Dealing Her Final Card(19)

One of his legs pushed her thighs apart. His hands moved up to entwine his fingers in her hair, yanking her head back.

“No,” she whimpered, feeling dizzy as she wrenched away. She put an unsteady hand to her forehead. “No.”

Vladimir stared down at her. His gaze seemed almost bewildered. She heard the hard rasp of his breath, and realized that he, too, had been surprised. Then his face hardened.

“Why should I not kiss you?” He walked slowly around her, running one hand up her arm and the side of her neck. “You belong to me now, kroshka.”

Kroshka? She didn’t know what it meant, but it didn’t sound very nice.

Stopping in front of her, he cupped her chin. He handled her carelessly, possessively, as a man might handle any valuable possession—a rifle, a jewel, a horse. Insolently, he traced his hand down her bare neck. “I intend to take full possession of my prize.” His hand slid over her black T-shirt to the hollow between her breasts. “Soon you will be spread across my bed. Aching for me.” His hand continued to slide down her waist. Gripping her hip, he suddenly pulled her hard against his body. “Your only reason to exist now is to serve me.”

Shaking, she tried to toss her head. Tried to defy him. Instead, her voice trembled as she asked, “What are you going to do to me?”

“Whatever I please.” He moved his hand up her body, cupping her breast over the T-shirt, tweaking her aching nipple with his thumb. As she gasped, he smiled. “But you will please me, Bree. Have no doubt about that.”

She wanted to beg him to let her go. But she knew it would do no good. Vladimir’s handsome, chiseled face was hard as granite. There was no mercy in it. But she couldn’t stop herself from choking out, “Please don’t do this.”

“My touch wasn’t always so distasteful to you,” he said softly. He ran his hands down her shoulders, pulling off her black leather jacket and dropping it to the marble bedroom floor. “Once, you shuddered beneath me. You wanted me so badly you wept.”

Bree swallowed. She’d once been sure of only two things on earth: that Vladimir Xendzov was the last honorable man in this selfish, cynical world. And that he loved her.

“Ya tebya lyublyu,” he’d whispered. I love you, Breanna. Be my wife. Be mine forever.

He’d been a different man then, a man who laughed easily, who held her tenderly, a fellow orphan who looked at her with worship in his eyes. Now, his handsome face was a lifetime harder. He was a different man, hard and rough as an unpolished diamond, his blue gaze as cold as the place that had been his frequent home for the past ten years—Siberia.

His grip on her tightened as he said huskily, “Do you not remember?”

Blinking fast, she whispered, “That was when I loved you.”

His hands grew still.

“You must think I’m a fool.” Dropping his arms, he said coldly, “I know you never loved me. You loved my money, nothing more.”

“It might have started as a con,” she said tearfully, “but it changed to something more. I’m telling you the truth. I loved—”

“Say those words again,” he exclaimed, cutting her off in a low, dangerous voice, “and you’ll regret it.”

She straightened her spine and looked at him defiantly.

“I loved you,” she cried. “With all my heart!”

“Be quiet!” With a low growl, he pushed her back violently against the bedpost. “Not another word!”

Bree’s heart pounded as she saw the fury in his eyes. She could feel the hard wood against her back, feel his chest against hers with the quick rise and fall of her every breath.

Abruptly, he released her.

“Why did you really come to Hawaii?” he said in a low voice.

She blinked fast, able to exhale. “We got offered jobs here, and we needed them.”

He shook his head, his jaw tight. “Why would you take a job as a housekeeper? With your skills?” His eyes narrowed. “You were surprised to see me at the poker table. If you’re not here to con me, who was your mark?”

“No one! I told you—I don’t do that anymore!”

“Right,” he said sarcastically. “Because you’re honest and pure.”

His nasty tone cut her to the heart, but she raised her chin. “What are you doing here? Because the last time I checked, there weren’t many gold mines on Oahu!”

He stared at her for a long moment. “Do you truly not know?” His forehead furrowed. “It was in the news....”

“I’ve spent the last decade avoiding news about you, chief. Not looking for it!”