Chapter 5

Boris caught Laney just as she reached the back door. She had been waylaid by one of the bartenders who had some scheduling questions for her. Sometimes Laney filled in for Claudia when in came to club management decisions. Claudia made it clear she trusted Laney implicitly. With one eye on King's and Boris' exchange, she had hurriedly solved the scheduling problem and then all but ran for the exit, only to find herself seized once more in Boris' powerful grip.

"I don't think so, kotenok," he growled, lifting her off her feet as she flew through the exit door, her fingertips skimming across the metal bar. His thick forearm bit into her waist as he pulled her into the hardness of his chest.

"Oomph," she gasped as the air rushed out of her.

He spun her around and pushed her against the brick wall just outside the back door. Laney's bag dropped from her limp fingers and hit the pavement with a thud. She clutched his shoulders tightly, her fingernails biting into him through his T-shirt. Her feet dangled off the ground and her wide, startled eyes met his. Dim lighting from the single light above the back door illuminated them.

Oh god, she thought wildly, had the sword finally dropped?

Her breath caught in her throat and her heart stuttered in her chest. She knew with everything in her that he was going to kiss her. The look in his eyes was one of burning possession. Like there was no other woman on the planet except her and he would die if he didn't claim a kiss. But she couldn't let it happen. Boris Grekov couldn't be allowed to kiss her.

His fingers tightened on her body and her head spun as the air rushed around her. She breathed in his scent as he leaned toward her, so familiar to her now from his constant presence: cedar and just a hint of leather. He usually wore a leather coat, but the evening was so warm and it was missing tonight.

Laney knew instinctively if she struggled in his arms he would force his kiss on her. He was a predator, an alpha male, Russian and a gangster. She shivered against him and whimpered. Slowly, she turned her face away from his and closed her eyes tightly. He stiffened for a second and then continued, his lips tracing a path across her jaw and down her throat.

Laney suppressed a moan as pleasure sizzled through her veins. Boris had never managed to get his hands on her so intimately beyond their first meeting. She knew if he ever touched her again it would be like this. She knew from the moment she set eyes on his picture that Boris would be the one to light her fire. Which was astounding considering she thought she was rendered frigid the moment her father had cut the head off of her first lover.

But this could not be. Laney could not allow herself to fall prey to Boris' seductive caresses. She forced her lips to move. "Stop," she whispered.

Her voice was so low that he didn't hear her at first. His hands continued to hold her up by the waist while his body pressed intimately against her and his lips explored her throat. She repeated herself louder, her voice stronger, angrier.

"Mr. Grekov, stop!" she demanded.

The tone of her voice, combined with his surname finally penetrated the fog of lust brought on by finally getting his hands on the object of his months long obsession. Boris froze, his brain sluggishly catching up to the facts. Laney was struggling in his arms, her voice angry and cold, demanding immediate release.

He reared back to stare at her, his brows snapping together angrily. Slowly he let her slide down the wall to stand on her own. He maintained his hold on her though, knowing she would likely run away the moment he let go. Experience had taught him, this woman would run from him every chance she got.

Her breathing was coming out in quick, angry gasps. "Let me go!"

"Why are you doing this?" he growled down at her, his eyes flicking over her. "I know you desire to be with me. Why not give in?"

"You know nothing!" she snapped at him, her mind thinking quickly. Boris was far too astute for her to keep alluding him with her icy refusals. Especially if he intended to keep cornering her with melting kisses. She wouldn't be able to resist him!

Thinking quickly Laney stepped forward into his space and poked her finger at him. "You dishonour me with this constant pursuit!"

He crossed his arms over his chest and raised a thick brow. "Explain."

Mind whirling, Laney came up with the only lie she could think of on the spot. "I am engaged to be married and- and my fiancé would be very angry to find out that I was nearly kissed in a back alley."

"The fuck you are!" Boris exploded, uncrossing his arms and reaching for her.

Laney gasped and jumped back hitting her wrist hard against the handle of the back door. She cried out in pain and clutched her bruised arm skittering sideways out of his reach. Boris swore again in Russian and visibly calmed himself down, scrubbing a hand over his bearded face and staring hard at her in the shadows.

"Laney, I'm sorry," he said, his thickly accented voice sounding genuinely apologetic. "You surprised me. There was no hint of man in your life. Please let me see your arm and then I promise I'll let you go home."

If there was one thing Laney had learned about Boris in the past several months, it was that he always did what he said. Hesitantly, she stepped forward and allowed him to take hold of her wrist. He gently turned it over, running his broad thumb over the delicate bones of her wrist, checking for damage. When he was sure there was none, he closed his hand over her much smaller one and gave it a gentle squeeze before releasing her. As if to reassure her of his good intentions, he stepped away, his gaze as platonic as he was capable of making it.

"Is he in Japan?" his voice rumbled in the darkness. His eyes glinted in curiosity.

Laney almost asked who he meant and then her brain caught up. "Um, yes," she replied quickly.

"He's fucking idiot for letting you live here without him," Boris said, his voice hard. "If you belonged to me, this would not be allowed."

Laney's eyes narrowed. "I don't belong to you."

He shrugged, his eyes searching her face intently. "You do not belong to him yet either."

Her breath caught in her throat. So, her imaginary engagement had only caught him by surprise, it hadn't actually stopped his obsession with her. She should have known. Perhaps she should have gone with an imaginary husband. Laney wondered how hard it would be to come up with a fake marriage certificate and if that would be enough to deter the massive Russian enforcer.

"I'm leaving," she announced.

Laney walked past Boris, holding her breath as she did, half afraid that he would grab her again. He did nothing but turn and watch her walk to her vehicle. Laney drove the SUV to King Tower, aware the entire time of Boris' classic Camaro following her home. He pulled past her and drove away as she turned into the parking garage of the luxury condominium.