When he stepped into the room, Kelly hopped to his feet. Showered and changed into a nightshirt, Lena remained on the cozy couch in the reading nook. Kelly looked a little nervous so Yuri instantly put the younger man at ease with a smile. Even so, Kelly bid Lena a quick goodnight and beat a hasty retreat from the master suite.
Finally alone with her, Yuri settled onto the couch next to her and stretched out his tired, aching legs. Closing his eyes, he dropped his head back against the cushion and inhaled a long, slow breath. Lena clasped his hand and dragged it onto her lap. She ran her fingers over his knuckles, the movement surprisingly soothing.
He didn't want to talk about the shooting or the cartel but they had to discuss that awful episode in his office. It was the last damn thing he wanted to talk about this late night at night but it had to be done.
Holding her gaze, he stated the obvious. "I crossed the line. I'm so very sorry for hurting you and I'm going to try my very hardest to never make you cry again."
"You did hurt me," she said softly. "I wish I could make feel you how embarrassing and painful it was for me to find that stupid file."
"I have a damn good idea of how terrible it was for you." He brushed his fingers down her cheek. "Can you forgive me?"
"Yes."
"Will you forgive me?"
"I already have." She squeezed his hand. "That doesn't mean I don't have conditions."
"Anything."
She arched one of those perfectly shaped brows. "That's a dangerous offer to make for a man with your deep pockets."
He chuckled at her playful reply. Showing her he was serious, he brought her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to every single one of her fingertips. "Anything, Lena."
"You have to stop treating our relationship like a business transaction. If you need to tell me that you're running late or you're going to have to reschedule a date, pick up your phone and call me. Even texting me would be better than handing it off to your assistant. If you want to know something about me, open your dang mouth and ask me."
"Agreed. Absolutely."
Holding hands, they settled into a comfortable silence. Yuri gave consideration to their developing relationship. He wondered if it was time to lay all his cards on the table. He'd been so hesitant to tell her exactly how he felt about her because he feared spooking her but right now it seemed silly to hold back. He was going toe-to-toe with a fucking cartel for her. If she didn't already suspect how he felt, he'd be shocked.
"Lena, we can't keep doing this."
She went rigid. Eyes wide, she asked, "You're breaking up with me?"
"What? NO!" He slid closer and placed his palm against her cheek. "No. Of course not." He silently cursed himself for being so clumsy. "What I should have said is that we can't keep treating this relationship like it's in a trial phase."
"I don’t understand."
"We're going through the motions like this is a normal, run-of-the-mill relationship when it's anything but. There's no hot and cold here or on and off. I know you're afraid to take the plunge into something serious so quickly but I'm not."
She gulped nervously and her grip on his hand tightened. "What are you saying, Yuri?"
"I'm saying that right here, right now, you have to decide what it is you want with me." Cupping her face, he gazed into those big, beautiful brown eyes. "Because—God help me, woman—I’m in love with you. I'd do anything for you."
She blinked rapidly but couldn't keep the tears from spilling onto her lashes and cheeks. Voice husky, she said, "You don't have to do anything for me but love me. That's all I need."
"Do you want me?"
"Yes. So much," she whispered. "I'm falling in love with you and it scares me." She made her confession in a shaky voice. "I'm so scared to put all my trust and love in you. I've been hurt so many times but you? God, Yuri, if you broke my heart, it would crush me."
"Never," he vowed. "Never."
"You say that now but I have so much baggage. I'm not an easy person to love."
The shame filling her voice made his heart ache. He thought of the mother who had walked out on her and the gaping hole in Lena's confidence and self-worth that one act had left behind.
"Look at me." He forced her to meet his gaze by tilting her head back. "That is not true. I'm finding it incredibly easy to love you, Yelena Cruz." He brushed the tears from her face. "And you're not the only one with baggage, Kitten. Together, we'll figure out a way to fix each other."
She smiled sadly. "That might take a long time."
