Viktoriya sat back at her desk and rolled her eyes. Another day of applicants who said the same shit over and over again. She hadn’t broken any bones today, though. The gunshot wound in her side had seen to that. She had argued that she felt well enough to screen more men. Since she hired Luka for the first one, they only had one more slot to fill.

They had argued more than once about her resuming her duties. He was breathing down her neck and Viktoriya had finally screamed at him that she needed breathing space. Now, she sat looking at another asshole. This guy was getting on her last nerve.

“So, you want to protect the head of the Russian mob? That’s your answer?” Viktoriya stood and grabbed her coffee cup. She crossed to the coffeepot and picked it up.

“Vladimir sends his best wishes and hopes you recover soon.”

Viktoriya froze. “Vladimir?” She knew the man was no longer in the chair. “Lu — ”

The strangled scream had partially left her lips when she felt something around her neck. She swung the coffeepot around and hit the guy. He threw her on the desk on her stomach and tightened the rope around her neck. Viktoriya kicked her leg up and hit him between the legs. There was a loud curse and then the rope tightened. The next thing she saw was the guy flying into the wall. He hit with a loud crack and then Luka was there. He had the guy around the neck, getting ready to snap it.

“Luka no!” Viktoriya exclaimed. “We need him alive.”

Every guard in the mansion seemed to be there. Vince was snarling at the attacker with barely controlled rage. “You try to kill my daughter?” Vince pulled his face up. “I’m going to enjoy torturing you.”

“Get him out of my sight,” Andrei snapped.

“Wait.” Luka walked over to the man and searched his pockets. He pulled out a vial and handed it to Vince. “Test it, but I am sure it’s poison.” He looked at the man and smiled. “No easy way out for you.”

“Put him in the cell naked, and run a scan on him,” Vince snapped. “Go see the doctor, Viktoriya.”

“Dad, I’m fine.” Viktoriya rubbed her throat.

“Luka?” Vince said quietly.

“I am on it, sir.” Luka picked her up.

“Put me down!” Viktoriya struggled.

Andrei chuckled as Luka took his daughter down the hall. “She did well.”

“I bet she’s thinking she did too well.”

Luka finally put her down on the exam table and she fixed him with a glare. Luka watched as the doctor inspected her neck and rechecked her wound. When he left to get medication for her, she turned to Luka.

“Well, I guess I’m proving your theory correct.”

“Excuse me?”

“Women, the weaker sex.” Viktoriya stood and grabbed the table as nausea swept over her.

“Please, sit down.” Luka reached for her and she turned on him.

“Don’t touch me!”

Luka picked her up and sat her on the table. He leaned into her and looked into her eyes. “Sit. Down.”

Viktoriya looked into his eyes and saw the anger there, but also concern. He still looked as if he hadn’t slept, and Viktoriya decided she wasn’t going to win this one.

“You haven’t slept,” she whispered.

“I can’t. Someone is always trying to kill you.” Luka let a small smile escape his lips. “And the answer to your question is no.”

“What?”

“I don’t think you are weak. My kneecap is telling me otherwise.” Luka let out a small chuckle.

Viktoriya rubbed her neck. It was on fire. Luka ran his fingertip along the red line on her throat.

“I should have been in the room.” Luka let his fingertips glide gently along her throat.

“You didn’t know.”

“I still should have been there.” Luka looked away from her neck and their eyes met. Soon, his gaze fell to her lips.

Viktoriya’s heart pounded and a small shiver ran through her. His close proximity was doing things to her. “You still saved my life. Again.”

Luka watched her looking at his lips. He knew she wanted to kiss him. He could see it. He hadn’t been with a woman in years. His hand moved from her neck to her face and he leaned in. Viktoriya closed her eyes and waited for their lips to touch.

The infirmary door opened, breaking the spell. Luka stepped back, resuming his guard stance. Viktoriya sighed and looked at the doctor. “All good?”

“For now, bed.”

Viktoriya sighed. “What’s new? Well, let’s get this over with.”

Luka picked her up. “Good. You have conceded.”

“For now.”

When they got back to her room, Luka took up a position right inside the door. She arched a brow. “Really?”

“I’m not taking any more chances.”

“Fine.” Viktoriya turned around and unbuttoned her shirt and took it partway off.

“What are you doing?”

“Changing. I have to get in bed, remember?” Viktoriya smiled, her back to him. If he wanted to go this route, she’d give him something to look at.

“There is a bathroom.”

“Too far away and I’ve been traumatized.” Viktoriya pulled her shirt off slowly, letting it slide to the floor. She unzipped her skirt and shimmied out of it slowly.

Her bra was next. She grabbed a silk negligee from her drawer and pulled her bra off. When it landed on the floor, she was certain she heard a small gasp from Luka. Then, as she started to slide her underwear down, he put his hands on her arms.

“Stop,” Luka whispered in her ear.

Viktoriya leaned back against him and lifted one arm behind his neck. A strong hand came up and cupped her breast. Her moan spurred him to pick her up. Then she was on the bed with Luka hovering above her.

“You are beautiful.” Luka ran his hand up her stomach and carefully over her wound.

Viktoriya undid the buttons on his shirt and slid it off his shoulders. He shrugged it the rest of the way off as she smoothed her hands up his chest. “Kiss me, Luka.”

He leaned down and brushed his lips across hers. If he had forgotten how to kiss a woman, Viktoriya was reminding him. He parted her lips with his tongue and took her mouth. The small moan that escaped her lips caused him to deepen the kiss. His hand slid up to her breast and he cupped it, squeezing her nipple with his fingers.

Viktoriya’s hands moved to the waistband of his pants. She unfastened the button and unzipped them before sliding her hand inside. Luka groaned into her mouth as she gripped him and began to stroke him. His hand moved from her breast to the juncture of her legs. He reveled in the heat from her and rubbed the front of her underwear. Viktoriya’s back arched and he slipped a finger inside her.

“Luka!” Viktoriya gasped as his finger slid inside. His knuckles brushed her clit and she let out a gasp in his mouth.

He searched her mouth slowly and knew his orgasm was close, just from kissing her, touching her. It was too much. “I’m coming!” he gasped between kisses.

When his finger slid in deeper, her orgasm exploded, her back arched, and Luka’s orgasm hit her hand. They lay there, breathing hard, and Luka withdrew his finger slowly, kissing her softly.

“Are you all right?”

“I — I’m a virgin,” she whispered.

Luka was shocked. “I did not know. Are you all right? Did I hurt you?”

“No.” Viktoriya blushed. “A little sore, but in a good way.”

Luka rolled to his back and pulled her into his arms. She wriggled into him and he ran his fingers through her hair. “I should not be in here. Your fathers will not be pleased.”

“Seriously? You saved my life twice. I think you’re in the clear.”

“I will stay until you fall asleep, then I will go to my post.” Luka kissed her forehead.

“Luka?”

“Yes?”

“Thank you.”