Good, she was back todisliking him again. He abruptly stood up. “I’m right next door.I’ll leave it open a crack like before.”
Katya watched him leave.Her eyes went down the length of him. If she wasn’t so distraughtshe might have noticed the mass of well-formed muscle she wasclinging to moments ago. Every inch of his torso was solid andwarm. Surprisingly, she found comfort in that even after what she’dgone through with male captors. He had the intelligence and thetraining, but he also had the physique. Though, she already knewthere was way more to him than he let on.
One thing was certain. Hesoothed her quicker than the nurses and doctors could when she wasat the hospital. Yes, these nightmares were frequent, and theiranswer was to drug her. It didn’t work and just made her irritableand groggy the following day. The drugs also gave her a splittingheadache. Every now and then a very kind nurse would sit with herand keep her calm, but it wasn’t as effective as Ryan Casey’s warmbody.
CHAPTER TWO
Ryan was up, and showeredby seven in the morning. He’d had four hours sleep but he was wellrested. It was all he ever needed. He’d never been much of asleeper, and a light one, and he functioned well on it. He put ongrey slacks and a white shirt while he walked through the adjoiningdoor and checked on Katya and she was sleeping sound. She was onher side with her back to him. A thin sheet covered her body and hecould easily see the curves of her form beneath it. She had a niceshape. Her hips were round and her waist small. She had very nicebreasts, not to big, or small. Probably the right size for hishands. He gave his head a shake.
A knock on his own doorbrought him about. He walked over and opened it. It was Ivan. Heknew the man didn’t like him. He didn’t even bother hiding thedislike in his expression. Well, it would just make killing himeasier if he got in his way.
The two men never saidanything but just stared at one another for a moment.
Ivan’s eyes went down thefront of Ryan where his shirt hung open. The distinct contours ofhis thick upper chest and hard abdominal muscles just pissed himoff more. He saw the physique last night from the dim light of thehall when Katya clung to him. It was worse in broad daylight. Theman was in incredible shape and Ivan’s body was nothing like it. Hewas also disgustingly good looking, whereas Ivan’s face wasn’t muchto look at. He had cauliflower ears, and his nose was flattened tohis face from the numerous fistfights he’d been in. He had a largeforehead and sunken eyes. It looked like he had the face of aboxer, but he wasn’t one. “The boss wants to see you. Now. Rightnow.” His eyes went past him for a moment to see if Katya was inthere.
Ryan saw his suspicions andjust shook his head while stepping by him and shutting the door.Then he buttoned his shirt. Ideas like that were ridiculous, andinsulting. He was here for a job not the seduction of a vulnerablewoman. Obviously Ivan wouldn’t hesitate if he was in the position.Peter chose wisely.
Ivan never said anotherword to him as he led him to the familiar door of Peter Nickolov’soffice. There were two men standing outside, and the door was open.Ivan swept his arm for Ryan to enter first.
He wasn’t sure what thiswas about, but he was thinking that he wanted regular reports onKatya. Something Ryan wasn’t about to give. He was very discreet.If Peter wanted someone to feed him information, he’d have to lookelsewhere.
He didn’t even considerthat the older man discovered that he wasn’t who he said he was,because there was no way that information was available. Hisbrother of course, didn’t have that courtesy. Someone in Peter’sorganization found out who he really was.
When Ryan entered thedarkened room, he expected the same stern psychopath waiting forhim. Instead, Peter looked a little shaken.
“Oh good.” Peter came outbehind his desk holding a piece of paper. There was an open parcelsitting on top of the polished surface. It was wrapped intraditional brown package paper, now torn open. He could see themuscle in Peter’s jaw pulsing. He was raging and seemed a littleoff balance.
Ryan stopped as Peterapproached and handed him the paper. Ryan unfolded it, scanned thewriting then his eyes went to the opened package, then to Peter.“When did you get this?”
“This morning. It was leftat the front gate. They were gone before my men could do anything.The cameras picked up two masked men in a white van, but there wasno plate.” He nodded toward the note. “You are a man of manytalents. I recalled that you served in the Middle East. Please tellme you can read that.”
His eyes went back to thecrumpled note. Well, now he knew the urgency of Peter’s request. Hescanned the paper. The note was written in Arabic. His eyes went toPeter. He already knew to lie to him would have him thrown out ofthe place, or killed right there, and with it, his hopes of findingthe one who killed his brother. “It says, ‘We’re notdone.’”
“That’s it?”
He shook his head andnodded toward the package. Now he knew what was in it. “That it’syour oldest daughter’s pinky finger in the box.”
Peter turned red—angry red,twisted away and started cursing in his native language. Then hestopped and leaned a fist on his desk with his back to them.“Anything else?” he asked softly trying to regain hiscomposure.
“That there will be more ifyou don’t pull out of Miami. The territory is ours. He flipped itover to see if there was more, there wasn’t. That’s all it says Mr.Nickolov.” They wrote this in their native language when they couldhave written it in English. Obviously
