“I’m here to check in, please,” she stated in flawless Russian. She didn’t recognize the woman there and even if she had, there wouldn’t have been any need for her to say anything. After all, she’d made a name for herself in this area.

  It didn’t take her long and she was heading across the polished white tile floor toward the elevator. She had a few freebies to utilize—Wi-Fi, a ride to and from the chairlift at the ski resort and breakfast. It can work.

  Inside the room, she spun in a slow circle, taking it all in, and was more than happy to see a glass shower with robes hanging. Nice and spacious. A flat screen on the wall and two king beds. Yes, this was going to work. Since her contact here knew her as an extremely wealthy woman who dealt with things not so legal, it wasn’t any shock for her to be using one of the most expensive suites in the hotel. At least until her place was ready for her to reside in once more.

  She’d just gotten settled in when the familiar chime of her phone went off. She walked to the window to scan outside, then headed for the bathroom where she turned on the shower, all before she even contemplated answering the call.

  “Hello?”

  “I can’t believe you didn’t tell us about Carlos, much less that you were fine after he took you away from us at gunpoint. We had to hear it from Masters. Masters?”

  “Hi, Ethan. Look, I’m sorry, we’ll talk when I get home. Right now I’m busy.”

  “Where are you?”

  “I’m not sure why you ask that question. I bet my money you have my location pinpointed on your computer.”

  “True, perhaps I should ask why the fuck are you in Russia instead of at home?”

  “Need directions on how to handle your princess?” she queried, unable to hide the sneer in her tone.

  It wasn’t that she didn’t like Rally—she just didn’t feel the woman, a princess, was the right choice for her brother. Sure, she’d been a prisoner as he had. Sure, she appeared to be down-to-earth. But, damn it, Ethan was her brother and she didn’t want to lose him to some woman who could hurt him and may not fit in with the family.

  “No. Answer me.”

  “I told you I was busy. If I’m in Russia and busy, I’m sure you can figure out I’m working. I’m fine. I told you that. I’m here with Masters. I will let you know when I’m back Stateside.”

  She ended the call before he could say anything else. Right now wasn’t the time for her to focus on her brother and his being upset with her for doing what she’d done. She wasn’t about to apologize for it, nor would she lie and say she wouldn’t do the same thing again if the situation happened once more.

  Moving with stealth, she headed to her bag and pulled out a pen, while behind her the shower still ran in the bathroom. Uncapping the pen, she proceeded to use the item, which had a bug detector inside.

  Sure, it wasn’t the Cold War, but she wasn’t an idiot and always checked rooms she stayed in. Anabelle Lee ensured she remained silent as she swept the entire room.

  Clean.

  She put it away and turned off the shower. After unpacking her few items, she settled down in the chair when a firm knock came to the door. She pushed to her feet and made her way there, doing her best not to grab for a weapon.

  Get a grip, Anabelle Lee. This isn’t going to be Carlos on the other side. The bastard is dead.

  She peeked out and couldn’t help the smile that kicked up her lips. Masters. He knocked again and she crossed her arms, leaning against the wall.

  I wonder if he’ll break in if I don’t open the door for him.

  Part of her wanted to see him do that, but she didn’t. With a sigh, she ran a hand down the front of her white shirt before opening.

  “Can I help you?” Her question fell from her lips in Russian.

  “I brought those papers you requested, ma’am.” He held out a packet.

  Anabelle Lee stepped back and swept her gaze over him as he moved by her. Even dressed in khakis, a button down, and with black rimmed glasses, there wasn’t any possible way to disguise the danger that Masters embodied.

  She pivoted as he passed, closing the door behind her. A tendril of heat spiraled up from her gut, similar to a vine unfurling in the sun, at the sight of his firm ass in those pants. She was used to seeing him in jeans—which was a delight all its own—so the khakis were a change.

  One I whole-heartedly approve of.

  “Clear?”

  His deep voice smacked her from her daydream of exploring that hard body beneath the geeky attire. Thoughts scrambling, she figured out what he meant. “Yes.”

  She approached the chairs and table he’d made himself comfortable at. Still, he didn’t sit until after she did.

  “What did you bring me?” she asked. “What papers? And by the way, you’re looking smokin’ in those khakis. You geek well.”

  Masters blinked a few times and she swore heat surged into his eyes.

  “Blank ones.” He tossed the packet at her. “What’s your plan?”

  While she hated that he was pushing the issue of work, they were there to do a job. She reclined in the chair, ignoring the manila envelope between them. “So attire is not a topic we can discuss. I put in a call to my contact when I was up in Murmansk but haven’t heard back as of yet.”

  “You were there over a day ago.”

  “Really? Well, damn, guess that’s why I was on a train for over twenty-four hours.” She teased the end of her braid as she watched the man across from her.

  Hard. Dangerous. Those were the first two words that came to mind when thinking of him. Assuming I’m only being PG, of course. Otherwise it’s sex and more sex. Masters was one of those men others males were jealous of—fit and he wore the hell out of whatever he had on. It wasn’t fair to the rest of mankind. Yet he never acted as if he gave the slightest damn as to how people saw him.

