Ivan(9)

"What was that?" Fear colored her voice.

"They were dealing in Hermanos territory." Ivan knew the Latin street gang by reputation. They weren't people to be fucked with and Ruby and Andrei had been taunting them for weeks now. "The Hermanos assumed the Albanians were trying to move in on their business and shot up one an Albanian captain's house. That's why Ruby and Andrei ran. They've got the Albanians and the Hermanos coming for them now."

"You're sure?" Ivan shot her a look. "Of course you're sure," she whispered. A second later, she leaned forward and tapped Kostya's arm. "You should probably pull over and let me out now."

"What?" Ivan carefully grasped her upper arm and forced her to meet his gaze. "What makes you think I'm going to let you out on the street, Erin?"

"You said I'm as good as dead. I can't put anyone else at risk, Ivan." Her eyes glistened with tears. "Look, you don't even know me. I'm just some stupid girl with a drug addict sister, right? You don't owe me any favors. Just let me out and give me my car back. I'll figure this out on my own."

"The hell you will," he snapped. The sincerity in her eyes chilled him. She was ready to go out there and face two vicious gangs on her own rather than put another life in the crosshairs. He couldn't allow it. He wouldn't allow it. "I told you I'd find your sister."

"You didn't make me any promises, Ivan. Remember?"

Oh, he remembered all right. That was before Erin had wormed her way inside his mind. Visions of her beautiful face had haunted him all afternoon. Finding her facing off with that bastard in the meth house had sent him into a rage. No one was ever going to harm her. Of that, he was absolutely certain.

"The terms of our agreement have changed." He made his decision unilaterally. "You're coming home with me. I'm going to keep you safe until this thing with your sister reaches a satisfactory end."

"But—"

He lifted his hand. "No. You don't know anything about this world you've stumbled into but I'm all too familiar with it. You're coming with me and that's that."

Her lips parted on a protest but she didn't fight him. She was smart enough to know that she needed him. He wondered what would happen when she was safe again. Would she walk out of his life as easily and quickly as she'd barged into it?

"Did you mean it?" She asked some time later, her voice gentle and uncertain.

He glanced at her shadowed face, the dashboard lights and street lamps barely illuminating her now. "Mean what?"

She hesitated. "That I belong to you."

He didn't even have to glance at the rearview mirror to know Kostya was watching them with interest. He ignored the driver and focused only on her. He didn't know what she wanted to hear or even what he was comfortable confirming or denying. This whole thing was one complicated mess and he was still searching for sure footing with her.

Finally, he managed an answer. "For now."



CHAPTER THREE



An hour later, I wiped my hand across the foggy mirror and stared at my reflection. Standing naked and wet in one of Ivan's guest bathrooms, I felt incredibly off-kilter. I don't think I ever could have imagined my night would end like this. How the hell had this night gone so wrong? I'd been this close to finding Ruby but she'd vanished without a trace.

Maybe that was a good thing. She'd obviously evaded the Albanians who were hot on her tail. If she'd been there when I'd arrived, they would have grabbed us both or separated us or worse—possibly even killed us right there. Maybe she could stay safe a little longer. I didn't doubt Ivan would find her. He didn't strike me as the kind of man to break a promise.

I couldn't shake the feeling that something was happening between us. Something real. I'd never had such an instant connection to any man. He definitely wasn't the sort I normally crushed on or dated. Ivan was…well…he was complicated, wasn’t he?

It was obvious that the rumors about him were true. He was a man who had once been deeply involved in Houston's criminal underworld. He'd probably been involved in it way back in Russia, too. Those tattoos weren't just for show. The way the Albanians—that man, Besian, especially—had caved to him hadn't escaped me. Ivan said Besian was one of the most dangerous men I'd ever meet. What did that say about Ivan?

I'd noticed the way he'd purposely kept his voice low and even with me during the car ride to his house. Even though anger had been radiating off him in waves, he hadn't once lost control. I sensed he was a man who was always in complete control of himself. In a way, it was infuriating. He wasn't giving me any reasons to dislike him or distance myself. If anything, I found him even more intriguing.