Chapter Three
Toni was still reeling over Dimitri Alkaev’s verbal bomb when they arrived at what must have been his personal home. Or one could possibly refer to it as a stronghold. The place was tall and narrow. The structure was actually old enough that it had turrets and a tower room that made it seem a bit like a castle. It was nestled behind a solid ten foot brick wall with wrought iron spikes adorning the top of each pillar. There was a gatehouse with two men sitting inside. Once Ivan’s credentials had been established, their car advanced onto the property and Toni began to wonder if she would ever leave this place again.
Ivan pulled up beneath the portico at the rear of the house. Doors were opened and Toni stepped out of the vehicle. She looked around, trying not to seem like she was gawking. Her father considered himself a rich, powerful man. Yet this was more than Boris Rustikov could ever imagine in the way of pomp and circumstance.
“Mrs. Urevich will show you to your quarters.” Dimitri gestured to a woman standing at the top of a wide staircase that led into the house.
“Quarters,” Toni murmured. “As opposed to a holding cell?”
“As you pointed out several times,” Dimitri began sarcastically. “You’re my partner, not my prisoner. So if you’d like to be treated like a prisoner, I can certainly make arrangements. Or you can go with Mrs. Urevich and enjoy your stay in my home.”
“That’s fine,” Toni said stiffly.
She turned her back on Dimitri and walked toward the woman. Toni lifted her chin and carried herself like the princess she was always accused of being. She could remember her mother’s whispered instructions every time they’d gone out with her father. It wasn’t as if the two of them hadn’t known they were nothing but pretty baubles her father liked to display to show off. But her mother had taken a certain amount of pride in her appearance and behavior. That same composure was something that Toni took seriously.
“My name is Antonina Rustikov.” Toni held her hand out to the woman Dimitri had identified as Mrs. Urevich. “But you can call me Toni if you would like.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Toni,” the older woman said warmly. “Come upstairs and we’ll see if we can’t get you settled and comfortable.”
“Thank you.” Toni couldn’t resist throwing a smug look over her shoulder at Dimitri. Unfortunately he didn’t appear to be paying the least bit of attention, so her effort was completely wasted. The oaf was probably too busy congratulating himself on his hostage taking to realize that he’d been played.
DIMITRI REFUSED TO let himself stare at Princess Toni—as she’d told Mrs. Urevich to call her. What was it about this woman that got under his skin? She couldn’t be much more than twenty-one. She was just a bit of feminine fluff that most likely needed a man to take care of her anyway. In fact he knew she did. That’s why she’d been so willing to let herself be kidnapped. She’d needed his help. It still galled him that he had actually told her about his sister’s disgrace. What was wrong with him?
“Boss,” Ivan grunted. “This woman is trouble. You should lock her up in the basement and be done with her.”
Ivan was gesturing to the staircase beneath the back steps that led down to the subterranean rooms beneath the old house. That was where they conducted interrogations and dealt with the grittier side of running a mafia empire.
“It’s tempting, I’ll give you that,” Dimitri told Ivan. “But for now I want her willing. Perhaps she will give us information about her father that isn’t easy intel to gain. Considering the level of anger she seems to hold toward him, she’s going to be a lot more likely to rat betray important details if we treat her like a trusted ally and not an enemy.”
“So that’s your plan?” Anatoli asked, walking up behind them. “Because I was starting to think that this was a seduction wrapped up in a half assed plan for revenge.”
Anatoli was not just Dimitri’s second in command. He was also his younger brother. Dimitri glanced at this slightly harder version of himself and wondered how he was going to react to the alteration of their situation.
Anatoli sneered. “You’re going to start sleeping with the enemy, just like Katya did. These Rustikovs must have magic in their loins to snare so many people so easily.”
“Enough,” Dimitri snapped. “I haven’t forgotten what happened to Katya. I haven’t slept with the enemy. I have learned that Rustikov’s daughter doesn’t believe her mother’s death was suicide. This could be a bonus for us. If he’s guilty of her murder, it will weaken him with the other leaders.”
“We already know he is weak,” Anatoli spat. “He is a coward and a liar. What other proof of his cowardice do you need? I say kill the woman and deliver her body to her father in pieces. That will get his attention.”
Ivan gave a grunt of approval. Unfortunately if Anatoli gave an order like that, Ivan would eagerly comply without a moment’s hesitation. But Dimitri wasn’t sure that was the best way to go. For now he needed the girl alive. And he refused to imagine that he might have other, more personal reasons for his feelings on that subject.
“For now you will both leave her alone,” Dimitri ordered. There is nothing to be gained by jumping the gun and murdering her before the time is right.”
“As long as the time is eventually right,” Anatoli muttered.
* * *
Toni paced back and forth in the suite she was apparently to occupy while she was a “guest” in Dimitri’s home. The room was pretty enough. She almost had to wonder if the guy had a lot of female guests. The pale wood furniture and frilly duvet definitely didn’t look like something one would use for a male guest. The four poster bed was drowning in tasseled pillows and there was actually a little set of steps provided just to climb into the massive bed.
