Chapter 16: Seduction: Chapter 16

It takes a minute after an explosion for everything to settle. I reach my hand out to Vera and feel her warm, reassuring presence beside me. I run my hand along her arm until I feel for her hand, but I pause long enough to check her reassuring pulse beneath my fingers.

“Are you alright?” she asks. She’s asking me if I’m alright? No one ever asks me if I’m alright.

“I’m fine.” My words sound hoarse in the darkness. “You?”

“Good, yeah. I mean, it’s cramped in here, but I’m alright.” It’s dark and confined but built large enough for a maintenance crew, so we’ll be fine. “Do you know where this leads to?”

“Yeah, the end of this tunnel reaches the community room in the main building. Only a handful of rooms are accessible through the tunnel, but anyone who came into that room could get in here.” I check my gun. “The longer we wait in here, the greater the chance that whoever did that will find us. Stay here. I’ll be right back.”

I push ahead of her when she grabs my arm. “No! I’m going with you.”

“You absolutely are not,” I snap. “You stay here where it’s⁠—”

“Safe?” she scoffs. “Yeah, right. What if someone found a way in? What if that someone hurts you? You might be the one who knows how to shoot a gun, but I’m the one who knows how to stop you from bleeding out if you get shot.”

“I can handle myself,” I say through gritted teeth, but she has a point.

“Markov,” she fumes.

I don’t have time to fight her, goddamn it. I blow out a frustrated breath, pull her to me, and grab a fistful of her hair. “This isn’t over. We’ll have a talk later about the importance of doing what I fucking say in an emergency.”

I hear her swallow before I feel her hand on my chest. I can barely make out the whites of her eyes in the darkness. “Fine, we’ll do that. And then we can talk about the importance of educated decisions under duress.”

Goddamn, this woman.

“Now, are we going to stand around here and argue, or are we going to see what the hell just happened?”

I curse under my breath, take her hand, and push ahead, muttering to myself at the meager light from my flashlight. The end of the tunnel lightens as we get closer to the entry by the community room.

“When did you have time to find this?”

“That first afternoon we got here and you were sleeping.”

“You really jumped straight in with both feet, didn’t you?”

I did, goddamn it, and I’m not so sure if that was smart in retrospect. The thought of her getting hurt—the thought of not being able to protect her. . . Fuck.

At the end of the tunnel, I push her behind me. “You stay the fuck right there, and do not push me right now, woman.”

“Fine, fine,” she says. “But if someone hurts you⁠—”

“You’ll let me handle it.”

When she doesn’t respond, I suspect she’s made up her mind but isn’t going to argue with me right now. With another low growl, I turn around and hold her by both arms as if to forcibly remind her to stay put.

I draw my gun and head into the community room.

It’s empty. I move ahead cautiously, checking every corner, but there’s no place for anyone to hide under the bright overhead lights. It’s a standard office-type room you’d find anywhere with collapsible tables, a coffee maker, and a threadbare couch.

I move quickly. When under attack, the worst thing to do is hide and wait for your attackers to find you. I open the door.

“Markov!”

Irina stands outside with Morozov. I quickly tuck my gun away, but if either of them saw it, they don’t give any indication.

“What’s going on?”

Irina heads to me, dressed in loungewear, while Morozov is wearing a robe.

“It appears there was an explosion in a nearby lab,” Morozov says, peering at his phone. “We’ve called in an emergency, and we’re waiting for them to arrive now. Never fear; all is fine, though. We just need to be sure no contaminants were leaked and that whatever caused the explosion won’t detonate again.”

I don’t buy it. I heard it here, not in a lab. Or were there explosions in both places as a cover?

“I definitely heard one outside of the lab.”

“Mmm, did you?” Irina asks. “We will have to investigate.”

Jake and the silent blond man join us.

“Ah. Quick thinking,” Irina says. “Thankfully it looks like no one was injured.”

“Yes,” I say, still disbelieving. “I’ll be right back.”

I head back inside and get Vera, who’s standing at the entrance to the community room, her arms crossed over her chest, glaring at me.

“They say there was an explosion in the lab.”

She shakes her head. “That’s bullshit. We were there. It was way too close to our room to be explained as an explosion in the lab.”

“Right.” Something’s definitely amiss.

“Am I allowed to come in now?” she asks petulantly, rolling her eyes at me.

We’re alone in here but may not be for long. I reach her in three long strides and hold her chin in my hand. Her fiery gaze meets mine, and she doesn’t back down.

“Behave yourself, little girl.”

“Markov,” she says, even as her eyes widen. “This is not the time or place —”

I lean in and put my mouth to her ear. “To make sure you stay safe? The fuck it isn’t.”

“Well, no, I mean to start like. . . flirting with me,” she says in a whisper.

I pinch her chin and speak more harshly. “I am not flirting.”

The door behind us opens, and we pull away.

I hate this. I hate that I’m concerned for her safety, but my hands are tied. I hate that the two of us have to hide who we are and what we want. I hate that I’ve had to lie to her. I hate that there can’t and never will be anything between us but what we have here because of who we are.

Morozov and Irina enter, and the American starts running his mouth off.

“The security system and alarm system are so outdated⁠—”

“It was nearby,” Vera says. “I heard it.”

He gives her a withering look and rolls his eyes before he catches me staring at him. He doesn’t even bother to hide his horror as his cheeks flush bright red, and he mutters something about needing rest and seeing them all in the morning.

I don’t trust this scrawny asshole.