"I don't mind." He kissed her then, claiming her mouth with all the love and passion he felt for this brilliant, beautiful woman. "Because I have all the time in the world for you."
With a joyful sob, she threw herself into his arms. He happily caught and embraced her. Burying his nose in her still damp, freshly washed hair, he breathed in that scent he loved so much. Despite the terrible turn of events they'd just lived, Yuri had never felt closer to her.
Sensing that she needed to be held and soothed after her traumatic experience, he coaxed her into bed and shut off the lights. Cradling her against his chest, Yuri sifted his fingers through her hair and caressed her arm and back until her breaths grew deeper and more relaxed. It filled him with such a strong sense of pride to know that she felt safe and secure in his arms.
For him, sleep didn't come so easily. His mind raced as he tried to remember every person he'd ever done business with in any capacity. There were more angry outbursts and tense negotiations than he'd remembered earlier when talking with his friends. A few long-buried memories made him uneasy. Had he really been such a dick?
But who would hold a grudge so long? And over a business deal?
Yuri couldn't quite explain it but this felt personal. If someone he'd crossed in business wanted to hurt him, the natural response would be to go after his money. Sabotaging the pipeline deal? Now that made sense from a business revenge angle.
Trying to kill Lena? That was personal. That had the feeling of someone who wanted to hurt him.
He had to agree with Nikolai on that count. The cartel wouldn't gain anything from killing Lena and crushing his soul. Lorenzo Guzman wanted his painting and his money. He didn't have a beef with Yuri.
So why target Lena? Why try to take the most important thing in the world from him?
The troubling thought perplexed him for most of the night. He fell into a fitful sleep but jerked awake every half hour or so. It was impossible for him to shed the eerie feeling that things were only just beginning to get dangerous. Suddenly four bodyguards and Sasha didn't feel like nearly enough.
When Lena rolled onto her side, he shifted and spooned her from behind. He lifted his head high enough to see the clock and groaned softly. It would be time to wake much too soon. He still hadn't figured out what the hell he was going to do about keeping Lena safe. She couldn't leave the house—that was for damn sure. He wasn't even sure he wanted her passing by the windows.
He'd just dozed off when Lena's phone started ringing. She bolted upright and started slapping at the bedside table. Putting a comforting hand on her belly, he silently urged her to relax. She threaded her fingers through his and answered the call. "Dad?"
Yuri listened to her side of the conversation. From the sounds of it, her father had no idea what had happened and Lena didn't trouble him with the details. He sensed she wanted to spare her father the gut-gnawing worry.
His chest tightened as he thought about the very important details he'd kept from her. What Nikolai had told him about the deadline and the terms Guzman demanded had to stay secret between them. He wouldn't burden her with things beyond her control.
As Lena wrapped up her phone call, Yuri wiped a hand down his tired face and decided he wouldn't go into the office downtown today. Everything that needed his attention could be taken care of from home.
"Yuri?"
Lena's gentle voice interrupted his thoughts. He glanced over and discovered her holding his ringing white p
hone. He hadn't even heard it. Taking it from her, he sat up and studied the screen. That international dialing code belonged to the only person he desperately wanted to hear from this morning.
"Niels?"
The amused chuckle on the other end confirmed it was the Dane in question. "I debated calling so early in your time zone. I'm sure I woke you."
"I don't mind." Yuri didn't dare hope for good news. "Well?"
"Relax. I've found your painting."
Yuri's stress levels plummeted. "And?"
"It won't be easy to pry from its owner's greedy little hands. I made an offer but he refused. Don't worry—I've got an idea. We'll have to call together our poker club and I think we're going to need a very big boat."
Yuri and Niels belonged to an exclusive group of high-rolling billionaires and millionaires who got together to play poker a few times a year. Their games were rarely open to outsiders so naturally everyone wanted a chance to play.
"Lucky for me, I happen to know where to find a very big boat."
