How do we even know you saw Tolya’s murder?” Rezan demanded, slamming his fist down hard on the poker table across from Daphne. “Describe this so-called killer.”

She compressed her lips and stared the man down, refusing to let him bully her. Yes, he was a trained killer, and yes, he looked like he wanted to skin her alive for some reason, but she was a strong and confident. The fact Nik stood behind her chair, his comforting heat penetrating through the thin cotton of her T-shirt, didn’t hurt either. In fact, she found far more security being close to him than she should, under the circumstances. Maybe it was because he’d been upfront with her about the danger she was in. Maybe it was because he’d protected her from the police gunfire when that dirty cop Hornbull had shown up. Or maybe it was because he’d treated her with kindness and respect—other than the fact he’d barged through her apartment door. Either way, she’d rather be by his side at the moment than anywhere else.

“Watch yourself, Rez,” Nik growled.

Daphne squared her shoulders and pushed to her feet so she was looking down on her opponent, figuring any advantage was better than none. “Fine. You want to know what your friend’s killer looked like? Here you go. Tall, I’d say six-two, maybe six-three. Broad shoulders, in good shape. He was bald on top with a fringe of graying hair around the sides. Cold blue eyes. Tanned skin with wrinkles, as if he’d spent a lot of time outdoors. Oh, and he had a tattoo,” she tapped her left bicep, “right here. Looked like maybe a shield with some writing around it. That specific enough for you, comrade?”

Rezan’s face mottled with rage. He shoved to his feet and pulled a knife from his pocket, flipping the switchblade open. “Don’t talk back to me, you snarky little bi—”

Nik was around the table in a second, his suit jacket open and his hand on the weapon holstered at his waist. “Don’t. Do. It.”

Tension curdled in the air and no one moved a muscle until with a curse, Rez jammed the tip of the blade in to the green felt-covered table top and stalked away, cursing under his breath in Russian.

“Well, this is going splendidly, brother,” Kaz said, his tone droll. “What’s next? Shooting up the store out front for shits and giggles?”

Daphne sank back into her seat, her knees shaking from the confrontation. Now that her adrenaline was subsiding, all she could see was the edge of that quivering knife, still swaying back and forth from the force Rez had used to slam it into the table.

“Are you all right?” Nik asked, moving to stand beside her again. She nodded and he looked from her to Rez, who was pacing on the other side of the room. She didn’t know any of the men that well to judge accurately, but from his quick temper and darting eyes, the guy seemed nervous.

“What’s your problem?” Nik demanded of his enforcer. “And stop pacing. You’ll wear a hole in this already shitty carpet.”

Rez ran a hand through his thinning dark hair and sighed. “I’m just worried her testimony won’t hold up in court. We can’t afford to be wrong about this. Hornbull’s a man who never gives up. If we don’t make this stick, he’ll be relentless. He already knows we’ve got dirt on him.”

“Dirt? What kind of dirt?” Daphne asked, looking up into Nik’s guarded green gaze.

“Tolya, the man you saw murdered, called me on the way to his meeting with Hornbull the night he died. He said he was meeting the cop to pay him off on the Bratva’s behalf, to get him to look the other way during the mafia’s dealings.” Nik took a seat in the chair beside her. “This wasn’t the first time such a meeting had taken place. As a friend, I agreed to meet Tolya there and we were going to go out for drinks afterward. Catch up.” He gave a sad snort. “By the time I got to the meeting place, Tolya was on the ground, blood everywhere, dying. I tried to help him, tried to save his life, but he was too far gone. With his dying breath, he told me Hornbull was the one who’d killed him.”

“I’m sorry.” She reached for him without thinking, then snatched her hand back. Hearing him talk about the murder made her relive that horrible night all over again—the fear, the desperation, the feeling of utter helplessness as that poor man bled to death on the sidewalk not ten feet away and there was nothing she could do to stop it. She hugged her shaky arms around herself. “But I don’t understand why you can’t just testify yourself.”

“Because he didn’t see Hornbull at the scene. You did. And because he’s Bratva,” Kaz said before his brother could respond. “Any testimony he would give would do more harm than good. Besides, what jury would believe him? But you?” He straddled the chair on the other side of her and set his bottle of bourbon on the table before him. “Well, an innocent angel like you could get Hornbull convicted.”

She blinked, exhaled, feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders. “What if I can’t? What if they don’t believe me?” Daphne shook her head. “I just don’t understand why he would shoot that man. If he wanted the bribe money, why didn’t he just take it?”

“There’s the rub, huh.” Nik swiped at his eyes. “Who knows why a cop goes crooked.”

“I heard a rumor,” Kaz said. “An officer’s daughter OD’d last month. Doesn’t Hornbull have a daughter?”

“Wait,” Daphne said. “Hornbull has a daughter?”

The guy was a piece of crap, no two ways about it, but the fact he might have a kid who was dependent on him gave her an odd stab for the guy. If he was doing this for his daughter, then that would explain his devotion to the cause. After all, there wasn’t much she wouldn’t do to protect her mother.