  He was a man consumed by the job and he was damn good at it. That was part of the reason she worked for him and had first agreed to come to Theta Corps. The other was her insane attraction to him.

  “Anabelle Lee?”

  Is it fair to bring a woman to orgasm by just your voice alone? She didn’t think so, but this man had the potential do pull it off. He had a voice the devil made to get women’s panties to melt away. Lord help the female population if he decided to use it as a weapon.

  Of course, he could just snap his fingers at me and I’d hand mine over.

  He snapped his fingers and she started.

  “What?” I don’t care what I just said, my panties are staying put. At least for the moment.

  “When will he be in contact with you?” Masters had a small furrow between his eyes and he frowned in her general direction.

  “I never said it was a he. I said I had a contact and if I knew exactly when it would happen, I wouldn’t be waiting, either.” She fought off a yawn. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to slip into bed.”

  There wasn’t any mistaking the heat flash in his eyes there.

  She strode to the doorway separating her bedroom from the rest of the suite and with one hand on the frame, peered back at him. “Masters?”

  He gazed at her, staring over the rims of his useless glasses. “What?”

  “It’s a king-sized bed, you’re more than welcome to join me.”

  He flexed his fist but didn’t move aside from looking back to the tabletop.

  She chuckled and dipped into the bedroom. “You know, if you want to find out if I’m a true redhead or not.” She left those words hanging in the air as she crawled between the coverings. She heard his curses and she smiled. She hadn’t mentioned that there was another bed beside hers.

  * * * *

  “She keeps on like that and I’m going to jack off right here or go in the room and fuck her until I can get the need for her out of my system.”

  Masters stood by the window overlooking the city. His costume glasses were on the table away from him. He didn’t need them. His vision was perfect. But it sold the image better.

  He pinched the bridge of his nose and tried not to think of the woman sleeping in the other room. Seeing her dressed in all white as he’d come into the suite had been a punch to the gut, taking all his air.

  This woman just didn’t understand what it was she did to him. Then again, given her parting words, perhaps she did.

  If only she knew how much I want to take her up on that offer.

  But he didn’t mix business with pleasure. Never had. Didn’t have any plans on breaking that now. It served him well as head of Theta Corps.

  Below him, in the cold snowy afternoon, people scurried about, like ants going and coming to their colony. People didn’t talk to each other and avoided eye contact.

  Sad state, but their issues weren’t his. He had a job to do. Two, actually. Complete the mission and keep his hands off Anabelle Lee.

  “No! Don’t, please, stop.” Her cry had him moving before he even contemplated the wisdom of bursting into her room unannounced.

  Weapon drawn, he shoved through the door and scanned the space. It was empty except for the woman caught in the throes of a nightmare on the bed. Hurrying to the side of the bed she was in, he paused to make sure he to leave his weapon on a table and not where she would wake and see it in his hand.

  “Anabelle Lee.”

  Masters called her name three times to no avail. She wasn’t responding to his voice. Her cries were getting louder. Each second, he cursed her ex-husband even more, as the pure pain and fear in her tone ripped into his gut with jagged claws. He was going to have to touch her.

  As the realization zipped through his mind, she brought forth her left hand, complete with the Walther she had under the pillow and swung it in erratic patterns, babbling and shouting.

  No choice. She could injure herself, him, or discharge her weapon in the hotel, which would lead to an entire line of questions he didn’t want to have to answer. Waiting until the sidearm was pointing in a direction that wasn’t his, he grabbed her wrists and pinned them to the bed.

  If she’d been crazy before, it was nothing compared to the wildcat who exploded onto the scene now. She bucked, kicked, bit and fought as if she were to die should she lose. Masters overpowered her and had her contained, unmovable, beneath him.

  “Wake up, Anabelle Lee.” Every ounce of his authority poured in his command.

  He knew the second she had returned to him. Her blue eyes stared at him, clear and the confusion fading with every passing tick. His cock stirred when she flicked her tongue over her lips and cleared her throat.

  “And here I thought you weren’t taking me up on my offer.”

  God, the way that southern drawl of hers skated over his skin should have been a form of torture. Of course, she wouldn’t address her nightmare.

  She tried to move her arms, but he refused to let her. He had them pinned to her side but kept his focus on her face.

  He gave a small shake of his head. “Release the Walther.”

  Those baby blues narrowed a fraction. “Why would I do that?”

  “Because I don’t want you shooting me for being on top of you.”

  “Were you that bad? I’m still clothed, so I’m guessing you lost your nerve.”

  One day, he was going to take her up on her dare. But not today, not after her nightmare.

  “Release the Walther,” he repeated.

  “Or?”

  Her breathing slowed and her pulse calmed a bit. He understood that that was her way of coping.

  “I stay right here.”

  A ghost of a smile flitted along her mouth. “Maybe I like having you on top of me. How about you lose your clothes and I lose mine? Let’s see if you can make me drop the weapon.”

  His cock thickened in his khakis. Her lids lowered and her gaze became shuttered. There wasn’t any way she’d not noticed him hardening.