Niels laughed. "Yes, I thought you would. So shall we say Saturday evening?"
"Yes."
"I'll make some calls and get this set up for you. It will look better if you're not the one who arranged the tournament."
Niels would want a favor someday but being indebted to the Danish tycoon was worth it. "Thank you."
"Believe me. It will be my pleasure to see this pompous ass knocked down a few pegs."
The call ended and Yuri dropped the phone onto the sheet twisted around his hips and Lena's thigh. She stroked his upper arm. He couldn't see her face in the darkness but he felt the concern radiating from her. "Is everything okay, Yuri?"
"That was Niels. My friend who knows the art world," he clarified in case she'd forgotten. "He found the painting."
"What? Really? Oh my God!" She exhaled a sigh of relief. "What happens now?"
He rolled onto his side and caressed her cheek. Using his fingertips for guidance in the dark, he found her mouth and gave her a kiss. Nuzzling her neck, he murmured, "Right now, I'm going to make love to you."
She shivered as he nipped at the sensitive curve of her neck. "I see."
"When we're finished," he slid his hand down her side and along her hip, "you're going to pack a bag and I'm going to take you to Monaco."
"What's in Monaco?" She made a soft whimpering sound as his hand slipped between her thighs.
"One of my yachts," he explained while probing her hidden depths. "Actually it's anchored in the sea there."
"Ah!" She clutched his shoulders as he penetrated her slowly and dragged his thumb across her clitoris. "Oh! But—ah! What about Sasha?"
Yuri nipped at her lower lip. "He's staying here. The last thing I need is that dog running wild on a yacht."
"No," she said with a laugh. "I meant right now. He's got his head on my hand and it's sort of freaking me out."
Yuri tore his mouth away from her neck and glanced over at the edge of the bed. He could feel the big dog's heavy breaths wafting across his arm. Refusing to be cock-blocked by the dog this morning, he pecked Lena's cheek. "I'll be right back."
Snapping his fingers, he hopped off the bed and called Sasha to follow him. He opened the bedroom door and ordered the dog into the hallway. Kelly jumped out of his chair as Sasha trotted by him. Surprised to see the former Marine still awake, he hid his nakedness with the door. "Shouldn't you get some rest?"
"Sleep isn't something I particularly enjoy these days."
Yuri understood what the younger man meant. He'd never seen the kind of ceaseless hell the Marine had on his multiple tours but he could imagine how difficult the effects were to manage after leaving the service.
Clearly understanding why Yuri had put the dog out in the hall, Kelly cleared his throat. "I think I'll, uh, go get some coffee."
"You really should." Yuri shut the door and turned the lock. He didn't want anyone bothering them this morning.
As he crawled over Lena, she giggled furiously. "I don’t know how I'm going to look him in the face later."
"The same way I do." He grasped the hem of her nightshirt and dragged it up and over her head. Tossing it over his shoulder, he planted his knees on either side of her thighs. "Now—where was I?"
He skimmed his lips across the swell of her breast. "Here?"
"Um…a little bit lower," she replied playfully.
"Hmmm," he hummed just as playfully. "Was I here?" He dotted kisses up and down her bare tummy.
"Um…"
"No," he said definitively. "I'm fairly certain I was right down here."
Sliding onto his stomach, he pushed her thighs apart and planted a noisy kiss right on top of her clit. She purred and lifted her hips. Remembering how beautifully—and loudly—she reacted to his oral attentions, he mischievously instructed, "Kitten, try not to wake the whole neighborhood…"
Chapter Sixteen
I had to give it to Yuri. The man had promised me an unrivaled travel experience and that was exactly what he'd provided. Flying on a privately owned jet was so incredibly pleasant compared to the long, slow-moving security lines at airports and the cramped seating.
Jake, Derek, Vasya and Kelly had come with us and were in another section. They were kicked back in their reclining seats reading or watching television with headphones.