“Not sure about his kids.” Nik retrieved his bottle of vodka and returned to the table.

“If he does have a daughter,” Daphne said, “maybe this is personal.”

“Hmm.” Nik straddled his seat and frowned. “That would make sense. And the other cops on the force would be more likely to turn a blind eye to his crimes if he’s seeking revenge.”

* * *

Nik and his men rehashed Tolya’s murder and Hornbull’s involvement until Nik’s vodka was nearly gone and Kaz’s bourbon bottle was bone-dry. Rezan was still acting squirrelly and Nik made a note to keep an eye on the guy. He’d been with the family forever, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t be turned, for the right price. And he wouldn’t put anything past Hornbull at this point. He glanced over to where Daphne was sitting alone on a sofa against the wall, looking about as exhausted as he felt. After a yawn and a stretch, Nik pushed to his feet and wandered over to where she sat, slumped in the corner. “Time for bed.”

At the double-entendre in his words, Daphne stiffened, looking up at him with fear in her blue eyes again. Fuck. He’d meant that perfectly innocently, even if his unwise attraction to her seemed to be stronger now more than ever. Then again, that could’ve been the copious amounts of alcohol fizzing through his bloodstream. Either way, he wasn’t going there. Not tonight anyway.

The sound of a scraping chair was followed by the pound of Rezan’s footsteps as he headed toward the exit. “Time for my shift out front,” he grumbled before leaving. “I’ll make that call you asked for too.”

“I can put myself to bed,” Daphne said, crossing her arms defiantly. “I don’t need your help.”

“Wasn’t offering it.” Nik held out his hand. “But I will be inspecting the apartment again to make sure it’s secure for the night.”

“There’s no way in or out but that door,” she said, glancing over to it. “What are you scared of? Ninja ghosts?”

He pointed up toward the ceiling. “Ventilation system. Someone could potentially get in through there then hide in the shadows to slit your throat once I’m gone. Hornbull is trained in SWAT assault techniques. I’m sure those include covert entry.”

The fire in her eyes faltered a bit. “You’re just trying to scare me.”

“Is it working?”

“No.” She stood without his assistance and dodged around him toward the apartment door. “I think you’re a pathetic drug pusher, that’s all.”

“Well, I think you run awfully hot and cold with me for a woman who has no interest in a man.” He moved quickly to block her entry, placing one hand on the knob as he pulled his weapon with the other. “Me first.”

Daphne gave him a disgusted look. “Selfish to the end.”

“Not always.” He gave her a slow once-over and a suggestive smile. “I take care of my woman.”

“I bet you do, caveman.” The snark in her tone didn’t piss him off. Just the opposite, in fact. It challenged him to prove how wrong she was, all night long, over and over until she’d come so many times she couldn’t remember her own name, let alone this silly battle between them.

“Will you two lovebirds get the fuck out of here so I can go to sleep?” Kaz said, pushing past them and effectively killing any romance in the moment as she shuffled toward the sofa. “I’ve got the early security shift in the morning.”

Nik gave his brother a look then shoved inside the apartment, Daphne following close on his heels. Everything looked as they’d left it. He did a quick recon of the place then clicked on the safety and holstered his weapon once more. “It’s clear.”

“Huge shocker.” Daphne stalked past him and into the kitchen, searching through the bare cupboards and fridge. “There’s nothing here to eat. I’m starving.”

As if on cue, a knock sounded on the door. Nik walked over and opened it to take the bag from an annoyed looking Rez, then locked it again. He turned back to Daphne and bowed with a flourish. “Your wish is my command.”

“What the hell is that?” she asked, inching closer as the delicious smells of garlic and spice drifted through the air.

“Dinner.” Nik grinned. “I told you I take care of my guests. Hope you like Chinese.”

“Maybe.” The way Daphne licked her lips and stared greedily at the brown paper bag all but screamed yes. “Is it poisoned?”

“If it was, would I tell you?” he countered.

They stared at each other across the small space until finally she inched closer again. He opened one of the containers and grabbed an eggroll, devouring half of it in one bite. “No poison. See? My goal is to keep you alive and healthy, not put you six-feet-under. Da?”

She exhaled slowly and nodded. “Fine. What did you get?”

“Garlic shrimp, Kung Pao chicken, vegetable lo mien, fried rice, eggrolls.” He named each container as he pulled it from the sack. Finally, he pulled out two sets of chopsticks and a couple of fortune cookies. “Can you grab plates and napkins?”

She reluctantly headed back into the kitchen while he ran out into the lounge again to grab them a couple of sodas. When he came back into the apartment, she was already seated at the small kitchen table, food piled high on her plate, ready to eat. He took off his jacket and tie, toed off his shoes again, then sat across from her dishing up his own food. The tension slowly drained from his body as they ate in silence and Nik was happy to see that Daphne wasn’t one of those rail-thin women who did nothing but pick at their food. She ate with gusto and passion, small moans of satisfaction escaping her pretty pink lips. It made a man wonder what else she did with such passion and if he could make her utter those delectable sounds under other…circumstances.

