Her eyes widened. “What if I say no? You’ll seriously just kidnap me?”
He bent down, got right in her face even as he hated the anger—and fear—he saw there. Because it was directed at him. “I will do what it takes to keep you safe,” he repeated. “If that means tying you up and hauling you to my home, I’ll do it. Don’t test me.”
She watched him for a long moment, then glanced at Lyosha, who was looking anywhere but at them. Finally she turned back to Viktor and shoved him in the chest. “You’re a bastard.”
“I know. But I’ll be damned if you get hurt because of me.” He wanted to comfort her, to kiss her, to do something other than basically kidnap her, but he didn’t have time right now for reassuring words. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
After a quick nod at Lyosha, he headed back the way he’d come. Dealing with the cops always made him edgy, but it was something that had to be taken care of.
As soon as it was, he’d go home and face Dominique’s wrath. He hated that she was angry at him, but he’d rather deal with that than see her dead from a bullet.
He would keep her safe. Even if she hated him for it. Because after tonight he knew she meant way too much to him already. All he wanted to do right now was take her back to his place and make love to her until they both passed out. To claim her so that she knew who she belonged to.
Chapter 13
“You should get some rest.” Lyosha, who’d brought her back to Viktor’s palatial place, had taken off his jacket so that his shoulder holster and guns were showing. He was standing at the window in the living room—one of the living rooms—that faced the big driveway.
She’d been worried they should stay away from windows after that attack but he’d assured her that no one would get past the front gate and security.
At first Dominique had been terrified of the guy, and while she was super annoyed with him for forcing her to come here, she’d realized he definitely wasn’t going to hurt her. He’d been careful to not even touch her on the way here. And he’d actually been pretty decent, trying to get her to relax. As if that was possible.
“I’m not doing anything until I talk to Viktor,” she said. And rip him a new one. She couldn’t believe him; couldn’t believe he’d pretty much kidnapped her and had her sent here by one of his men instead of letting her talk to the police. From everything Lizzy had told her, he wasn’t doing anything illegal with his businesses so she couldn’t understand his reluctance to let her talk to the police. He’d clearly done nothing wrong—he’d been a victim. Some guys had opened up fire at one his hotels. The whole thing was crazy.
The man made her crazy.
“You should listen better,” he muttered. A flash of light illuminated him by the window, as if from headlights. The long driveway ended in a huge half-circle in front of the house but there was a four-car garage as well.
Hope bloomed inside her that it was Viktor. It was well after midnight so he should be back anytime. Or she assumed he would be. She snorted at Lyosha’s words. “You think I should be a better kidnapping victim?”
He made an annoyed sound in his throat. “You should listen better to Viktor. He’s just looking out for you. He needs his woman not to question him.”
A burst of surprised laughter escaped. “Oh my God, you did not just say that. Like what, I should be one of his employees and just jump when he says something? Relationships don’t work like that. Not since the nineteen fifties.” Not that she knew from experience, not really. But she’d at least had a good example from her parents—until everything went pear-shaped. And it wasn’t like she and Viktor were even in a relationship. She’d thought they might be heading that way—until tonight. Now she just wanted to smack him.
“No, you’re a woman. You need to let him take care of you.” Frowning, he pulled out his cell phone. Whatever he read on the screen had the tension in his shoulders completely easing up.
“Oh sweet Lord, so you’re a sexist,” she muttered. “Just great.” She stood, determined to find Viktor. Because she was pretty sure he was back, if Lyosha’s body language and the flash of headlights were any indication.
He pinned her with a penetrating stare. “I’m not sexist. I just think—”
“I really, really don’t care what you think. Where’s Viktor?”
He lifted a big shoulder.
“Fine. I’ll find him myself.” She swiveled and headed out of the room. She’d taken her heels off hours ago but was still in her dress. The hardwood floor of the foyer was cool against her feet. She hadn’t gotten a tour of the place but she could pretty much guarantee Viktor wasn’t up the stairs to her right.
There was a huge formal dining room across from the living room she’d just been in, and another door on the other side of it. It had to extend to the rest of the house, and since the garage was on the other side—