The real question was what did she actually know about Dimitri? She was still reeling from his disclosure that her father had supposedly seduced his sister. Toni stopped pacing and stared out the window. A tiny sliver of moon hung in the sky. The city lights drowned out any stars and it was impossible to tell what might be on the outside of that impenetrable wall that surrounded Dimitri’s property.
There was a knock at the door. She expected it to be Mrs. Urevich. The woman had gone to see if she could find any clothing that might fit Toni. “Come in.”
Behind her she could hear the door open, and the heavier footsteps of a man as opposed to Mrs. Urevich’s light tread. “Are you comfortable enough?” Dimitri’s question sent an odd thrill down her spine.
She shouldn’t have cared about him. He was a means to an end and nothing more. Taking a deep breath, she searched for her sense of logic. “I’m fine, thank you.”
There was a strange pause, almost as if he were trying to decide if she should speak or not. “I should tell you to stay away from my brother, Anatoli.”
“You should or you are?” she wondered out loud. Turning, she offered him a frown. “I don’t understand.”
“He doesn’t approve of my plan to keep you here,” Dimitri explained.
Toni gauged his body language. The tension in his muscles, the way he kept his arms crossed over his chest. The man looked defensive. She could guess why. “Anatoli thinks it would be better to kill me and be done with it. Correct?”
“Yes.” His eyebrows lifted as if he were surprised by her insight. “He isn’t convinced there is any leverage to be gained from keeping you alive.”
She shrugged. “He’s probably right.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.” Toni thought it over a moment. “If I was going to take Anatoli in order to teach you a lesson, I would either beat him within an inch of his life, or execute him and then return him to you in that condition.”
“You would do these things?” He sounded doubtful.
She gazed at his dark eyes. His pale hair fell boyishly across his forehead. She longed to reach up and brush it away though she could not have said why. The man didn’t appear very approachable. His expression was closed, and his lips looked hard and unyielding. Perhaps it was the challenge she craved. This man would never give in simply because she was a woman and he was a man. If he ever let down his guard and let her in, it promised to be a singular experience.
DIMITRI HAD HIS doubts that a woman would ever be able to order a murder or a beating and then simply walk away from that act of brutality. Still, she hadn’t flinched while delivering her plan.
“Antonina Rustikov, you are an unusual woman,” he murmured.
“Toni,” she told him. “Antonina was my grandmother’s name.”
“Toni.” He tasted the nickname now that he had permission to use it. “It suits you.”
“Does it?” She tilted her head in an almost mocking gesture. “I’m just so glad you approve. I’ve been unsure of my name for my whole life not knowing if you thought it was appropriate or not.”
“Fine. Tone down the sarcasm.” He sighed. “I was only trying to be polite.”
“Duly noted.”
She looked stiff standing there in the middle of the room. Scared? That was highly unlikely. Toni didn’t seem to be the type of woman who was afraid of anything. Yet, Dimitri took a few steps closer to her. He saw her nostrils flare and her pupils dilate. Yes. She was aroused. Being in proximity to him unsettled her because it invoked a sense of arousal.
The knowledge gave him a strange sense of satisfaction. Why? He inhaled deeply and let the light, feminine fragrance of her wash over him. Blood rushed to his groin. He felt the first stirrings of not just desire, but straight up lust and fascination. What would a woman like Toni be like in bed? She was honest and demanding. She knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to take it. There would be no passivity and waiting for something to happen. Toni would take what she wanted without apology.
He found the idea quite enticing.
“You’re staring at me.” She sounded irked by the notion. “Why?”
He gave her honesty simply because he wanted to see what she would have to say for herself. “I was simply wondering what sort of lovers you take to your bed.”
“Excuse me?”
Dimitri made a very obvious perusal of her body. He lingered over the pretty curve of her ass and the fullness of her breasts. As he watched, her nipples peaked into tiny points beneath her sweater. Yes. She was most certainly interested whether she would acknowledge it or not.
He changed his approach just a little. “You’re a beautiful, sensual woman. I was simply wondering what sort of man would tempt you to open up.”
“Not one like you,” she retorted.
“Is that right?” He leaned in closer, dipping his head low enough to smell the scent the lingered on her hair. “Because I can see you reacting to me. Your nipples are hard. They’re probably throbbing. I bet you want to rub them, twirl them between your fingers perhaps, until you’ve gained just a little relief.”
“Not true.”
“Oh?” He didn’t believe it for a second. “And I find myself wondering how wet you are and whether or not you’re fighting the urge to squirm. I bet you want to press your legs together to trying and control your real desires.”
“And what do you know of my real desires?” Her voice was husky with pent up emotion.
“Nothing. Yet.” He turned and left the room, not allowing himself to smile until he was well away from her room.