Finally, she pushed her plate away and sat back. “That was delicious. Thank you.”

“My pleasure. And you were wrong.”

“Wrong? About what?”

“I am not a drug pusher.”

Daphne frowned. “Yeah, right. Your friend Tolya was shot dead while he was dealing and he’s part of your gang. You expect me to believe you’re not involved in that too?”

“My ‘gang’ as you call it, has many different parts or subsidiaries, as you might think of them. The area I am in charge of has nothing to do with illegal substances of any kind. I specialize in imported luxury goods—artwork, jewels, antiquities.”

“Right.” She snorted. “And imported is a fancy word for stolen, yes?”

“The dealers I purchase from assure me they have all the legal provenance for the pieces.” He flashed what he hoped was a charming smile. “Why should I argue?”

“Why indeed?” She shook her head then watched him, her gaze narrowed and wary. “I can’t stay here for five weeks. You have to understand that. It’s crazy.”

“What’s crazy is you thinking you have a choice in the matter,” he said, standing and taking their plates to the sink. “I am the one in charge here, not you.”

“Right.” She shoved the rest of the containers back in the bag and put it all in the fridge. “Last time I checked we were still in the US, not Siberia. This is a free country and you can’t order me in like goddamned takeout.”

“I swore an oath to protect you,” Nik said, rinsing the dishes before shoving them into the dishwasher with more force than was necessary. Usually household chores helped calm and center him—a holdover from his childhood when he’d help his mom—but tonight it all just seemed to get on his nerves. In fact, everything seemed heightened whenever he was around his bewitching, bewildering new assignment. That’s how he’d decided to think of Daphne, as a job, nothing more. Because if he let himself go down the other path with her any further than he already had—if he let himself get even the slightest bit emotionally involved, things could end very badly—for him, for her, for them.

He’d seen it happen with his own parents. His father, Dima, had adored his wife and did romantic things for her all the time—buying her expensive presents, hiring street performers to sing her favorite love songs on her birthday. Then, when young Nik was just eleven, his father’s extravagant spending had gotten him in trouble. He’d stepped over the line, stealing Bratva money to cover his debts, mixing business with pleasure. His father had been murdered for those debts, for his lapse in judgment. It was a lesson Nik never forgot.

“You will stay here, where it’s safe,” he bit out, slamming the dishwasher closed. “Until after the trial. End of discussion. Do I make myself clear?”

“Crystal.” He had to give it to Daphne. She was brave. She didn’t back down an inch from him, instead moving closer until they were toe-to-toe. “What about my bills? My rent? My mother’s nursing home bill that’s due again in two weeks? How the hell am I supposed to pay for everything if I’m not working?”

“Already handled.” He leaned closer, causing her to back up a step. “I have paid your rent for the next three months and also your mother’s healthcare costs. I have even ordered Kaz to visit the nursing home every day and bring her fresh flowers.”

For each word he said, Nik took another step forward while Daphne took a step back, until she was cornered between the granite countertop and him. Nik leaned closer, hoping to put an end to her arguments once and for all. Intimidation wasn’t his usual style, not with women anyway, but he needed her to admit he was right and agree to his terms.

She placed her hand against his chest to stop him and heat radiated outward from their point of contact, sending shimmers of awareness through his nerve endings. “You have to be joking. That’s thousands of dollars.”

“I never joke about money.” Unable to help himself, he covered her hand with his, pressing it tight against his pounding heart. “Or about love.”

Her eyes widened as she stared at him, an answering spark of heat and awareness in their bright blue depths. “Y-you don’t love me. W-we just met.”

“True,” he said, his tone gentling despite his resolve. “You are important to me, because of Tolya. The love I am speaking of is for him. But until this mess is done, you are my responsibility, the most important thing in my life. And I will do whatever is necessary to keep you safe.”

When he’d said that the love he spoke of was for Tolya, he’d seen some of the spark, some of the heat go out of Daphne’s eyes, and he wasn’t going to lie—he didn’t like seeing it extinguish. Now, as her gaze flickered from his face to the gun holstered at his waist then back again, she shuddered and he squeezed her hand tighter.

“I witnessed a murder, but now it feels like I’m the one being punished.” Her voice caught and tears welled in her eyes, though she never let them fall. “I just want my life back, my normal, boring, everyday existence. I wish I’d never seen that horrible—”

“There is no such thing as normal in my world, baloven’.” He dipped his head and inhaled the sweet smell of her flowery shampoo. “I am sorry for what you are enduring but you must understand that this is for the best. Hornbull is a very dangerous man, but I am far, far worse.”

She shivered again and he let her go fast, before he couldn’t let her go at all.

“Never forget that, baloven’.” Nik strode back into the living room and grabbed his coat and tie, shoving his feet into his shoes again before heading for the door, saying it as much for her as for himself. “And never, ever assume anything. That’s what got Tolya killed. I’m going out for a bit, but I’ll be back later to check on you.”

With that he left, locking the apartment door behind him, Daphne’s flushed face etched in his mind for eternity.