She’s breathtaking, though that word alone does not even suit her.


    This woman is something else, and I need to know her—every inch of her, until she doesn’t know where she ends and I begin.


    When she tries to get off my desk, I stop her, holding her legs apart. A blush creeps to her cheeks, which almost doesn’t suit her. But then again, she’spletely bare for me, a man she just met.


    A little bit of shyness is good, though it wouldn’t do well at my club. Nor for me.


    Regardless, there’s not a chance I can have her working for me, distracting me. Nor could I ever have her doing things with anyone else. I’d rip them apart with my teeth.


    “Can I get dressed now?” She shifts, her breathing getting steadier.


    “Not yet. I’m not done looking at you.”


    She huffs, her features twisting with a satisfactory level of annoyance. Doesn’t she realize how excited her little temper makes me?


    “Is this what you do with every woman you interview?” She angles her chin, just waiting to call me some derogatory name.


    “You’re the first.”


    A single brow arches. “And why the hell is that? What made me so special?” She says thatst word in pure disgust.


    “Well, you’re not the kind of woman I normally hire.” My fingers drift up her thigh, wanting to touch her, to taste that glistening pink cunt. “My normal girls, I already know from my other businesses, and usually my manager inspects them. But with you…” My mouth taunts her with a greedy smirk. “I had to do it myself.”


    “You’re a sick bastard.”


    “You say that like it’s a sin.” My fingers take a slow swipe up her cunt, unable to resist it, and she lets out a small moan, making it harder not to continue. “But I’m not the one who fucked herself with my gun just to get a job.”


    Her eyes narrow, fists digging into the wood, but myugh slips out anyway, stoking the mes I know are already rising in her.


    Moya l’vitsa… My lioness.


    “Get your damn hands off me.”


    She attempts to push my arms off her, but she has no chance. I could overpower her in a second. Even in her heels, she’s probably only five-five, while I’m six-seven. And the fact that she’s so much smaller only makes me more insatiable for her.


    If she worked for me, I would barely be able to control myself or focus. All I’d do is wonder what she’s doing and with whom.


    Blyat. I can’t hire her. I have no time for such distractions.


    It’s the one thing I promised myself. Attachments never end well, and if I sleep with her now, I will want to do it again and again. I can already see the effect she has on me; time spent with her will only make it worse.


    I’m not na?ve. I know what can happen to the heart if one’s not careful, and I’m always careful.


    Pushing off her, I get to my feet, giving her my back. “Get dressed and see yourself out. You won’t be working for me.”


    “What?!” she snaps as I register her shuffling off my desk. “You made me go through all this just to deny me?”


    Her tone grows even more irate, and that doesn’t bring me much satisfaction now because in truth, I want to see her again, and I don’t like feeling this way. My hand curls at my side just as shees around to face me, unfortunately dressed now. My teeth rattle with the desire to tell her why I can’t have her close.


    “You’re a real asshole, aren’t you?” She shakes her head in contempt. “I’m sure Mira told you I need money to pay rent, and you just humiliate me, then toss me out? What kind of man does that?”


    The kind who will never risk his heart. I remember what happened thest time I did.


    “The kind who knows you don’t belong in my world. I’m doing you a favor, Ms. Monroe. You’d be eaten alive. Then I’d be left cleaning up your mess, and I’ve got plenty of my own to take care of.”


    Reaching into my pocket, I take out my wallet and remove a stack of hundreds.


    She stares at it, her eyes shing with rage. “I’m not a prostitute, you fucker. Take your money and shove it up your ass.”


    I let out augh. “All I’m doing is helping you. This money isn’t to pay you for such an exemry performance, and I must thank you for that. It was definitely everything I hoped it would be.”


    Her pes out of nowhere, and a small smirk tips up one side of my face. In a sh, I’m on her, myrge hand fastened around her small, delicate throat, pushing her up against the wall. I shake my head, unable to stop the way my pulse beats faster as her eyes grow with both arousal and anger.


    “I will let this slide just once, Ms. Monroe, but try that again and I will punish you until that perfect ass of yours is red and aching. Understand?”


    She nears, her mouth curling into a tight, rage-filled smile. “Fuck off.”


    I grunt, my breath close enough to feel her lips hover just above mine. But I don’t give in. I refuse to take it. Nothing good woulde of it. I can feel it.


    “You’ll never see me again. Don’t worry,” she snaps.


    “Don’t be so sure.” My knuckles draw up her cheek, and hershes flutter as though she likes it.


    Nu blyat, why can’t she just hate it?


    Zakrut moyu golovu. She’s messing with my head.


