I wondered how many other men Sevastyan had killed. I wondered why I still couldn’t manage to be afraid of this man. Instead, I found myself feeling . . . protected.

“Zironoff set you up to be murdered, but still you won’t understand.” He exhaled a weary breath. “I can’t wait to hear your moral American outrage.”

I tried to drum some up. But Zironoff had gone to a group of lethal thugs, planning to profit off my dream of finding my relatives. He’d leaked the confidential information I’d entrusted to him, knowing I might be killed.

So I shrugged. “Do svidaniya, Zironoff.” So long and good-bye.

Sevastyan’s gaze flickered over my face. Observant, watchful. Then one corner of his sexy lips curled.

My heart thudded at his half smile. If he ever truly smiled, I’d probably have a coronary. Quelling the urge to fan myself, I asked, “So, do you have a mob name? Like Alex the Butcher or Al the Shark or something?”

“I’m from Siberia; they call me the Siberian. End of story.”

“Simple yet elegant, goes with everything. Were you born into the ‘the life’ or did you steer your major?”

Flinty gaze.

“Okay, so what’s Kovalev’s mob name?”

“Older vor call him the Clockmaker.”

“Because he cleans clocks? With his fists?”

“Your father has a wry sense of humor as well. You have much in common with him.”

“Really?” I tilted my head. “You’ve learned a lot about me, huh?”

“I know everything about you, academically, financially, socially. I know that you had stability growing up and a caring couple to raise you, which relieved Kovalev’s mind greatly. I know that you’re driven and clever. Probably too much for your own good.”

I recalled that feeling I’d had of being watched earlier tonight. “You followed me home from the bar.” Mere hours ago.

“I did.”

“Have you been in my house before tonight?” Had he found the collection of vibrators under my bed, or noted that half of my Internet bookmarks were for porn?

“Of course. I was thorough.” His demeanor was so matter-of-fact, even as he sat here admitting that he’d violated my privacy on the regular.

My entire life had been laid bare to this man. Between gritted teeth, I said, “Any highlights you discovered that you’d like to share?”

“Don’t worry—not every detail will make it back to Kovalev.” Smirk. “Such as the arsenal you keep under your mattress.”

Arsenal? Dying here.

“Or what I caught you doing to yourself in your bath.”

Now that I wasn’t in fear for my life, embarrassment scalded me. Sevastyan had caught me diddling the da, spelunking, dialing the pink telephone. “Why did you open the door to my bathroom in the first place?”

“I heard a sound.” He raised an eyebrow. “A whimper. I thought the worst.”

“You seem to have a talent for keeping me at a disadvantage. Maybe when we get to Moscow, I can investigate your apartment? Look under your bed? How about I watch while you masturbate?”

At that, tension shot through him as if he’d been gut-punched. “Guard your tongue, pet.” His fingers were wrapped so tightly around his glass, I thought the crystal would shatter.

“Or you’ll do what? Throw me down in a cornfield and feel me up?”

He clenched his jaw, as if battling for control of himself. “That shouldn’t have happened.”

Stop arguing with him, Nat. Go—to—bed. Was I so intrigued/aroused by this guy that I’d do anything with him, even fight?

“If you hadn’t run—”

“Oh, don’t you dare put that back on me!”

“A half-naked redhead was spread beneath me, rolling her h*ps in welcome. I don’t have ice in my veins.”

I arched a brow. “Don’t you?”

“Not in that area of my life,” he amended. “Even though you’re far from my type, I was affected.” He used his right forefinger to twist the thumb ring on that same hand. I’d noticed he’d done that before when he’d seemed uncomfortable. A tell? That could come in handy. “Any man would’ve been, so don’t read more into it than that.”

“Far from your type.” How could that comment wound me? “You’re not exactly mine either, Siberian.” Probably not the best idea to taunt the assassin. I rose. “You seem determined to humiliate me and pick a fight with me. I’m not interested in either.” I turned away and marched down the aisle. “Wake me up when we get there.”

