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I perch myself on the edge of the coffee table. Her long, dark eyelashes flutter against her cheeks, her luscious lips part and she takes a deep inhale. She opens her eyes and finds mine.
Tears immediately fill her red-rimmed eyes and pierce me with resentment and pain. She backs away and lets her gaze wander around the room until it lands on the crumpled shirt.
“Where are my clothes?” A throttled cry escapes her like she’s on the verge of sobbing at any moment.
“They were covered in blood.”
Because I killed your friend, and it brought you to your knees. Because you couldn’t hold yourself together when someone you cared about was killed for their actions.
Because—for reasons I can’t or don’t want to understand—I care about you.
Not that I plan on telling her any of that. Some of my body parts may not be able to hide the fact that her body is a siren song luring me in, but I will not let her know that her scream twisted my gut.
No, that’s too much.
Tears roll down her pink-tinged cheeks. She brushes the tears away and pulls her knees to her chest. “Why did you have to kill him? You could have killed me.”
“What did this man mean to you, malyshka?” Venom spills from my voice as I lean closer to her.
“He was a friend. A colleague.”
Good. Otherwise, I would have to bring him back to life and kill him again for touching my malyshka.
I sit back, needing distance from Hazel to regain control and adjust my pants. I’m convinced she can bring a man to his knees with those exotic eyes. “You knew what he was, but you are still going to sit here and ask me why I killed him?”
She glowers at me, her lips pressing into a thin line. A muscle ticks in her jaw as she angles her body away from me. “There was no need. I told you to kill me instead.”
“Your friend was a traitor.” My tone is cold as I lean forward and brace my arms on my thighs. “He knew he would die if he was caught.”
“And you think that makes it alright?” The pitch in her voice rises as she retreats into the cushions. She wants to be as far away from me as possible.
“It is what must happen.” I get up and sit next to her on the couch. “At least he did the honorable thing and stepped forward.”
She shakes her head and bitterness pours out of her. “You must be insane if you think that. There is no way that death is better than keeping your life.”
“This is the way of the Bratva. If you betray us, you will die.”
Hazel lets go of her legs and stands on wobbly feet. She almost falls over as her hands fly to her head. “I just want to get out of here and go home. You got to kill the person you wanted to kill. Just let me go.”
I jump up and catch her by her upper arms to steady her, press my body against hers, and let the soft strands of her hair fall between my fingers. She flinches back as I nudge her closer to me, and desire washes over me as she fixes me with a blank stare.
“There aren’t any other people the police have planted in the Bratva. I can’t help you anymore. Just kill me or let me go.”
The corner of my mouth ticks upward. “And where would the fun in that be? I’m not done with you yet. Not by a long shot.”
“You should be. My boss will come looking for me. He’ll figure out that I’m missing and then he’ll start putting the pieces together. He’ll know that you have kidnapped me, and he’ll come after you.”
I chuckle and twirl a thick strand of her hair around my finger. “I don’t think he’ll come looking for you. But go ahead with your threats. I think it’s adorable, malyshka.”
“Stop calling me that. I don’t know what it means.” Her nostrils flare.
“Malyshka? It means baby girl.” I roll the word softly off my lips and smile.
“Screw you. I’m not your baby girl!” She smacks my hand away. “I don’t know why you’re doing this to me. I have nothing to offer you.”
My hands firmly hold her waist, my fingers tracing over her hipbones through the soft fabric of my T-shirt. “I have my reasons.”
“If you’re going to kill me, just get it over with. Please. This is awful.” Her bottom lip quivers as she tries to wriggle away from me.