    “I am sure. You’re not someone I would ever want to work for.”


    Thest thing I was thinking about was us working together.


    Then again, she would be working for it…


    When a grin curls on my face, she huffs, pushing against my chest with her small hands. I don’t move at first, but with a harsh sigh, I back away, allowing her to slide out of my grasp.


    Pity.


    “I agree. Us working together would not serve either one of us. I am sorry this didn’t work out, Ms. Monroe. If you find yourself in need of some money, you know where I am.”


    “I would never ept a dime from you.”


    “Suit yourself.” I round my desk and settle into the chair, stuffing the money back. Opening myptop, I refuse to look at her anymore before I keep her here permanently. “Please close the door on your way out.” Pressing a few keys, I pretend to be upied.


    With a muttering curse, she storms out, leaving me there wishing I never met the enigmatic Tessa Monroe.<hr>


    TESSA


    My fists m into the padded mitts Roger, my mixed martial arts coach, holds up as the sharp crack of impact slices through the air. My breath is harsh, my body coiled tight like a wire ready to snap.


    I need to hit something. Hard.


    “Again,” I bite out, adjusting my stance.


    Sweat drips down my back, my muscles burning, but it’s nothingpared to the fire raging inside me.


    Roger chuckles, shaking out his hands. “Jesus, Emilia, you trying to take my arms off?”


    “Don’t go easy on me. I’m in no mood.”


    He raises a brow, amusement flickering across his features. “You’re never in a mood. You’re a damn hurricane today. Should I be worried?”


    “Just keep up,” I growl,unching into another round of punches.


    Left jab, right hook, duck, pivot.


    Every strike sends a jolt up my limbs, feeding my anger, grounding me in something real. Something other than him.


    Konstantin.


    The bastard yed me. Made me think I had a shot at getting close. Let me humiliate myself on his desk. Let me believe for a second that I had power in that moment. Then he tossed me out like I was nothing.


    No job. No way in. I’m fucked now.


    I grit my teeth and throw a high kick, forcing Roger to step back.


    I should’ve known better. Men like him…they take, they use, and when they’re done, they discard.


    But I’m not done. I need to find another way in.


    “Alright, alright. Take it easy, killer.” Roger shakes his head as he drops his hands. “I like my ribs intact.”


    “You done already?” I exhale sharply, rolling my shoulders and bouncing on my feet, knowing I could go for hours.


    “Not a chance.” He grins, but there’s a flicker of something else in his expression. Concern. “You wanna talk about it?”


    I grab my water bottle and take a long drink. “You’re my coach, not my therapist. Now hit me.”


    “You’re crazy, you know that?” Heughs, switching the mitts for the grappling gloves he left at the corner of the cage and slipping them on before he returns.


    “Tell me something I don’t know.” As I throw another upper kick, my phone rings on the bench.


    It could be the boss. He’s probably worried Konstantin killed me or something. If he only knew the actual truth…


    “Give me a sec,” I tell Roger, getting out of the cage to grab my cell.


    When I see the name shing on the screen, I frown. A cold knot forms in my stomach as I swipe to answer.


    “Reyes? What’s up?”


    His voice is tight. “Emilia, look, I hate calling you like this, but it’s Nate.”


    The world narrows. My grip tightens around the phone.


    “What happened?”


    “He got jumped.”


    Fuck!


    A breath rushes out of my lungs. “What?! You were supposed to be watching his back!”


    “I know, but it happened fast. No one saw iting, and you know he won’t go to solitary.”


    My free hand squeezes the back of my neck. “How bad is it? When did it happen?”


    “About thirty minutes ago. His face is badly bruised, but he’s alright. You may wanna talk to him about solitary again, though. They’ll continueing for him.”


    A beat of silence rises between us.


    “I’ve tried. He won’t listen to me. He thinks he can handle it, but we both know he can’t. Clearly.”


    Roger steps closer, his easygoing demeanor gone, reced with sharp focus. “What’s going on?”


    He knows my brother well. They’re good friends.


    I’m already picking up my duffle bag, my pulse pounding in my ears.


    “I’ming now,” I say into the phone. “You better make sure they let me in to see him, and don’t tell him I’ming.”


    The moment the call disconnects, I’m sprinting for the door.


    “Emilia!” Roger calls after me. “What the hell is going on?”


    But I don’t answer him. I throw myself into the car, my hands tense around the wheel, squeezing so hard my knuckles turn white.


    My brother needs me. I have to free him. I’m all he’s got. And I’ll do whatever it takes to make it happen.


    Even if it means going back to the devil himself.