On the jet, I'd had an entire seating area to myself while Yuri conducted business in the mobile office in the rear of the plane. The comfy seats and scrumptious snacks had been heavenly compared to the bruised knees and stale pretzels from my last commercial flight.
But the very best part? I'd been able to nap with my head in Yuri's lap while he studied stock reports and forecasts. When he'd invited me to curl up against him, I'd declined out of embarrassment. Some of his employees were travelling with us and I'd already gotten quite a few looks. Then it occurred to me that I didn't really give a shit what those people thought. Yuri wanted me to relax and he wanted to stroke my hair and remind me how much he loved me. That was permission enough for me to enjoy myself.
When we'd finally arrived at the French airport closest to Monaco, I'd been surprised to learn that we would be taking a helicopter to the yacht. The realization that his yacht had a helipad drove home just how huge this boat was. At my first glimpse of the gleaming white mega yacht, I nearly fainted in my seat. Hearing something described as four-hundred-feet long conjured up certain images but seeing it with my own eyes was something totally different.
The damn thing looked like an aircraft carrier floating on the Mediterranean. Stunningly, it wasn't even the biggest boat anchored out there. I spotted two other yachts that made Yuri's luxury vessel look rather modest—and that was saying something.
Yuri leaned closer, pushing his shoulder against mine, and pointed at the big boats that had left me awestruck. His voice was crackly in my ear as we used the in-flight communication system to talk. "That one is owned by a sheikh from Dubai. Nice guy. Fantastic polo player."
"And that one?" I gestured to the other massive yacht.
"Oh, that's the Pyxis. It's Mikhail's pride and joy." He must have seen the curiosity in my eyes. "We were in the military together. He made a fortune in metals and minerals."
"I've got to get my hands on some aluminum or nickel," I muttered.
Beside me, Yuri laughed. "If only it were that easy."
The helicopter began its descent. On instinct, I gripped my hands together in my lap. My belly lurched as I prayed the helicopter wouldn't plunge into the sea. Always alert to my needs, Yuri pried my hands apart and held them in his own. He interlaced our fingers and smiled warmly.
The helicopter set down without incident. When the rotors finally stopped spinning, staff in spiffy navy and white uniforms rushed out to greet us. Yuri reached over and unbuckled my safety harness before dragging the headphones from my head and hanging them on their hook.
Holding my hand, he led me out of the helicopter and onto the helipad. We were quickly taken to a re
ception room where the rest of the staff stood in lines as if waiting to be inspected. Jake and Derek had come with us on the helicopter and were whisked away by two men who seemed to be the security officers on the ship.
As Yuri introduced me to the captain and crew, I heard the helicopter firing up again. A handful of Yuri's staff,Vasya and Kelly were waiting at the airport. I tried to concentrate on the names rapidly ticked off by the captain of the vessel but I had a feeling I was going to forget half of them. Thankfully every member of the staff wore a nametag.
One face in the second row caught my eye. I'd never met him in person but his face was familiar to me because of the photographs I'd seen around Benny's house and the bakery. "Johnny?"
He smiled at me. "Miss Cruz."
His respectful reply surprised me. He seemed so different from the mental image I'd created of him from the different stories I'd been told. I noticed the gang tattoo from some of his pictures had been covered with angel wings. The collar of his polo shirt hid most of it but the very tips of the wings peeked over the top. Apparently he was making a conscious effort to leave that old, dangerous life of his behind.
Even though I wanted to talk to him, I sensed this wasn't the time. Later I would track him down, but, right now, Yuri seemed intent on showing me some more of his yacht. The mindboggling tour left me reeling. The sleek, modern design elements gave the boat a five-star hotel feel.
"What is it?" Yuri asked as we took our seats in the private dining area overlooking the beautiful, calm sea. A champagne breakfast awaited us.
"I just realized it probably costs more to fill up this boat with fuel for one trip than I made in, like, an entire year."
He seemed to be mentally calculating the costs. "It's probably closer to two years."