Zavrazin property.

Unable to put a cap on the possessive anger that blew through him, he started for her.

“What the fuck are you wearing?” he demanded in a tone much too harsh to use with a woman he didn’t know but would convince to marry him within the next twenty-four hours.

***

Dale slipped on her most professional mask as Samuel’s brother came at her like a panther who’d been shot in the ass and whipped for good measure. Okay then. He was still pissed. Got it.

“My required uniform, sir.” Steady voice. Trembling legs. Great combo, she thought as she clutched the liquor list in her hand.

Run.

She heard the voice in her head but couldn’t obey. She couldn’t move. A ballsy part of her that she didn’t recognize wanted to wait. For him. To see what a Russian mobster was made of. While the intelligent part of her was screaming at the top of her lungs to get the fuck out of there, quit her job, and move to the suburbs.

All Dale did was stare at him. Guy wore black on black like nobody’s business. His shoulders were wide, but not linebacker style. His front a flat plane that no doubt looked remarkable when bared. Would he have a hairy chest? Or just a happy trail leading to what her wet core suddenly craved.

“I’m glad you’re here, Mr. Zavrazin.” Yeah, she heard the sex she wanted to have in her voice. Could he? “I’d like to apol—”

“My name is Lukas.” He stopped within inches of their toes touching.

A little closer, she silently demanded as his scent clobbered her, coming to her on the breeze his arrival caused. Her fucking mouth watered as an image of a rustic cabin in the mountains filled her head. Trees, wind, a cool, fresh stream. Nature. Man. Them.