As he exits, so do I. “Be right back.”

“Markov—” I shut the door before Vera can protest.

“Hey.”

Jake stops short, a look of terror in his eyes. “I didn’t say anything to her. You can’t give me shit about anything. I didn’t say a word.” He draws himself to his full height, still a full head shorter than I am. “And anyway, you can’t touch me.”

Oh, really?

I take a step toward him. “Can’t I? I told you to leave her alone. I told you to make sure you⁠—”

“Didn’t blab about who you two really are to everyone else? Right.”

Though he still looks scared, a smug look fills his face when I clamp my lips together. What does this stupid asshole know?

“I heard you talking,” he says, his trembling voice betraying his nerves. “And where are your rings? You aren’t married. No one believes you are.”

I take another step closer to him. “We aren’t? So you know the truth, then?”

He wilts and doesn’t reply. He doesn’t know shit.

“What’s the truth, Jake? Go ahead. What is it you want to share with everyone?”

“You’re not her husband,” he says, but less sure this time.

I take another step toward him so the toes of our shoes are touching. “Listen to me. Who we are or who we aren’t doesn’t impact you at all, does it? You earned your place here and so did she.” I lean closer to him. “Morozov joked about a bodyguard, didn’t he? Let’s just say he wasn’t far from the truth.”

Jake’s eyes widen.

“I’m here because that woman is worth more than you can imagine. Her life is of great value and her family of great importance.” I tip my head to the side. “You do know what the purpose of a bodyguard is, don’t you?”

“Of course,” he flusters, and I can tell by the look in his eyes he’s dying to know who she is.

“So that means that I do, indeed, take her safety very, very seriously. But more than that, Jake.” I reach over, and he flinches away. I flick a speck of dust off his shirt. “I also take her well-being very seriously. Are we clear? I want her happy, Jake. Very happy. So don’t rock that boat again.”

It seems he can’t really hold back who he is for long. The flash in his eyes tells me he’s not only jealous.

“Who is she?”

I grab him by the shirt as the door behind us opens.

“Markov.” Vera stands behind us. “Put him down,” she says in a low voice, the way someone might gently coax an angry dog to release its prey. “He didn’t hurt me. He didn’t hurt anyone.”

“Yet,” I growl, but I still toss the guy down. He stumbles and falls to one knee but jumps back on his feet, eyes darting between us. “I’m just trying to protect the integrity of our program.”

“We all have secrets, Markov,” he says, my name a mockery on his lips as if he knows it isn’t my real name. “I’ve got evidence, and if you don’t stop interfering, I’ll use it against you.” He waves it in the air and shakes his head. “About you and that self-important bitch who bought her way⁠—”

My fist connects with his jaw, and before he can react, I lift him and slam him against the wall. I pound the wall beside him, bloodying my knuckles in an effort to keep myself from killing him. “Don’t you fucking name call. And you do not fucking threaten her.” My voice is a low growl.

Vera’s voice cries out as she grabs my arm. “Markov! Stop! Enough!” I blink as if coming out of a haze and realize the American is bloodied and his shirt is torn. The bastard got lucky. He’s trying to catch his breath when I let him go abruptly.

The door opens, and Irina steps out. “Gentlemen. What’s going on here?”

To my surprise, Jake shakes his head and swipes at his cheek. “I tripped,” he says. “Markov picked me up.”

He turns, and Irina must not see the blood on his cheek. “I’m going back to bed before tomorrow’s lab.”

I watch him storm off, Vera breathing rapidly next to me, but Irina only smiles. “I wouldn’t have blamed you if you’d decided it was time to teach him some respect, Markov. Honestly, he’s so full of himself and incredibly rude to the others.” She shakes her head and winks. “Not that I condone violence, but. . .” Her voice trails off as Morozov joins us.

“Now, let’s all get some rest before a big day tomorrow, shall we?”

They turn to leave, and I stare after them, stunned at Irina’s reaction. It isn’t what I expected. Does she know more than she’s letting on? Was her observation and recommendation another attempt to flirt with me?

“Markov,” Vera says in a voice just above a whisper as we head back to our room, side by side. “Did she basically. . . tell you it was okay to beat up Jake?”

I frown. “Sounds like she’s had enough of his antics.”

“It’s unprofessional.”

“As is his behavior toward you and the others in the program.”

“You can do no wrong in her eyes.”

“She honestly has flirted with me a few times.”

Vera stands still. When I look down at her, her eyes are wide in shock. “Um, what? Did you say she’s flirted with you?”

I nod. “Nothing exceptionally untoward. And I don’t know if you’ve noticed her sidling up to me when you’re all working on your labs. She hasn’t crossed a line, but I feel almost like the teacher’s pet. . . and I’m not even a pet.”

Vera snorts. “You’re definitely not that. Listen, you know how I feel about you interfering with things. I asked you not to hurt Jake. I asked you not to let anyone else know who you are,” she says in a whisper of a voice. “You can’t just beat up any loser who looks the wrong way at me, Markov. You can’t.”

I shrug. “I warned him fairly. I gave him plenty of chances. He crossed a line.”

She groans and shakes her head. “What does he know?”

“Nothing. He’s got nothing. You know you didn’t buy your way into this program. Your father didn’t interfere. And if he knows you’re part of the Ivanov family, let him tell them. You stand on your own credentials, Vera.”

There’s a brief pause before she reaches her hand to me. “Markov. . .”

“Mmm?”

“Why do you have a different phone?”