Chapter 19

London, England

“Before you go to bed, have Pavel find that list of potential fucking husbands,” he ordered Ivan as they entered the house. Viktor was in a violent mood. Seeing men, especially dangerous men, touching Sophia, kissing her cheeks, had made him insane.

Ivan merely grunted before leaving.

Viktor headed for the wet bar at the far end of the room. After digging out a glass, he poured deeply then tossed back his favorite vodka, enjoying the way it burned down his throat. He’d already torn loose his bow tie and tossed it and his coat on the couch.

He braced his hands on the cold marble of the wet bar, leaning over the space before pouring more vodka in the glass.

He’d seen red at that damned event. Going had been a mistake. Seeing his princess smile and touch dangerous men who’d serve the world better if they were chained at the bottom of the ocean wasn’t something he’d handled well. Jealousy wasn’t his main issue, but the feeling was new and unpleasant. The unhinged surge of protectiveness was a far bigger concern. He’d caged her in the library out of self-preservation. He’d needed her body against his before he’d done something very bad.

Leaving the event had been the best option, but not until he’d warned her and her only trustworthy guard about the worst of her potential suitors. If she’d accepted a date with any of them, he would have lost his mind.

He downed the vodka and slammed the glass on the bar with a harsh clank. Was she still at the gala in that sexy white gown, looking beautiful and angelic in a damned sea of vipers? He’d gone to an associate’s hotel and discussed business for hours as a way to avoid returning to the party. She had been physically safe, yet he still didn’t have a good feeling about anything he’d seen that night.

Her routine of giving her guard a rest every other night was grinding his last nerve. He wanted her in his bed and knew that wouldn’t happen tonight. Vodka wouldn’t be enough to get him any fucking sleep.

*****

Sophia had paced enough to wear a hole in the thick rug in front of the bed in her London home. Before turning for another pass, she cast a hard look at the four-poster, frustrated that it had become just as cold as her bed in Porenza.

“You’re glaring at the bed,” Jen drawled from her relaxed position against the wall, facing the bank of windows displaying the darkened night through a sheer covering.

Sophia had been forced to go through the motions for hours at the event after Viktor had left her alone and dazed in that dark library. That meant she’d had plenty of time to pick apart each and every move she’d made all night, critiquing every single look they’d shared while wondering if anyone had suspected something was going on between them. She wanted to throttle the man for putting her in this position. He could have destroyed what little time they had left together.

Her emotions were all over the place, and she snapped Jen a hard look before pointing at her. “Don’t even mock my crazy right now.”

Jen sighed. “Ivan said Viktor wanted to speak with you. I told him no. I didn’t expect the ambush, but that hallway should have had more people in it.”

“Do you have any idea how bad it would have been if I’d been caught with him?” Sophia hands were shaking now. Her heart still thumped a staccato beat in her chest, but the charged silence in the room forced her eyes back to Jen. The way the guard’s lips pinched made Sophia’s eyes narrow. “You don’t think it would have been good to get caught?”

After a beat where they stood staring at each other, her friend finally spoke. “I still think it would have made the situation with your family easier.”

Another beat passed before Sophia choked out, “You can’t be serious.”

Jen gave a single shoulder shrug. “You asked for my opinion.”

“You thought it would help my situation?”

Jen went silent.

Sophia felt her head throb. “It would have forced me into a position that wouldn’t be simple. And it would have ended what little time I have with him. My ass would have been back on the jet to Porenza.” Because she wouldn’t have hidden. She would have faced the consequences and stood her ground even if she wasn’t ready to use her exit plan. Though she felt more ready to end things with her family than she’d ever felt.

She ran a hand through her hair. She was drained, mentally and physically. It really was time to finally end her family’s games. After her week, she would take Forde’s advice—let go of the guilt and stop punishing herself.

Jen’s next words knocked her out of her thoughts. “I should have diverted you as soon as I saw Ivan.”

Shaking her head, Sophia sighed. “I walked right into it, Jen, because I was angry, but a part of me wanted to see him. It was those hours after where I was able to dwell on all the bad that could have come from it that made it real.”

“The list surprised me.”

Sophia snorted. “I’m not sure surprised is the word I’d go for.” Her lover had given her a list of men he didn’t want her to date. It was wrong and twisted. The fact that the list held dark truths shouldn’t make the gesture romantic. But damn it, it had.

“It was protective. I would have chalked it up to jealousy if I hadn’t seen the names.”

She blew out a breath. It was protective. The names he listed hadn’t been rivals or men she’d spent a lot of time with in the evening. Since many would consider Viktor a bad man, the irony wasn’t lost on her.

A dull ache set up residence in her heart after the rapid beating finally settled. The sense of dread in the pit of her stomach wasn’t helping. “Jean Luc was the first name on that list.”

“I saw.”

Was he as protective of all the women who’d shared his bed? The fact that he worried about her at all only made things worse. Viktor had the power to rule her, and when she finally freed herself from her family, she wouldn’t be in any more position to be with him, not with her secrets. She would still be sneaking around with no good excuse. And it wasn’t as if she could tell him. Her lies weren’t her own. That was all saying he actually wanted her in his bed for more than the next week.

She’d always seen Viktor as a dark hero. He was the only man she’d ever dreamed of having a happily ever after with. It was ridiculous since she was well aware those didn’t exist, not in a world where it was so easy to trade in wives and husbands when the newness wore off.

“And now I have to use him.” That knowledge was a weight in her gut that threatened to tear her apart. Falling for him had been inevitable. She’d fallen for the fantasy aspect years ago. How could she not start to fall for the man who’d shown her just how pallid that dream version had been in comparison? It wasn’t the sex; it was the tenderness, the protectiveness. It was the way he held her.

“You don’t have to do anything,” Jen pointed out.

Sophia heaved a breath. “If he has information on Jean Luc, we need it.”

“There were a few men on that list I didn’t get a good vibe from but I wasn’t aware we should be watching. He’s already given us more than we had. I sent a copy of the names to James.

“Are you going to tell Irina and the others tonight?”

“I don’t want to wake Riot. Forde’s out, and Irina probably has her hands full with Mischa’s physical therapy. I’ll deal with it in the morning. I’m better off seeing him tonight. Finding out what other information I can get first.” Taking a deep breath, Sophia resigned herself to exploiting the advantage they’d been given.

“You’re sure?”

“I have the element of surprise and righteous indignation on my side since he cornered me tonight. It’ll be easier to stay on the offense.” Plus, she wouldn’t sleep until she knew what Viktor had on Jean Luc. It had nothing to do with wanting to see him. “Let’s go. It’s late, and you will need sleep at some point.”

“We’re still heading back tomorrow night?”

Sophia nodded while Jen appeared to be pondering something.

“There’s something else.”

Dread tensed Sophia’s shoulders. “What?”

“The jammer he used was the same model as ours.”

Sophia had already guessed as much. “You’re sure?”

“Yes.”

Sophia ran a hand through her hair. “Now we know why we didn’t get anything from his feeds. He had safeguards in place.”

“That would make sense.”

If that was the case, then he knew they tried to get his information. Why hadn’t he said anything? She’d had every right to use her own deceptive tactics, considering the ones he’d implemented to get her to his home, but still, he should have taken offense.

“He used it tonight on purpose.” He’d wanted her to know.