He called after me, “The only thing I told Kovalev about your personal life is that you have no current lover to leave behind. I won’t mention how eager you were to remedy that situation tonight.”

I stiffened, turning at the door of one of the suites. “Why were you so angry at the bar?”

He finally drank that vodka down, which gave me chills for some reason. “I didn’t like seeing the daughter of a great man throwing herself at me, trolling for trouble.”

“Throwing myself? Are you insane? I introduced myself and offered to buy you a drink.” My ire kept mounting. “And I really hope you’re not going to try to slut-shame me—because I will go off like a bottle rocket!” It was times like this when my virginity embarrassed me.

He stood, then stalked up to me. With his every step closer, my breaths shallowed. What would he do? I had no idea—excitement warred with uneasiness.

He towered over me, toe-to-toe, and I craned my head up to meet his heavy-lidded gaze. Whenever he was angry, his eyes appeared hard and glinting, like cold amber. Otherwise, they were molten gold, like now. . . .

“Of all the men in the bar, you picked me for a reason, little girl.” His voice had gotten huskier, his accent rougher; I responded to it as if he’d touched me. “And it wasn’t to talk about classes.”

Inner shake. “I picked you because you were a mystery. I can read men with ease, but not you. That made me curious.”

He rested his hand on the wall above my head, surrounding me with his heat. “When a woman singles me out”—he leaned down to murmur at my ear—“it’s because she wants to get f**ked. She looks at the scars and tattoos and knows she’ll get f**ked hard.”

I gasped, melting for him.

“Is that what you wanted of me, Natalya?” His warm breaths traced over my ear, hardening my ni**les even more. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, squeezing my thighs together.

“Th-that’s not why I approached you.” That might have been why I’d approached him.

“Little liar. You think I can’t tell when a woman wants me buried deep inside her?” He eased back to study my face. “And when you didn’t get what you wanted, you settled for a nice . . . hot . . . bath.”

I swallowed, beginning to pant.

Voice hoarse, he said, “Were you thinking about me when you touched yourself?”

Between breaths, I said, “I’m not telling you that.”

“You just did, pet.” He straightened, as if a trance had been broken between us. With a vile curse, he turned from me. “Just go to bed.”

I watched his broad back as he strode away to pour another vodka. With a curse of my own, I slammed the cabin door behind me.

That man was going to drive me insane before we ever reached the motherland!

In a huff, I yanked down the cover and crawled into the sumptuous bed. Then lay there staring at the ceiling, feeling out of sorts, hating that I was forced to wear that man’s clothing.

Hating that it turned me on.

Why him? Why was I so strong in every other aspect of my life and so weak with him? After so many years of holding out for Mr. Right, I would have given my virginity to Sevastyan in the dirt.

In high school, I’d never imagined I would be a twenty-four-year-old virgin, because I’d been so curious about the deed. And, damn, I’d been game.

But the drunken boys I’d fooled around with had been ham-handed and slavering, never inspiring me to go further. Sex, it had seemed, wasn’t for me. At least, not with guys like the ones I’d known.

The problem with growing up in a small town and going to a tiny school? There hadn’t been a big selection of males to choose from.

When I got to college, I’d felt like I’d won the lottery—starstruck by the assortment of men. My curiosity hadn’t lessened, and I’d been sure I’d lose my virginity before homecoming.

In preparation, I’d learned all about sex, through voracious reading, rooming with Jess, and my own breathless research. Oh, and my burgeoning interest in high-quality lady porn.

I’d hooked up with guy after guy, but inevitably each one would do something to prevent me from sealing the deal.

The one who’d fingered me like he was digging to China.

The one who’d prematurely ejaculated into the condom he’d been rolling on, then been too embarrassed to ever call me again.

The one who’d wanted me on top, dominating him, when I was pretty sure my tastes ran in the exact opposite direction. (Confirmed by my recent encounter in the cornfield?)