  “Why don’t you tell me about the nightmare.”

  “Filling in for the company shrink, Masters? What are your qualifications?” The biting edge had returned to her tone.

  He increased his hold on the wrist attached to the hand with the Walther. When she relaxed her fingers, he plucked it from her and got off her lush body. Damn, he would have no problem spending hours exploring all of her.

  Instead of moving away from her and the bed, he sat beside her, crossing his legs. “My qualifications are you’re mine.”

  Her eyebrow jacked up quick as lightning.

  “I mean you’re on my team. I know my members.” Cracking his neck, he waited a few more beats then handed her back the weapon. “And your screams are what brought me in here. So talk to me, Anabelle Lee.”

  “Threatening to pull me if I don’t?”

  “So much snark. No, I’m not pulling you. Believe it or not, Annie, I care.”

  She had been in the process of sitting up only to freeze and stare at him.

  “What?”

  She worried her lower lip and finished sitting. “Why did you call me that?”

  “Anabelle Lee is your name.”

  With sure, steady moves, she began taking the braid from her hair. “You called me Annie.”

  Shit. I didn’t mean to do that. This is what happens when I spend all this time around her.

  “Who’s Annie?” Her question had a chill to it.

  Jealousy? From Anabelle Lee?

  He stared at her hair as she raked her fingers through the thick, smooth strands, combing out the wave left from the braid. Vibrant red. Such heat. Such passion. Just like the woman it is attached to.

  “You.”

  “No, I mean, who were you thinking about when you called me Annie?”

  “I think of you as Annie.” Masters couldn’t come up with a single reason he’d shared that with her. Aside that she asked you a question? Well, yes, there’s that.

  “Why?”

  Nope, I am not going there. “Tell me about your nightmare.” Time for him to steer this back in the direction he wanted the storyline to go.

  Up went the protective walls around her. “Nothing to tell.”

  “Nightmares aren’t a sign of weakness. They are memories.”

  “I don’t want these memories, if it’s all the same to you.”

  “Had I known about them, I wouldn’t have brought you here. You’re not one-hundred percent and may be a liability.”

  “So get someone else then.”

  He shook his head. “I can’t. It’s too late for that, you know this.”

  “Me at less than one-hundred percent is still better than most of who you can find for this at their best.” She crossed her arms with a huff of defiance.

  “Perhaps, but I like people at the top of their game around me, not ones who are too goddamn scared to face their nightmares and try to work through them.”

  “You are such a fucking ass.”

  “I’m a boss.”

  “Sitting on my bed with me wearing nothing more than a shirt and a pair of panties. Want to know what kind they are?”

  He bolted up and she laughed as she watched.

  “Come on, Masters,” she said, her drawl thicker and slower. Waggling her fingers at him, ever so slowly, she grinned. “Don’t you want to know if I wear thongs or boy shorts? If I’m clean shaven or just trimmed?”

  More than I will ever admit.

  “No. I’ll leave you alone to sleep if you’re not going to talk to me about your nightmare.”

  She lay back and flashed some leg as she readjusted, sending another wave of heat to his groin. “Bye. But if you change your mind, I’ll be right here.”

  He swore as he headed back to the sitting area, his cock hard and damn uncomfortable in his pants.

  One day.

  However, if this kept up, one day wouldn’t be good enough with the vixen behind him, stretched out in that large bed, partially naked. She was driving him to the edge of any sanity or control.

  Chapter Three

  #xa0;

  Music played in the background, ice clinked in glasses and women wore bunny ears on their heads as their only accessory to hot pink and black corsets. The panties were black, as were their shoes, but their stockings were some shade of pink she wasn’t sure about. However, given the state of most inhabitants here, she didn’t believe that mattered to them at all.

  Annabelle Lee was no longer staying at the hotel, having hired people to open up her large mansion outside the city. It played to her coming back—it wouldn’t have made sense for her to pay to stay at a hotel given she had lodgings less than twenty miles away. So she’d moved back in there and had come here tonight to meet her contact.

  She twined her fingers around the stem of her coupe as she stared at the orange peel garnish within the drink.

  Somewhere in this darkened building, Masters was watching her back. Anabelle Lee touched her side braid and shifted on the seat subtly. It wouldn’t do for her contact to think she was nervous. Lifting her drink, she then enjoyed some.

  “Ms. Ana.”

  Angling her head to the right, she gave a short nod when she spied her contact standing there.

  “Yuliy, it is good to see you again.” She put down her drink and extended her hand to the man standing there.

  He took her fingers, bowed over them and brushed his lips along the back of her hand.

  “And you. I was surprised to hear you were coming back here. You said you never wanted to return last time you left.”

  “Luckily, when one has as many investments as I do, I’ve got the ability to change my mind.”

  “Of course. My apologies.”

  She awarded him a slight smile.

  “And I apologize for this, but there is a new player in town and once he heard you were here, he asked for an introduction.”

  “Heard I was in town?”

  He stepped closer. “Hard for you to not be recognized when you arrive. Of course they were surprised about the taxi.”

  “And who asks for an introduction?”