Total pages in book: 184
Estimated words: 188108 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 941(@200wpm)___ 752(@250wpm)___ 627(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 188108 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 941(@200wpm)___ 752(@250wpm)___ 627(@300wpm)
“Perhaps I don’t think I should have to do what I’m told,” she replied. “I might be protesting doing what I’m told. Perhaps I’m a revolutionist.”
“Perhaps you’re a brat who is going to end up with a hot bottom.”
“That is also a possibility,” she said in a high-pitched voice.
“Becoming a stronger possibility with every moment that passes that you don’t tell me what happened.”
“We really should get the bird.”
He glared.
She melted.
“Fine. I climbed up on that table over there.”
Alexei looked to where she was pointing. At a wooden table that was resting against a wall. It was probably a hundred years old, at least, and had very fine legs. Even though she was slight, it could well have broken under her weight.
What the fuck was she thinking?
“You stood on that table?” He managed to hold back the roar in his voice.
Just.
“Yes, and now I’m thinking that might have been a silly idea.”
Finally, she was starting to see sense.
“That table is probably hugely expensive. Imagine if I’d broken it. I’d have to work until I was a hundred and ten to pay Roman back. I’m so sorry.”
She gave him a regretful look that actually appeared sincere.
“Do you really think that I’m worried about you breaking that ugly table?”
“Umm. You’re not?”
“You fell off it, Tamsyn!”
“Yeah, I know. I was there. My mistake was not taking my socks off first.”
“Your mistake was climbing up on it in the first place. Do you remember how I scolded you for using equipment in the gym?”
“Yeah. You were being unreasonable then, too.”
“I am not being unreasonable.”
Deep breaths.
“I am trying to keep you safe. Which appears to be a full-time job.”
She made a scoffing noise. “I can keep myself safe.”
“I don’t think you can. Since you just hurt yourself trying to get rid of a bird that never should have been allowed inside in the first place.”
Tamsyn bit her lip.
Good. She was beginning to understand how much trouble she was in.
“I am going to get rid of the damn bird. Then I want to know where you’ve hurt yourself.”
He straightened.
“Um, I don’t think you need to worry about the bird.”
“Of course I do. There’s too many expensive paintings and other shit in here.”
“Yes, but it flew out about five minutes ago.”
Thank fuck.
“Stay there.” He moved around and shut the windows and doors. Then he turned back to her. “Right. Time for a bit of a chat.”
Uh oh.
When she’d first met Alexei, she’d gotten the idea that he didn’t like her.
Basically, because he’d shut the door in her face and spent all of his time glaring at her.
Well, other than when he’d kissed her.
Now, she was wondering why she’d wanted to change that. At least when he hadn’t wanted her around, he’d kind of avoided her.
Which had been good for her. Since him paying attention to her seemed to lead to her getting into trouble. She ignored the voice in her head telling her that she could just try to stay out of trouble.
That didn’t sound like any fun.
And she was just trying to help the poor birdie. Whose poop she was going to be cleaning up for hours.
Awesome.
Maybe next time she would leave the darn thing to fend for itself.
No, you won’t.
Because you’re a huge softie.
Kind of went against how the rest of the world would view her. But it was just a helpless, tiny animal and she’d always had a thing for animals.
They had never let her down or hurt her.
And they’d never stared at her in disgust or anger.
“I’m really fine,” she told Alexei hastily. “It was only a small fall. I’ve had far worse.”
Like the time her job went horribly wrong, and she got shot. Although being shot hadn’t actually been the worst part of that job. Nope, the worst part had come later.
But she pushed that memory aside.
“A small fall? Far worse?” He swished his hand through the air. “Show me.”
“Alexei—”
“I am your employer. When you are here, I am responsible for you. Now show me.”
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re stubborn?”
He smiled.
Lord, the man was sexy when he smiled. It was hard to believe he could get more handsome, but he could.
“Yes. I had to be stubborn, or I wouldn’t have survived my childhood.”
She wanted to ask more about his childhood. To press him for information. She only knew the basics from her research. That he’d grown up in an orphanage in Russia.
However, she didn’t want him to ask her questions about her upbringing.
Oh, she had her cover story.
But it was becoming increasingly hard to lie to them. She didn’t know why.
Probably because you like them. They’re good guys.
Oh, and you’d love nothing more than to fuck them.
To be theirs.
Right.
Talk about a complete and utter pipe dream.
Even if the three of them wanted and were willing to share her, which she doubted . . . well, there was the whole lying to them about who she was.