Was it too much to ask for an attractive, dominant guy with sexual skill, one who wasn’t a minute-to-win-it two-pump chump?

When I hit twenty, I’d thought, I’ve waited this long . . . I’d figured I might as well hold out until I experienced blazing, blinding lust for a man who met all my qualifications. But no man had.

Until tonight.

Sevastyan ticked all my boxes—yet he’d sneered that I wasn’t his type.

Okay, was it too much to ask for a guy who met my qualifications, who liked me—and who wasn’t an a**hole?

Sighing, I gazed out one of the windows, saw the moon and the stars closer to me than they’d ever been. Because I was on a plane, heading toward a great big unknown. To my “new life.”

Damn it, I needed to get my mind off Sevastyan and think about what tomorrow might bring. Just hours ago, I’d despaired of ever finding my biological parents. Now I was on my way to meet my father. Would he like me? Would I like him—despite his occupation?

Maybe I should look at this trip to Russia as a mini sabbatical from my life, a short time-out from my larger game. Like Jess’s vacation. Tomorrow I could call to arrange for incompletes in my classes and get a pal to cover my teaching. The server jobs had been so grueling and shitty that I wouldn’t waste a long-distance call on either.

Yes, everyone needed a break now and then.

The drone of the engines began to lull me, and the worst of my frustration started to fade. I felt like I was floating on the soft mattress, between silken sheets as light as air. Though I’d thought I was too keyed-up to sleep, I soon passed out.

And dreamed of Sevastyan.

In a sizzling reverie, he lifted me from my bath, cradling my na**d, soaking body to carry me to bed. There, he followed every drop of water with his mouth before settling between my thighs. . . .

“Natalya,” he groaned right at my flesh—all hot breath and slicked tongue. “Natalya.” He raised his face, licked his sexy lips, and asked, “Are you dreaming of me?”

Huh? Dreaming? I opened my eyes—and found the Siberian staring down at me.

Chapter 7

Moonlight illuminated his beautifully rugged face, making my heart lurch. “Sevastyan?” He was lying beside me, head propped on his hand, a position that belied the tension coming off him.

He wasn’t wearing a shirt. I nearly moaned to behold his bare chest, packed with rigid slabs of muscle. His smooth skin sported wicked-looking tattoos. High on both of his pecs were large eight-pointed stars, intricately shaded. Two Russian domes adorned one brawny arm; on his other, a patterned band encircled his bicep.

Those markings and the latent power in his body left me spellbound. “What are you doing in bed with me?” And why can’t I manage to be afraid of you?

His breaths came quickly. He reminded me of a rubber band pulled taut, ready to snap. “I heard you moaning,” he grated. “Came in, saw you rocking your h*ps beneath the covers.”

I flushed, averting my gaze—which fell on his flat stomach, on the dark line of hair trailing from his navel. I had the mad urge to nuzzle it.

“Just when I think you’re shameless, your cheeks heat.”

I forced myself to face him. “You’ve explained what I was doing. What the hell were you doing?”

“Watching you and getting harder by the heartbeat.” He pressed his h*ps closer to my side, letting me feel his sizable erection against my thigh.

I gasped, my body going soft when treated to the unyielding heat of his.

No, no, this man was an a**hole! I reminded myself of his ricocheting mood swings. “You can leave now.” I was proud of how resolute I sounded. “I’ll try not to disturb you again.”

As if I hadn’t spoken, he rasped, “You make . . . you make these sounds. Your whimper, your moan. I hear them, and thought leaves my brain.”

“You’ve been drinking.”

“Chut’.” Slightly. “I’ve been replaying how I saw you in the bath, stroking yourself with these fingers.” He peeled my right hand from the cover—which I’d been clutching like a roller-coaster safety bar—then pressed my fingertips against his face. “I only wish you’d finished yourself in front of me.”

I wished I had too! Then maybe I wouldn’t be overcome with lust right now, falling even further under his spell.

His hooded eyes flicked over my face, then lower. “What were you dreaming of to make these so hard?”